"No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported...

Vietnam War"No event in American history is more

misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. Rarely have so many people been so

wrong about so much. Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding

been so tragic.“ President Richard Nixon

• What were the causes of the Vietnam War?

• Why did the US enter the Vietnam War?

• What was the outcome of the Vietnam War?

EQ’s

Vietnam’s history is one of struggle for autonomy.

It’s mine…it’s mine…it’s mine

Until the 9th century, China ruled.

Mid 19th century France occupied Vietnam and controlled the country until WWII.

During WWII, Japan invaded.

Why do you think so many

countries wanted to control

Vietnam? Hint … look at a physical map of

Vietnam!

Whoever controlled Vietnam controlled the coast!

During WWII, Communist Viet

Minh resisted Japan. The US helped train the Viet Minh in war

tactics.

At the end of WWII, France tried to reclaim Vietnam, but Vietnam had

had enough! With the end of WWII, Vietnam wanted

independence. And soon, a leader emerged!

Ho Chi Min • studied Communism in the Soviet Union and China

• became leader in Vietnam’s independence movement

• Vietnam declared independence on September 2, 1945

However, France resisted and so ensued the French Indochina War.

In 1954, nine years

later, France was defeated.

What is the 17th

Parallel?

What does this remind you of?

Vietnam and the 17th Parallel

The peace terms, as stated at the

Geneva Conference in 1954, ending the French Indochina

War split the country in two –

along the 17th Parallel

Communist took control of the north

and a non-communist

government took control of the

south, backed by the US.

Saigon

Hanoi – the capital of North Vietnam

Saigon – the capital of South Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh

Prime Minister & President of

North Vietnam

South VietnamNgo Dinh Diem took power of

the government in South Vietnam in a corrupt election.

Thousands of angry South Vietnamese rose up against

Diem.

These anti-Diem forces were called “Viet Cong”, meaning Vietnamese Communists.

Diem assassinated in 1963.

Tension grew between the two until a full-scale war erupted in 1964.

Why did the US back South Vietnam and choose to enter the war?

Look at the physical geography of South Asia.

What assumptions could you make if Communist North Vietnam defeated South Vietnam?

America was concerned about the “domino effect”. The Domino Theory was developed -

“If South Vietnam falls to the Communist, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma (today

Myanmar), India, and Pakistan would also fall like dominos. The Pacific Islands and even

Australia could be at risk.”

So, who got involved?

South Vietnam and US were supported by:

• South Korea

• Philippines

• Thailand

• New Zealand

North Vietnam and Viet Cong supported by:

• Communist China

• Soviet Union

US involvement• 1st – only entered as

“advisors” to South Vietnam

• After attack on a US destroyer in the Gulf of Tonkin Aug. 1964, congress gave LBJ more “war powers”, but still there was no formal declaration of war.

• March 1965 - Sends first ground troops

LBJ’s goalNOT to win the war, but to give South Vietnam enough support until they could take over.

Results? • With no goal of winning the

war, lost American public support.

• Fighting limited to South Vietnam only! With no serious ground attacks against the North – or the Ho Chi Minh Trail – soldiers fighting only a defensive war – not an offensive war.

The Vietnam War was not a war

being fought along one front, against

just North Vietnam…it was

being fought throughout South Vietnam against the Viet Cong as

well!

Tet Offensive January 30, 1968

Watch short video … http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/agent-orange/videos/vietnam

A coordinated attack by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong against about 100 South Vietnamese cities. While initially seen as a North Vietnamese failure because the ally forces quickly retook the cities, it did prove to be a turning point for the US involvement in the war, and ultimately the removal of US troops from Vietnam.

Who were the major people?

North Vietnam

Ho Chi Min

Let’s review …

Who were the major people?

South Vietnam

Ngo Dinh Diem

Who were the major people?

US

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Sent “advisors” to Vietnam.

President John F. Kennedy

Increased the involvement of US in Vietnam

PresidentLyndon B. Johnson

1963

Became president when Kennedy

was assassinated.

Dean Rusk

Secretary of State under President

Kennedy and President Johnson

President Richard Nixon

Pulls troops out of Vietnam.

March 1973 – last

combat troops leave Vietnam.

US advisors and Marines left to

protect US installations.

For the US – at least – the war is

“officially” over.

President Gerald Ford

April 1975 … Last US Marines and military advisors leave Vietnam

Back to Fighting in Vietnam

A network of wilderness routes that carried Communist equipment, supplies, and troops to fight in South Vietnam. Beginning in North Vietnam, routes wound through Laos and Cambodia

Eventually grew to more than 12,500 miles!

Fighting in the jungles

Napalm and Agent OrangeBecause Vietnam has a vast rainforest, observation

from air was nearly impossible. Therefore, in an effort to expose hidden Viet Cong, the US implemented

defoliation (killing the leaves with chemicals poisons).

Hiding in the jungles

http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/cu-chi-tunnels

Watch this short video …

The Viet Cong and North Vietnamese built thousands of miles of underground tunnels.

The tunnels were used to house troops, escape aerial attacks, and as a route for communication and supplying troops.

Americans who served in this war

Watch this short video … http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/agent-orange/videos/vietnam

Fall of Saigon, South Vietnam … April 30, 1975

By April 25th, 1975, North Vietnamese were closing in on Saigon. President Ford ordered an immediate evacuation of American civilians and

south Vietnamese refugees.

US Marine and Air Force helicopters, flying from offshore carriers, performed a massive airlift. In 18 hours, more

than 1000 American civilians and nearly 7000 south Vietnamese refugees were flown out of Saigon

South Vietnamese pilots were allowed to participate and landed on the US carriers as well. More than 100 of these American supplied helicopters – more than $250,000 each -

were pushed off carrier decks to make room for more evacuees.

At 4:30, April 30th, 1975,

two US Marines were

killed in a rocket attack in Saigon. They were

the last Americans to die in

the Vietnam

War.

At dawn, the remaining marines of the force guarding the US Embassy lifted off.

Hours latter, communist

forces captured

Saigon and rename the

city Ho Chi Min City.

The Boat PeopleIn efforts to still escape communist

rule, 100’s of South

Vietnamese piled onto

boats – many unseaworthy – trying to flee

to other countries.

More than 1 million people escaped and became refugees.

The United States, Canada

and other nations

accepted most of these

refugees.

To sum up … • South Vietnam did fall to communism

and was incorporated into a single, communist country – Vietnam

• Lasted from November 1957 – April 30, 1975

• After Vietnam the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand managed to stay free of communism. The Indonesians expelled the Soviets in 1966.

Vietnam was the first "television war.”

For the first time in history, Americans were able to “watch” the war being played out on

their televisions from the

comfort of their living rooms!

Vietnam War Memorial

1982

• What were the causes of the Vietnam War?

• Why did the US enter the Vietnam War?

• What was the outcome of the Vietnam War?

Can you answer the LEQ’s?

Words, people, and places to know …

• Hoi Chi Minh• Ngo Dinh Diem• Hanoi• Saigon• Hoi Chi Minh

City• Boat People

• 17th Parallel • Domino Theory• Viet Cong • Hoi Chi Minh

Trail

Credits

• http://www.learnhistory.org.uk/vietnam/reasons.htm http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/V/htmlV/vietnamonte/vietnamonte.htm

Autonomy

• Independence or freedom

17th Parallel

• Line of latitude• 17 degrees north of the equator• The peace terms declared Vietnam would be

divided into two countries along this line of latitude – 17 degrees north of the equator…the 17th Parallel

Who is LBJ?

President Lyndon B. Johnson

He was Vice-President to President John F. Kennedy.

He became president in 1963 when President Kennedy was assassinated.

What countries ruled Vietnam at various times throughout history?

Why is Vietnam a strategically important place?

Who emerged as the leader of independence for Vietnam?

When was Vietnam declared independent?

Which war ensued?

At which conference was Vietnam divided?

What is the significance of the 17th parallel?

What became the capital of North Vietnam?

What became the capital of South Vietnam?

The US had a theory – if South Vietnam fell to communism, then all other Asian countries would eventually fall to communism as well. This theory is called the …

Who became leader of South Vietnam in a corrupt election?

What were those called who rose up against him?

On which side did these people fight?

Which US presidents were involved in the Vietnam War?

Who was Dean Rusk?

What was the route called that supplied the Viet Cong in South Vietnam?

Through which countries did this trail wind?

When did Saigon fall?

What was this city renamed after it fell?

Who were the boat people?

To sum up … What happened to South Vietnam?

How long did the Vietnam War last?

What happened to the surrounding countries?

Why was the Vietnam War called the first “television war”?

Do you know these people, places, and words?•Ho Chi Min•Ngo Dinh Diem•Hanoi•Saigon•Ho Chi Min City•Boat People•17th Parallel•Domino Theory•Viet Cong•Ho Chi Min Trail

LEQ’s … 1. What were the causes of the Vietnam War?

2. Why did the US enter the Vietnam War?

3. What was the outcome of the Vietnam War?

Do you know the significance of … 1. The Tonkin Gulf Incident

2. Tet Offensive