The beginning of the Vietnam conflict can be traced back to the end of World War II and the independence movement against French colonial rule. In 1945, several nationalistic forces, particularly the Viet Minh led by Ho Chi Minh, sought to establish an independent Vietnam. The conflict intensified following the Geneva Accords of 1954, which temporarily divided Vietnam into North and South at the 17th parallel. The U.S. became increasingly involved in the South's struggle against communist forces, leading to escalating military engagement and the emergence of the Vietnam War in the 1960s.