On this day in 1954 French forces fall to Viet Minn army at Dien Bien Phu. Vietnam had being trying to gain independence from France since after WWII and had been given certain promises by the US government if they would help defeat Japan during the war. If anyone has ever picked up a history book, they know that a promise from the US government isn't worth the paper its printed on. Vietnam was given back to the French colonialists following the war. One lesson the French learned was the Vietnamese wouldn't give up defending their homeland from the invaders. Following this surrender France left Vietnam and it was divided between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. Damn those commie bastards! The US thought they could do better than France at ousting the communist regime in the north, so they brought their own troops over a few years later. How'd that work out?
On this day in 1915 the British liner Lusitania was sunk without warning by a German submarine. Some say this was the event that brought the US into WWI. But anyone with a calendar can see that this isn't true. Seeing as the US didn't declare war until April 1917. Two years, hmm. Despite warnings from both the US and British governments, and the German government, the captain of the ship still decided to sail in waters known to be patrolled by U-boats. Although people in the US were pissed about the 128 deaths of their countrymen, it wasn't the one event that eveyone thinks put the US on the side of the allies. As a side note, the Lusitania was also carrying about 172 tons of war munitions for Britain. Not something a neutral passenger ship would be carrying.
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