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The Vietnam War: Origins of the Vietnam War
o WHAT: Explain the reasons the U.S. helped the French fight the Vietnamese.
o WHAT: Explain the ways the U.S. opposed Communism in Southeast Asia.
o WHAT: Explain how the U.S. increased its involvement in Vietnam.
o WHY: Trace the origins and geopolitical consequences (foreign and domestic) of the Cold War and containment policy, including the following: ° The era of McCarthyism, instances of domestic Communism (e. g., Alger Hiss) and blacklisting ° The Truman Doctrine ° The Berlin Blockade ° The Korean War ° The Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis ° Atomic testing in the American West, the 'mutual assured destruction' doctrine, and disarmament policies ° The Vietnam War ° Latin American policy
(2Th 3:14) And if any man obey
not our word by this epistle,
note that man, and have no
company with him, that he may
be ashamed.
Chapter 29: Vietnam War
• America’s involvement in
Vietnam had roots in:
• European colonialism
• Cold War politics
• Vietnamese call for National
Independence.
A French Colony Since 1800s (Indochina)
o Vietnam
o Cambodia
o Laos
o The French ruled with a iron fist.
Ho Chi Mihn:
• Led a resistance against French
colonial rule in the early Twentieth
Century.
• Ho traveled the world trying to gain
support for Vietnamese
independence.
• He embraced Communism and
accepted Soviet Support.
The U.S. faced a difficult decision
o France wanted to regain control after the Japanese defeat of WWII.
o The U.S. supported decolonization.
o The U.S. wanted France as an ally to contain the Soviet Union (Cold War)
o Truman believed anticommunist forces in France was more important than Vietnamese independence.
o The French Revolution influenced Communism.
The U.S. faced a difficult decision
• Truman sacrificed his own anticolonial sentiments to ensure an anticommunist Western Europe.
• The U.S. agreed to aid France in its efforts to regain control over Vietnam.
• When China became Communist in 1949, the U.S. contributed $2.6 billion dollars to France’s war efforts.
• Containing Ho Chi Minh’s communist Vietminh became a national priority.
Domino Theory:
• Eisenhower continued U.S. aid to France.
• Eisenhower believed in the domino theory.
• That if Vietnam fell to Communism, its closest neighbors in Asia would follow.
• And end up threatening Australia
• Eisenhower did not give military aid to the French.
• He did not want to give military aid to colonialism.
Discussion Question:
• President Truman opposed colonialism but decided to support France in Vietnam because he wanted their support in the Cold War. If you were in Truman’s situation, would you sacrifice your personal convictions to get something you wanted?
France Loses Indo-China
o France lost its eight year struggle
to regain Vietnam (1954).
o When the French garrison fell at
Dien Bien Phu.
Geneva Accords:
• Peace treaty that gave independence to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
• Vietnam was divided at the seventeenth parallel into two countries; North and South Vietnam.
• Ho Chi Minh’s communist forces ruled the North.
• An anticommunist government governed the south and supported by the U.S.
• A Free election to unify Vietnam was planned (1956).
American Aid to South Vietnam
o The South Vietnamese government was led by Ngo Dinh Diem.
o Diem was a ardent nationalist and anticommunist.
o But was unpopular with the Vietnamese people.
o The U.S. gave Diem economic and military aid.
o U.S. Intelligence predicted that Diem would lose the 1956 elections to Ho Chi Minh.
o The U.S. approved Diem cancelling the elections.
DEBATE:
• How do you feel that America supported to
stop the elections in Vietnam when it
realized that the Communist would win?
Was it hypocritical?
Communist Opposition Grows: National Liberation Front
• The NLF, a Communist rebel group in the South.
• Formed in 1957 to overthrow South Vietnam and unite Vietnam under Communism.
• NLF guerrilla fighters called Vietcong.
• The Vietcong assassinated government officials and destroyed roads and bridges, and used surprise hit and run tactics (insurgency),
• Thy were supplied by Communist North Vietnam.
Communist Opposition Grows: National Liberation Front
• Diem (Roman Catholic) alienated
the Buddhist majority signing anti-
Buddhist legislation.
• Diem also refused to enact reforms
for the people.
• Diem was highly unpopular in his
own nation.
Kennedy Sends American Troops to Vietnam
o After JFK was elected, he sent special forces military advisers to help the South Vietnamese Army.
o By 1963, more than 15,000 American “advisers” were fighting in Vietnam.
o Diem continued to alienate South Vietnamese citizens.
o Buddhists protested his restrictive policies and some protested by setting themselves on fire.
o On November 1, 1963, Americans worked with anti-Diem generals to remove him from power.
o Diem was later assassinated.
Kennedy Sends American Troops to Vietnam
• Three weeks after Diem’s fall, JFK was assassinated.
• Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the new President.
• Johnson thought all Communists were the same not recognizing the subtle differences.
Congress gives Johnson Broad Powers
• On August 2, 1964 an American
destroyer off the Gulf of Tonkin
was allegedly attacked by North
Vietnamese torpedo boats.
• Johnson responded by ordering
an airstrike on North Vietnam.
Congress gives Johnson Broad Powers
• LBJ asked Congress to authorize the use of force to defend American troops.
• Congress overwhelmingly supported Johnson’s request.
• The resolution authorized the President tremendous war powers.
• It allowed him to commit U.S. troops to South Vietnam.
• Fight a war against North Vietnam without ever going back to Congress to ask for a declaration of war.
The Vietnam War: American Involvement Grows:
o WHAT: Explain the factors that caused President Johnson to increase troops in Vietnam.
o WHAT: Assess the nature of the war in Vietnam and the strategies and challenges of both sides.
o WHAT: Evaluate the effects of low morale on American troops and on the home front.
o WHY: Trace the origins and geopolitical consequences (foreign and domestic) of the Cold War and containment policy, including the following: ° The era of McCarthyism, instances of domestic Communism (e. g., Alger Hiss) and blacklisting ° The Truman Doctrine ° The Berlin Blockade ° The Korean War ° The Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis ° Atomic testing in the American West, the 'mutual assured destruction' doctrine, and disarmament policies ° The Vietnam War ° Latin American policy
Mat_12:25 And Jesus knew
their thoughts, and said unto
them, Every kingdom divided
against itself is brought to
desolation; and every city or
house divided against itself
shall not stand:
Escalation: o In February 1965, Johnson
dramatically altered the U.S. role in
the Vietnam War.
o The Vietcong attacked and killed
American troops at Pleiku.
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER
o LBJ ordered the start of “Operation
Rolling Thunder.”
o In response to the American troops
killed in the Pleiku attack
o It was a sustained bombing campaign
of North Vietnam.
o LBJ hoped that the intensive bombing
would stop North Vietnam from
supporting the Vietcong.
o And force them to a peace treaty.
AMERICANIZATION:
o An increased military presence in Vietnam to do more of the fighting to win the war.
o American ground troops did most of the fighting.
o The South Vietnamese Army took a secondary role.
o This strategy was developed by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and General William Westmoreland, the American commander in South Vietnam.
o Who advised LBJ on this plan.
Escalation:
• Operation Rolling Thunder increased American troops in Vietnam.
• It “Americanized” the war effort.
• Beginning in March 1965 American airstrikes bombed North Vietnam.
• And Vietcong strongholds in South Vietnam.
• American pilots dropped more than 6 million tons of bombs on enemy positions (1965-1973)
• (Three times more than dropped by all sides in WWII).
Escalation:
o American pilots also dropped Napalm
(jelled gasoline) that burned down
large acreage of jungles in Vietnam.
o Agent Orange was sprayed to kill the
heavy jungle vegetation and to
destroy the Communist food supply.
o With more airstrikes, more American
troops were sent.
War Tactics:
o American soldiers generally fought lightly armed Vietcong guerrillas.
o In small engagements and not in large battles.
o The Vietcong dug tunnels to hide from American bombing raids.
o Set booby traps to injure and cripple American troops.
War Tactics:
o Ho Chi Minh’s military doctrine hinged on fighting only when victory was assured.
o Which meant never fighting in the opponent’s terms.
o The strategy was to wear out the American troops.
o The leaders of North Vietnam and the Vietcong remained convinced that if they could avoid losing the war.
o The Americans would eventually leave.
Costly and Frustrated: More American Casualties
o By the end of 1965, there were
184,300 U.S. Troops in Vietnam.
o 636 American soldiers had died in
the war.
o Three years later, there were more
than half a million U.S. troops.
o 30,000 American troops killed.
Costly and Frustrated
o American forces won the larger battles.
o It could not decisively win the war
o The war became a stalemate.
o The U.S. wanted to establish a stable South Vietnamese government.
o Win the hearts and minds of their citizens.
o The South Vietnamese government was corrupt.
o The Americans were not popular outside the cities.
Costly and Frustrated
• The war did not emphasize
gaining territory.
• The U.S. and its allies did not
invade North Vietnam.
• Or attempt to destroy the
communist regime.
Costly and Frustrated
• Like the Korean War, the U.S. did not want to trigger the Chinese and Soviets to enter the conflict.
• U.S. forces supported the survival and development of South Vietnam.
• South Vietnam was besieged by the Vietcong and their North Vietnamese allies.
• U.S. troops could never fully tell who were their friends from their enemies.
Dangers of a New Battlefield
o U.S. forces had to fight indecisive battles in Jungles and rice paddies.
o Vietcong would sneak under the foliage.
o Much of the fighting took place at night where the Vietcong did hit and run attacks.
o This reduced the effectiveness of American planes, artillery, and troop tactics.
o The Vietcong knew the land which gave them the advantage.
ACTIVITY
Compare the tactics of the American
colonists during the American
Revolution and the Vietcong. Do you
think there were similarities?
Dangers of a New Battlefield
• More than 55,000 U.S.
servicemen gave their
lives in the war.
• Some 10,000 American
women served in the war
as nurses.
Morale Declines:
• As the war lengthened, many Americans began to question the war.
• By the end of 1965, most U.S. troops in Vietnam were drafted.
• American troops began to feel that they were dying to defend a nation whose people were unwilling to defend themselves.
• Some felt indifference and hostility from the people of South Vietnam.
The Vietnam War: Turning Point:
o WHAT: Explain the Tet Offensive and the American reaction to it.
o WHAT: Summarize the factors that led to the outcome of the 1968 presidential election because of Vietnam.
o WHAT: Explain the events that led to the end of American involvement in the Vietnam War and how it impacted American society.
o WHY: Trace the origins and geopolitical consequences (foreign and domestic) of the Cold War and containment policy, including the following: ° The era of McCarthyism, instances of domestic Communism (e. g., Alger Hiss) and blacklisting ° The Truman Doctrine ° The Berlin Blockade ° The Korean War ° The Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis ° Atomic testing in the American West, the 'mutual assured destruction' doctrine, and disarmament policies ° The Vietnam War ° Latin American policy
Psa_120:7 I am for peace: but
when I speak, they are for war.
General Westmoreland’s Assessment:
• Claimed that the Vietcong were
declining in strength.
• Could no longer mount a major
offensive.
• However, the North Vietnamese
and Vietcong were planning a
major attack.
Tet Offensive: January 30, 1968
o Named after the Vietnamese lunar new year.
o Where the Vietcong launched a coordinated attack on 36 provincial capitals and 5 major cities including Saigon.
o The U.S. Embassy was attacked.
o The plan was to take and hold the cities and win the support of the people in the cities to fight.
o The Communists thought that the offensive would end the war.
Tet Offensive Is The Turning Point
• The U.S. and South
Vietnamese forces defeated
the Vietcong forces.
• The U.S. forces won a
tactical victory.
• However, it was a strategic
blow to the Americans.
Tet Offensive Is The Turning Point
• It demonstrated that the
Communists had not lost the
will or the ability to fight on.
• Brutal fighting broadcasted in
network television horrified
the American public.
Tet Offensive Is The Turning Point
o LBJ asked his new secretary of defense (Clark Gifford) his assessment of the war.
o Gifford advised Johnson that the U.S. may not win the war.
o And that it should pursue a peace settlement.
o LBJ announced that America would limit bombing of North Vietnam (two months after Tet).
o And seek an negotiated settlement to the war.
Discussion Question:
• Why do you think that Tet appeared to be
a defeat when in reality the U.S. and
South Vietnamese won a military victory?
What made the American public think it
was a defeat?
Johnson Steps Down
• LBJ was also challenged within his own
party for the presidency.
• Eugene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy
challenged Johnson’s own party
nomination.
• LBJ shocked the nation announcing he
will not run for another term for
president.
Antiwar Protests Gain Intensity:
• With increasing American casualties, there was distrust of the Johnson Administrations assessment that the war was being won.
• A Protest movement began to form in college campuses throughout the nation.
• Young adults from the Baby-boomer generation led anti-war protests.
• The antiwar movement gained support of prominent individuals and celebrities.
Assassinations:
o On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in Memphis Tennessee.
o Before his death, King voiced his opposition to the Vietnam War outlining his social and moral reasons for peace.
o Two months later Robert Kennedy was also assassinated.
o He was the frontrunner for the Democratic Party during the presidential election.
Richard Nixon becomes the President of the United States:
• Richard Nixon wins the 1968 Presidential election.
• Nixon promised to deliver an end of the Vietnam war with “peace with honor.”
• Nixon wanted the U.S. out of Vietnam, but also demanded honorable peace terms.
• Promised to listen to the great quiet forgotten majority, the non-shouters and non-demonstrators.
Peace Talks (1968)
• Peace talks began in May 1968.
• They were slow from the outset
because of disagreements and a
lack of compromise.
• When Nixon took office in January
1969, his peace delegation
believed they could break the
impasse.
• Move the peace process forward.
Peace Talks (1968):
• The Americans and South Vietnamese wanted all Communists troops out of South Vietnam.
• They also wanted prisoners of war (POWs) returned.
• North Vietnam demanded a withdrawal of all American troops from Vietnam.
• Formation of a coalition government in South Vietnam with Vietcong representation.
VIETNAMIZATION:
• Nixon’s plan would have U.S. forces would withdraw gradually.
• South Vietnamese (ARVN) troops assumed more combat duties.
• The hope was that American aid and the ARVN fighting would secure South Vietnam.
• This was also described as peace with honor.
Nixon Attacks Cambodia:
• To reduce the flow of communist supplies to the Vietcong.
• Nixon ordered the secret bombing of the Ho Chi Minh trail in Cambodia.
• This was a controversial move because it widened the war.
• It help to undermine the neutral government in Cambodia.
• The result was no improvement.
Nixon attacks Cambodia:
• The peace negotiations were
slow.
• Nixon grew impatient and
attempted to break the Stalemate.
• In 1970, Nixon ordered ground
attacks on North Vietnamese
Army and Vietcong bases in
Cambodia.
Nixon attacks Cambodia:
• Nixon hoped to aid the pro-American Cambodian government’s fight against the Khmer Rouge.
• The Khmer Rouge was a Communist movement supported by North Vietnam.
• North Vietnam remained determined to keep their terms.
• Antiwar protests became more intense in the U.S.
Violence on College Campuses
o Four Students were killed at Kent State University in Ohio by National Guardsmen.
o The National Guard fired on protestors believing they were being shot at.
o At Jackson State University an African American university, two students were killed by police in an confrontation.
Violence on College Campuses
• There were also counter
protests supporting Nixon’s
policies.
• In New York there were clashes
between pro-war protestors and
anti-war protestors.
War Atrocities Shock the Nation
• On March 16, 1968, American forces led by Lt. William Calley killed four to five hundred villagers in My Lai.
• The U.S. troops were searching for enemy troops in an area with a strong Vietcong presence.
• Some brave American troops sought to prevent the massacre .
• The American public was horrified.
• Calley was convicted of war crimes.
The Pentagon Papers:
• Was published by The New York Times (1971).
• A classified document on American involvement in Vietnam.
• The document revealed American leaders were not honest to the American people and Congress about Vietnam.
• Nixon tried to block the full publication in New York Times v. United States.
• But the Supreme Court stated that the article could be published.
• My Lai and the Pentagon Papers caused the public to bring pressure to Nixon to end the war.
Paris Peace Accords (1973)
• Signed by The United States,
South Vietnam, and North
Vietnam, and the Vietcong.
• A cease fire was agreed upon
and U.S. troops would leave
South Vietnam.
• POW’s would be exchanged.
Paris Peace Accords (1973)
• North Vietnamese troops will
remain in South Vietnam.
• The National Liberation Front
would be a legitimate political
party in South Vietnam.
• The South Vietnamese
government would remain in
power pending a settlement.
Saigon Falls
• The war in Vietnam was over for the U.S.
• For the Vietnamese, it continued.
• The cease fire was not honored.
• North Vietnamese forces defeated the South and took Saigon.
• Vietnam was unified as a Communist nation.
Lasting Impact of the Vietnam War
• More than 58,000
American soldiers died.
• 300,000 wounded.
• Estimated 2 million
Vietnamese were killed.
• Southeast Asia Suffers
Further Turmoil
Lasting Impact of the Vietnam War
• Communist regimes also took
Laos and Cambodia.
• In Cambodia, the ruling Khmer
Rouge committed genocide.
• Killing everyone who had ties to
the west or previous Cambodian
governments (2 Million
executed).
Lasting Impact of the Vietnam War
• American troops who returned were treated with indifference.
• Some Veterans suffered physical and psychological troubles.
• Finally by 1982, Americans began to honor these veterans with the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C.
Vietnam Changes American Policies:
o The War was a great cost financially
o A great human cost of many young soldiers killed, wounded or suffering from PTSD.
o The war also altered American domestic and foreign policies.
o The Great Society Campaign fell victim because the war was so expensive.
Vietnam Changes American Policies:
o The war undermined America’s trust in their leaders.
o Americans were more suspicious of foreign commitments.
o There was no longer a unified agreement on how to approach the Cold War.
o The United States was less likely to intervene in other countries.
War Powers Act:
• Passed by Congress that restricted
the President’s war-making powers.
• By requiring him to consult Congress
within 48 hours of committing
American forces to foreign conflict.
Discussion Question:
• If you were president at that time what
would you do in regards to Vietnam?
Would you send troops or would you not
get involved?
Discussion Question:
• Do you think the United States abandoned
South Vietnam?