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Vietnam War IntroductionMs. Humes

+Vietnam Basics

Location: In Southeast Asia, near

Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and parts of China

Population 83 Million People Mostly Buddhist Strong minority of

Catholics Resources

Very fertile, hot and wet climate, many resources

+Vietnam History (Key Points)

Vietnam-Chinese Relations Not a good relationship One of few Asian Countries to defeat the Mongols at the time of Kubali

and Genghis Khan Victim of Chinese Colonialism

Indochina & French Colonialism Vietnam gains independence from China, ends in the mid-19th century,

when Vietnam is colonized by the French Empire. The French exploited Vietnam’s resources and people, introduced

Catholicism, western education, and French language and customs.

Vietnamese strongly resisted imperialism from – Chinese, Mongols, French, and Japanese. Many American military and political leaders were ignorant of this aspect of Vietnamese history.

+WWI & Vietnam

At the end of WWI, American President Woodrow Wilson promises to end colonialism.

A young Ho Chi Minh attends Versaillies Conference hoping to gain Vietnamese Independence from France.

Viet Minh – founded by Ho Chi Minh. Communist/Nationalist group

that opposed the French and later Japanese.

Nationalism – pride in your country, desire for independent homeland for your people.

+WWII & Vietnam

At the beginning of the War, French still control Vietnam. Vietnamese resistance grows.

Ho Chi Minh Leader of the Viet Minh Wants an independent

Vietnam Opposes French,

Japanese, and AMERICAN Trains in China and USSR Helps rescue Americans

during WWII Communist/Nationalists

+Declaring Independence

WW2 Ends and September 2, 1945, Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam independent. Ho Chi Minh reads from US Declaration of Independence

Some see Ho Chi Minh’s Declaration of Independence as evidence of being a nationalists rather than being a communist. They refer to this example has him expressing his interest in having a relationship with the United States.

BUT, the French want Indochina back, and they do not recognize Vietnamese independence. Reclaim colony.

What should the US do? Support Vietnamese or help France regain its colonial empire?

+Divided American State Department

European Experts in American Government support backing France.

Asia Experts in American Government support backing Ho Chi Minh

Feel he is a Nationalists or “Asian Tito”

SO? US Backs France. Truman Adminstration then Eisenhower Administration back France. Due to the following factors:-Korean War, Loss of China to communists, Idea of monolithic communism, Cold War, Strong France helps stop communism in Western Europe, Containment, and belief that Ho Chi Minh was more of a communist than nationalists!

+First Indo-China War

1945-1954 France vs. Viet Minh French try to keep Vietnam, Viet Minh fight for Independence 70% of French costs are paid by US

Dien Bien Phu 1954 Final defeat of French by Vietnamese, French Surrender

1954 Geneva Conference End Hostilities between French and Vietnamese Temporarily divide Vietnam at 17th parallel until French leave. Elections in 1956

Realities of Geneva Conference Dominated by Soviets and Chinese America doesn’t directly participate or recognize results, since US won’t negotiate with

communist China. Americans Know Ho Chi Minh & Communists will easily win election.

+If Vietnam turns Communist…

Containment theory fails Domino Theory, feat of

monolithic communist alliance of China, Vietnam, and USSR

+South Vietnam

Instead of supporting Geneva Agreement and allowing unification elections and a Communist victory, US supports creation of a non-Communist, South Vietnam.

American war in Vietnam is fought to keep South Vietnam Non-Communist!

+JFK & Vietnam

Views Vietnam as important to Cold War like Truman and Eisenhower

Begins Escalation of Troops Overall picture unsure due

to assassination JFK believed the best way

to stop communists in Vietnam was to build South Vietnam into a nation.

+Ngo Dinh Diem

First leader of South Vietnam Nationalist but strongly anti-

Communist Catholic Receives strong support from

Eisenhower & Kennedy Massive military and financial aid

from US Brutal to communists

Upsets Buddhist Majority Brother & Sister-in-Law are

unpopular Adminstration is very corrupt

+Assassination of Diem

November 1963 Kennedy either knew of the plot and ignored it or

supported it. South Vietnamese government would never be stable. Increased American involvement in South Vietnam’s

Internal Affairs.

+Check in # 1

When Eisenhower left office, less than 1,000 US soldiers were in Vietnam

At the time of Kennedy’s assassination, over 16,000 solders were in Vietnam.

By 1969, Vietnam had 543,000 US soliders Many of the solders under JFK were Special Forces and

under Johnson, regular ground troops were introduced.

+Golf of Tonkin Resolution

North Vietnamese “attack” on two US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin is Johnson’s excuse to get congressional approval for major escalation in Vietnam.

TERMS: Hanoi – refers to North Vietnamese government NVA – North Vietnamese Army VC/Charlie- Viet Cong: Communist rebels in South Vietnam ARVN – South Vietnamese Army POW – Prisoner of War MIA – Missing in Action

+Who did America Fight in Vietnam? Viet Cong North Vietnamese Army Both groups were heavily

supplied from USSR via China

+Johnson & Limited War

Johnson was afraid of conflict spreading to involve USSR & China.

Strict rules of engagement – limited targets for US Troops and Air Strikes

Areas of North Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos North Vietnamese Communists can attack, move supplies from and

retreat AMERICAN TROOPS CANNOT GO

North Vietnam Wants a unified, Communist Vietnam Wants Americans Out Wants One Vietnam

+Early American Support for War in Vietnam Americans initially supported

the war Hit Song “The Green Berets” Public is told troops will be

home soon, and the war is almost over.

Vietnam is the first war that is heavily covered by television networks. American public sees daily

images of casualties Public begins to turn against

the war.

+Escalation

Johnson attempts to limit the war while at the same time constantly increasing the number of soldiers in Vietnam

Over 500,000 soldiers by 1969

LBJ would attempt negotiations at the same time he would scale back offensive operations in Vietnam North Vietnamese take

advantage of this.

+Tet Offensive

Tet – most important holiday in Vietnam, Vietnamese New Year. It is the most popular festival in Vietnam.

1968 Cease Fire 1968

Viet Cong attack every major US base in South Vietnam

North Vietnamese Army takes city of Hue and kills many inhabitants.

US Embassy in Saigon is attacked.

+Effects of Tet

Major Military victory for the US Viet Cong is devasted American media turns against the war. American public turns against the war. Political and psychological victory for North Vietnam. American Anti-War Movement

Strong anti-war movement in US War divides American population

+Richard Nixon

Elected in 1968 Claims to have a “secret

plan” to end war in Vietnam

+Cambodia

Neutral Viet Cong & North

Vietnamese use Cambodia as a sanctuary

US troops cannot enter Cambodian government is

powerless from preventing Communists from entering

Bad history between Vietnam & Cambodia

+Nixon & Cambodia

Nixon: Supports coup that puts

strong anti-Communist government in charge

Expands conflict Secretly bombs and invades

Cambodia Bombing & Invasion fails to

make any significance in war Cambodian communists go

deeper into Cambodia Vietnamese were using

Cambodia to attack Americans

Public Opinion: War is illegal Public is outraged at

expansion of the conflict Massive protests

+Nixon & Ending Vietnam War

Uses combination of increased bombing of North Vietnam and Secret Negotations

Diplomacy with China and USSR Vietnamization – Nixon’s Plan Turn the war over to the South Vietnamese

Train & equip South Vietnamese to fight the North US Troops withdraw Last US troops leave by 1973

South Vietnam Betrayed? South Vietnam is promised that the US would send troops, money, and

supplies if North Vietnamese launched a massive attack. Nixon resigns due to Watergate Congress and American people do not support further involvement

+1975 & Results of War

North Vietnam takes over South Vietnam US doesn’t prevent the take over. Vietnam is unified under one communist state

Results: 60,000 Americans killed US reluctant to use military power American public is divided Americans don’t trust government Vietnam is Communist Cambodia falls to Communists

Khmer Rouge/Cambodian Communist take power Pol Pot is leader Killing Fields – Genocide of 1/3 of the Cambodian population Vietnam invades and occupies Cambodia to defeat Khmer Rouge

+Vietnam & China

1979 War between Vietnam & China China improved relations with US after Nixon’s visit Vietnam moved closer to USSR China supports Khmer Rouge and is upset that Vietnam

defeats it. China attempts to invade Vietnam to “teach lesson”

Chinese leave after 1 month Vietnamese put up much stronger fight than Chinese

expected

+Closing Questions

On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following: How was Tet a turning point in the Vietnam War? How did TV affect people’s view of the Vietnam War? What country did President Nixon expand the Vietnam War

into? Which US President is associated with escalating the

number of US troops in Vietnam? What year did the last US troops leave Vietnam?