U.S. History. Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) was a French colony from the 1800’s Ruled with...
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U.S. History. Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) was a French colony from the 1800’s Ruled with an iron fist- imposed strict laws and high taxes Population
Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) was a French colony from
the 1800s Ruled with an iron fist- imposed strict laws and high
taxes Population of Indochina rose to ~27 million people by WWII
Most people were left impoverished by the conditions
Slide 3
Ho Chi Minh was an active anti- French organizer and was forced
to flee in 1912 During is 30 year absence- he embraced communism
and was able to rally Soviet support to his cause in Vietnam After
WWII, colonialism loses popularity and Frances power dwindled
Slide 4
A difficult decision: To support decolonization To maintain
France as an ally in the Cold War Truman believed that supporting
independence in Vietnam would weaken anticommunism in France
Threatening anticommunist sentiments in Western Europe
Slide 5
Chose to aid France in their colonial endeavor Too much fear of
Vietnams fall to communism after China Between 1950-54, US
contributed $2.6 billion to Frances efforts
Slide 6
When Eisenhower took over in 1953, he continued Trumans policy
toward Vietnam Why? = The Domino Theory Idea that if one country
(Vietnam) falls to communism, all the other countries in that area
will follow This threatened Japan, the Philippines, and
Australia
Slide 7
In 1954- Vietminh (Ho Chi Minhs communist soldiers) laid siege
for 55 days to this large French military base May 1954- French
surrendered after suffering ~15,000 casualties
Slide 8
May 1954- France grants independence to Vietnam, Laos, and
Cambodia Divided Vietnam into North and South at the 17 th parallel
Ho Chi Minhs communist forces ruled the North Anticommunist
government supported by the US ruled the South Called for free
elections in 1956 to unify Vietnam
Slide 9
1954- U.S. and seven other southeast Asian countries formed
SEATO U.S. provided economic and military aid to South Vietnam, led
by Ngo Dinh Diem
Slide 10
Rather than risk losing to Ho Chi Minh, Diem refused to
participate in the reunification elections 1957- A rebel communist
group formed to undermine Diems government and unite Vietnam under
communism Guerrilla fighters, known as Vietcong Diem loses
popularity with his anti-Buddhist legislation and refusal to enact
land reforms
Slide 11
Eisenhower and JFK provided military and economic aid
1956-Country wide elections Minh in North widely popular with
peasants Ngo Dinh Diem in the South was not Cancelled elections,
corrupt government, repressed Buddhism National Liberation Front
started in the South=Vietcong, used guerrilla warfare Minh
supported Vietcong with arms along the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Slide 12
Slide 13
Kennedy took a more aggressive stand against communism in
Vietnam 1961- sent the Special Forces troops to advise the army in
South Vietnam 1963- more than 15,000 American advisors were
fighting in Vietnam Late 1963- Kennedy administration agrees that
South Vietnam needed new leadership Americans plotted with
anti-Diem generals November- Diem is removed and later
assassinated
Slide 14
Slide 15
JFK-In the final analysis, its their war. LBJ-Escalates U.S.
role our longest war South Vietnam struggled through inept leaders
Vietcong increased attacks LBJ feared being weak on communism
Slide 16
August 2, 1964-USS Maddox patrolling the Gulf of Tonkin when
attacked by N. Vietnamese patrol boat Maddox not hit and returned
fire 2 days later Maddox again reported being fired upon (did not
see or hear enemy) August 7 th -Resolution passed w/ 2 dissenting
senators all necessary measures to repel any armed attack... Had
been prepared for months, Maddox was collecting intelligence for
U.S. led raids in N. Vietnam 1965-Operation Rolling Thunder,
sustained bombing June-50,000 troops in country
Slide 17
1964-LBJ wins vs. Barry Goldwater (super anti- commie) not
about to send American boys 9 or 10 thousand miles away from home
to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves. 1965-Sec.
of Def. Robert McNamara and Sec. of State Dean Rusk advise send
more troops 1965-61% in favor, 24% opposed LBJ Americanizes the
war
Slide 18
End of 1965-180,000 U.S. troops in country Commanded by Gen.
William S. Moreland requested even more Army of the Republic of
Vietnam (ARVN) Under trained and equipped 1967-U.S. troop strength
at 500,000
Slide 19
U.S. believed that superior weaponry would save the day
Vietcong used guerrilla tactics to balance lack of firepower Used
jungle to melt away Only moved and fought directly at night Mines
and booby traps Men, women and children acted as spies Used tunnel
systems and the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Slide 20
Slide 21
By December 31, 1965 Troops in Vietnam 184,300 Killed in Action
1,363 Wounded in Action 7,645
Slide 22
Westmorelands strategy was to wear down the enemy by giving out
body counts of enemy dead Vietcong came harder and faster,
struggling for their existence US fought against communism,
Vietcong fought for freedom from tyranny
Slide 23
For the first time, Americans were seeing images of war on
television
Slide 24
Gen. Westmorland continually stated victory in sight 1961-1967,
16,000 U.S. soldiers KIA Credibility Gap-What was being reported by
the Johnson administration and what was being viewed on television
did not match
Slide 25
US hoped to win over rural population, giving guerillas nowhere
to hide napalm Agent Orange search-and-destroy missions US tactics
such as gasoline bombs called napalm, Agent Orange which was a
toxic chemical to kill the vegetation, and search-and-destroy
missions which uprooted villagers and burned villages did not make
this hope a reality
Slide 26
Attrition-Gen. Westmoreland wanted to wear down the enemy
through constant harassment Kill them until they are to weak or
disgusted Communist Vietnamese received help from China and Russia
U.S. won almost all direct engagements Hearts and Minds of the
South Vietnamese Agent Orange, Napalm, search and destroy
Slide 27
Slide 28
By December 31, 1966 Troops in Vietnam385,300 Killed in
Action6,644 Wounded in Action37,738
Slide 29
Guerrilla warfare takes its toll=no steady enemy to fight no
new ground to keep Fighting for corrupt South Vietnamese Govt.
Draftees vs. Volunteers War grinds on for years Civil War=North vs.
South Civil War=South vs. South
Slide 30
Soldiers turned to alcohol, and other drugs, though most firmly
still believed in the cause South Vietnam was being ruled by a
series of military leaders, in power by force leading to a civil
war within a civil war By December 31, 1967 Troops in
Vietnam485,600 Killed in Action16,021 Wounded in Action 99,762
Slide 31
1/30/68, Tet=Chinese Lunar New Year Vietcong and Vietminh had
been planning for an offensive Nightfall=Coordinated attacks
against 100 town, 12 U.S. bases Overran the U.S. Embassy in Saigon
Month long battle 32,000 Vietcong dead, 3,000 U.S. & ARVN U.S.
public opinion flips, 60% against LBJ and Vietnam
Slide 32
Slide 33
January 1968, on the Vietnamese New Year called Tet There was
supposed to be a cease fire In coffins supposedly holding bodies
for memorial, Vietcong had hidden weapons At one such siege at Khe
Sanh 40,000 NVA surrounded 5,600 Marines for 77 days Operation
Niagara in February dropped more bombs than ever before in war The
Tet Offensive, though devastating in body count to Vietcong, was
even more devastating to an American public who thought we were
nearing peace
Slide 34
Slide 35
By December 31, 1968 Troops in Vietnam 536,100 Killed in Action
30,160 Wounded in Action192,850
