<P> In other parts of the world, the Cold War was intensifying between Soviet Russia and the United States . The U.S. was becoming more rigid in its policies with the communist allies of Russia . President Dwight D. Eisenhower started supporting the South Vietnamese who were also against the communist north . </P> <P> The U.S. began training and equipping Diem's forces with weapons . Conflicts between communist sympathizers began occurring in the South . At the time, the U.S. had only committed around 800 personnel to train and outfit the South Vietnamese . In 1961, the John F. Kennedy administration started working under the "Domino Theory," which stated that if South Vietnam was to fall to the North, then other places in southeast Asia were to become vulnerable to the communists as well . This caused President Kennedy to begin sending additional American soldiers to Vietnam . By 1962, there were around 9,000 personnel in Vietnam . </P> <P> In 1963, a coup was organized by South Vietnamese generals which resulted in the death of Diem . President Lyndon B. Johnson increased U.S. personnel in Vietnam due to the political instability in the country . In August 1964, two U.S. warships were attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats . Johnson issued an attack order against North Vietnam, and Congress passed a motion which gave him more authority over military decisions . In 1965, President Johnson had sent 82,000 troops to Vietnam, and his officials wanted another 175,000 . Due to the heavy demand for military personnel, the United States required more than what the regular military could provide, causing the acceleration of the draft . Between 1965 and 1972 the draft provided 2,215,000 service members to the U.S. military . </P> <P> Previously in the United States, during the War of 1812, President Madison established a commission to recommend the best ways to raise military manpower; to keep the draft or to institute a volunteer army . </P>

When did drafting for the vietnam war begin