US involvement in Vietnam:US involvement in Vietnam:THREE STAGESTHREE STAGES

Financial assistance to the French (1946-54)Financial assistance to the French (1946-54) US Puppet regime in So. Vietnam and Covert US Puppet regime in So. Vietnam and Covert

Action (1954-1964)Action (1954-1964) Direct Military Engagement (1964-1973)Direct Military Engagement (1964-1973)

US views the Vietnam situation…US views the Vietnam situation…

Through a COLD WAR lensThrough a COLD WAR lens DOMINO THEORYDOMINO THEORY

The Vietnamese view the The Vietnamese view the situation …situation …

As a struggle for As a struggle for INDEPENDENCEINDEPENDENCE Imperialism in Vietnam means that Vietnamese Imperialism in Vietnam means that Vietnamese

are likely to view any interference by US as an are likely to view any interference by US as an attempt to colonize and control the country, as attempt to colonize and control the country, as the French had for the past 80 years.the French had for the past 80 years.

First Indochinese WarFirst Indochinese War1946-19541946-1954

A Preview of Things to ComeA Preview of Things to Come

General Vo Nguyen GiapGeneral Vo Nguyen Giap Chief of the Viet Minh forces fighting French colonial rule Chief of the Viet Minh forces fighting French colonial rule

and later the Americans – Architect of Vietnamese strategy and later the Americans – Architect of Vietnamese strategy and tacticsand tactics

Giap’s Three Stages of StruggleGiap’s Three Stages of Struggle

1.1. Building the BaseBuilding the Base

2.2. Guerilla WarfareGuerilla Warfare

3.3. Mobile WarfareMobile Warfare

First Stage:First Stage:Tactics for establishing the baseTactics for establishing the base

Situate headquarters in mountainous, difficult terrain for Situate headquarters in mountainous, difficult terrain for meetings, supplies and refugemeetings, supplies and refuge

Viet Minh win hearts and minds of peasantryViet Minh win hearts and minds of peasantry Beat/Assassinate landlords/tax collectersBeat/Assassinate landlords/tax collecters Redistribute land holdingsRedistribute land holdings Education/literacy campaignsEducation/literacy campaigns Help with farmingHelp with farming

Viet Minh gainViet Minh gain TaxesTaxes SuppliesSupplies IntelligenceIntelligence PortersPorters

Second Stage:Second Stage:Tactics of Guerilla WarfareTactics of Guerilla Warfare

Pin-prick attacks meant to frustrate the enemy into Pin-prick attacks meant to frustrate the enemy into dispersal and low morale, inciting reprisalsdispersal and low morale, inciting reprisals

Reprisals drive civilians to VM for support and Reprisals drive civilians to VM for support and guidance, increasing their popularity and strengthguidance, increasing their popularity and strength

Guerilla “Pin-Prick” tacticsGuerilla “Pin-Prick” tactics Sabotage (road cutting, damage to vehicles, poison)Sabotage (road cutting, damage to vehicles, poison) Traps (homemade bombs, trip wires, pungi sticks, pit traps)Traps (homemade bombs, trip wires, pungi sticks, pit traps) Terrorism (attacks on civilian targets, R&R sites)Terrorism (attacks on civilian targets, R&R sites) Camouflage (local vegetation, holes, tunnels)Camouflage (local vegetation, holes, tunnels)

The biggest tunnel systems were in the Iron Triangle and the Cu Chi District, only 20 miles from Saigon. This map gives an idea of the extent of the tunnel system at Cu Chi--the orange lines represent major tunnels. The base area at Cu Chi was a vast network, with nearly 200 miles of tunnels

Third Stage:Third Stage:Tactics of Mobile Warfare Tactics of Mobile Warfare

By 1949, China had begun to equip the Viet By 1949, China had begun to equip the Viet Minh with automatic weapons, mortars, Minh with automatic weapons, mortars, howitzers, truckshowitzers, trucks

Guerilla infrastructure allows for Viet Minh to Guerilla infrastructure allows for Viet Minh to move more quickly and more stealthily to move more quickly and more stealthily to carry out open warfare carry out open warfare

The Geneva Peace Conference: The Geneva Peace Conference: Ending the French War in Ending the French War in

VietnamVietnam

Viet Minh, France, United States, Viet Minh, France, United States, Britain, USSR, ChinaBritain, USSR, China

OutcomesOutcomes

France has lost the war and France has lost the war and Vietnam will be an independent Vietnam will be an independent countrycountry

Partition of Vietnam into North Partition of Vietnam into North and South along 17and South along 17thth parallel parallel

Ho Chi Minh’s government will Ho Chi Minh’s government will continue to rule in the Northcontinue to rule in the North

French-friendly gov’t will rule in French-friendly gov’t will rule in South as French slowly pack up South as French slowly pack up and move outand move out

General, democratic elections will General, democratic elections will be held in two years, July of 1956, be held in two years, July of 1956, to reunify the country into a single, to reunify the country into a single, sovereign statesovereign state

Vietminh United StatesVietminh United States

US fearful of such a US fearful of such a victoryvictory

Refuses to sign Refuses to sign agreementagreement

If communists win, then If communists win, then US loses. What? US loses. What?

Confident of electoral victory

1954 to 19631954 to 1963

United States supports the anti-Communist Ngo Nguyen Diem as the president of South Vietnam.

US gives over $1.5 billion in aid to South Vietnam. 80% of these dollars go to the military.

S. Vietnam is essentially a creation of the US US “defending the independence of the South

Vietnamese government.”