May 1954 Battle of Dien Bien Phu French lose battle & leave
Vietnam Vietminh in control Whos who? Vietminh Communists from the
North
Slide 3
May-July 1954 Geneva Accords Peace conference that divided
Vietnam at the 17 th parallel North: Communists Ho Chi Minh =
leader South: Non Communists Ngo Diem = leader
Slide 4
1956 American backed Diem cancelled national elections because
he knew he was going to lose Diem was very corrupt, but we backed
him anywaywhy? He was non-Communist
Slide 5
16,000 US troops in Vietnam Dec. 1963
Slide 6
Aug. 2, 1964 Gulf of Tonkin USS Maddox was attacked in the Gulf
of Tonkin by the N. Vietnamese Thats our story & were sticking
to it!!
Slide 7
Aug. 7, 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Gave President Johnson
broad military powers in Vietnam President no longer needs Congress
approval before going to war Checks & Balances issue!!
Slide 8
March 1965 Operation Rolling Thunder US bombing campaign
against N. Vietnam We drop 6.2 million tons of bombs!! Carpet
Bombing!!
Slide 9
June 1965 50,000+ US troops in Vietnam Most Americans support
our efforts in Vietnam because we were fighting to contain
Communism
Slide 10
500,000+ US troops in Vietnam 1968
Slide 11
Jan. 31, 1968 Tet Offensive Vietcong surprise attacks through
S. Vietnam Attacked all major cities in S. Vietnam Turning point of
the war Communists are winning
Slide 12
Results of Tet Offensive The war was not almost over like
President said Led to mistrust of President Johnson Proved S.
Vietnam could not protect itself Proved N. Vietnamese were more
coordinated than we thought!!
Slide 13
March 16, 1968 My Lai Massacre US troops massacre entire
village under order from US General Calley War Crimes!! Most women,
children & elderly US public didnt learn of this until
1969
Slide 14
Nov. 1968 Nixon wins the 1968 Presidential Election Promised to
get the US out of Vietnam!!
Slide 15
Nixons Plans Vietnamization Getting more Vietnamese troops
involved in fighting the war Peace & Honor Still fight as we
withdrawal troops from Vietnam
Slide 16
April 30, 1970 US Invades Cambodia US bombing campaign to clear
the VC supply lines Ho Chi Minh Trail
Slide 17
June 1971 Pentagon Papers Daniel Ellsburg of the Dept. of
Defense leaked information about the truth behind American
involvement in Vietnam Gulf on Tonkin incident didnt happen like
LBJ said it did!! Confirmed LBJ lied to the public about our
involvement Public opinion abt. war & govt. officials
decreases!!
Slide 18
Slide 19
March 29, 1973 Last of US combat troops out of Vietnam Almost
all US troops out of Vietnam 58,000 US troops died 2,000+
POWs/MIAs
Slide 20
Slide 21
Nov. 1973 War Powers Act Replaced the Gulf of Tonkin
Resolutions & limits Presidents power during war President can
send troops where needed, but must get approval from Congress to
stay longer than 90 days
Slide 22
N. Vietnam invades S. Vietnam US provides economic aid to S.
Vietnam, but no more military aid March 1975
Slide 23
Vietnam becomes 1 Communist country April 30, 1975
Slide 24
2 things to be completed before you leave today Vietnam
questions Final Exam Thematic Review Key Writings/Literature Key
Treaties/Peace Conferences Amendment Review