Ho Chi Minh

• Communist leader of North Vietnam

• Began as a nationalist seeking independence from France.

• Asks US for help (no)

• Asks Soviets for help (yes)

• Creates the Vietminh & fights the French

French War in Indochina

• Begins in 1945-1954• French meet stiff resistance & guerilla tactics• Request American aid• By 1954--US provided 80% of $ for war!!

Vietminh march French paratroopers land

Dien Bien Phu

• Mountaintop French air base and fortress

• NW Vietnam by Laotian border

• 1953--16,000 French troops take on 60,000 Vietminh

• Turned back constant attacks, but siege began

• May 7, 1954 surrendered with no ammo & supplies

Vietminh front lines

Destruction at Dien Bien Phu

Dien Bien Phu resultsDien Bien Phu results

French had 5,000 French had 5,000 Killed; 10,000 Killed; 10,000 capturedcaptured

Vietminh had Vietminh had 25,000 killed25,000 killed

Only 1000 French Only 1000 French leftleft

Vietminh charge base

Vietminh capture base

Leads to Geneva ConferenceLeads to Geneva Conference

Split North & South VietnamSplit North & South Vietnam North is communistNorth is communist South is Democratic with US helpSouth is Democratic with US help Ngo Dinh Diem chosen (Catholic)Ngo Dinh Diem chosen (Catholic)

Buddhist ProtestsBuddhist Protests

North invades South VietnamNorth invades South Vietnam

Begin fighting each otherBegin fighting each other

Tonkin incidentTonkin incident

US destroyers attacked in Gulf of TonkinUS destroyers attacked in Gulf of Tonkin ““allegedly”allegedly” Johnson calls for Congress to grant war Johnson calls for Congress to grant war

powerspowers Johnson receives total contol with the Gulf Johnson receives total contol with the Gulf

of Tonkin Resolutionof Tonkin Resolution

US begins--SATURATION BOMBING

• Before launching major attacks on the North--US tries massive bombing

• B-52 bombers• Thousand of tons in

each plane• Tried to overwhelm

Northern cities

B-52 bombers doing work

Aftermath of bombs

Helicopter landings Trying to leave after search & destroy missions

or patrols Helicopters were widely used for difficult

transportation and evacuations

TUNNEL SYSTEM

MORE TUNNELSMORE TUNNELS

Village searches: for VC

Search & Destroy

More War conditionsMore War conditions

• Conditions for Americans were miserable

• 90-95 degrees & humid

• Carry 60 lb packs

• Swamps & paddies

• Leeches & jungle rot

• Fungi infections

• Malaria

• Skin diseases & more

ELEPHANT GRASS

• 90 plus degrees• Up to 15 feet high• Edges of grass like

rose thorns or razor blades

• Enemy can easily hide in the grass

• Booby traps along paths

BOOBY TRAPS

• Things you might see along walking paths, in villages, elephant grass, rice paddies, etc.

• Animal snares• Punji stakes• Landmines & grenades attached to tripwires• Poisonous snakes in tunnel entrances

LANDMINESLANDMINES

Thousands littered Thousands littered across Western across Western Vietnam and in other Vietnam and in other regions of the world regions of the world still today….still today….

AfghanistanAfghanistan Africa (civil wars)Africa (civil wars) AngolaAngola

Buried landmines & grenades

Vietnamese boy teen hit by mine

NAPALMNAPALM

Jellylike, gasoline Jellylike, gasoline substance used substance used extensively in extensively in VietnamVietnam

Tumbled out of Tumbled out of planesplanes

Used on jungle, Used on jungle, villages, and villages, and humans!!humans!!

Total destructionTotal destruction

The monsoon season

Carrying wounded through swamps

More streams to cross

Leeches

• Catch these while wading across streams, paddies, rivers, and more

• Grow up to 6 inches• Only way to get off

skin--cut them off with a knife!!!

TET OFFENSIVE

• Before Tet, Americans thought we were winning the war.

• Morning of Jan.30, 1968 - surprise attack by V.C. & NVA

• Tet is a major holiday in Vietnam - “Gentleman’s Agreement”

TET OFFENSIVE

• V.C. & NVA attack 68 cities and 50 towns

• Fighting lasted from 3 days to 2 weeks

• Bloody & Ferocious: both sides suffered high casualties

• In Hue: V.C. captured 1,000 politicians & teachers and buried them alive in one mass grave

TET OFFENSIVE

• Tet was a military & psychological defeat for Americans

• After Tet: How do we get out of Vietnam???

• Two months later: President Johnson is out, Nixon is in.

Role of the Media

• Brings the war “home” to Americans daily

• Presents the “reality” of war

• Helps to fuel the anti-war protests that had been developing in America

• Johnson forced out