The U.S. opposed Ho Chi Minh mainly because they feared the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. President Eisenhower's "domino theory" suggested that if one country in the region fell to communism, then neighboring countries would also follow suit like a row of falling dominos. This belief led the U.S. to view Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Cong as a threat to the stability of the region and to their own interests in containing the spread of communism. As a result, the U.S. supported South Vietnam in its fight against Ho Chi Minh's communist forces during the Vietnam War.
