Download - Vietnam war
VIETNAM
1954-1975
French Indo-China
1800s France becomes colonial power in Vietnam
Japan Controls during WWII Vietminh
League formed by Ho Chi Minh Communist sympathizer
Vietnam
LaosC
ambodia
French Indochina
Ho Chi Minh “He who Enlightens” Real Name: Nguyen
That Thanh Participated in Tax
revolts Wanted Free
Vietnam
After WWII
Prevent Communist Expansion --containment
“Domino Theory” – Eisenhower US paying 75% of War Cost
French Losing
Defeated French
Dien Bien Phu Jungle fortress in Vietnam
Signaled the end of French/European Influence in Asia NO US help – Too soon?
Vietnminh Experience Captured 11,721 men
Geneva Conference
Work out peace agreement & decide Indochina’s future
Geneva Accords (Temporary) Cease Fire 17th Parallel (DMZ) July 1956 – General Elections
Vietnam Leaders
Ngo Dinh Diem
South Vietnam Anti-Communist Corrupt Gov Favored
Catholics Cancelled 1956
Election
Ho Chi Minh
North Vietnam Totalitarian Gave land to
Peasants Wanted Unified
Vietnam
Civil War – Vietnam
National Liberation Front (Vietcong aka “Charlie”) Vietnamese Communist in South Killed Southern Officials
Diem’s Overthrow
Arrested & Killed Buddhist Monks US Threatens to withdraw
Diem refuses to change US supports overthrow NOV 1963 Diem Assassinated
US Involvement
EisenhowerEisenhower Send
$ & weapons Advisors to train
KennedyKennedy Increase
Advisors
JohnsonJohnson
Expanded Effort
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
Gulf of Tonkin
USS Maddox was attacked by torpedo boats off coast of North Vietnam
2nd attacked was announced by LBJ Not accurate US was on spy mission (we provoked)
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Gave complete control to President LBJ Without approval
from congress
US Enters Vietnam
Operation Rolling Thunder
Continuous bombing campaign for 3 years Did Nothing but damage country Downed Planes: POW’s
Air Strikes
US introduces B-52 Bomber Saturation Bombing “Carpet Bombing”
Dropped thousands of Explosive of North Vietnam
Fragmentation Bombing “Cluster Bombs”
Explosive projecting metal shavings Target: Ho Chi Minh Trail
Ho Chi Minh Trail Supply
route through Laos and Cambodia to aid V.C.
Agent Orange
Pesticide to kill plants (Defoliant) Goal: Expose hiding places
Napalm
Chemical agent that burns uncontrollably
Search and Destroy Strategy
Effects of Air Bombing
1. Strengthened V.C.2. Soviets & China support V.C.3. Led to South Vietnamese joining
the V.C.
Battlefield Condition
Guerilla Warfare US - Superior weapons/supplies Viet Cong –
familiar with territory Allies with Laos/ Cambodia Support of local population
Continued…….
South Vietnamese did not want US there
US troops always on edge Girl selling apples – VC ally
counting troops Kid selling candy – holding hand
grenade
Ground Warfare
VC used Ambush tactics Relied on underground tunnels
Booby Traps by VC Punji trap (pit with poisoned
stakes) Land Mine Trip Wire
William Westmoreland
Commander US ground troops Search and Destroy or “Zippo”
Missions Pacification – to calm opposition
win “hearts” of the South Vietnamese and calm opposition
Was it worth it?
Declining Morale Constant Danger Vietcong continually recruiting
Citizens to replenish troops
The Draft
55% of those who registered were excused College Health
Non-Combat Positions
Most Americans served non-combat positions Clerical, Administration, engineering,
medicine Women
10,000 served Nurses
Public Opinion
Media Reporters accompanied Soldiers TV images brought home “living
room War”
Hawks vs. Doves
Hawks People who
supported wars goals
More force
Doves People who
opposed the war
“not crucial to American security”
Anti-War Movement College
Campuses Anti-war
debates/rallies Teach-ins Students for a
Democratic Society
Most Americans opposed the anti-war movement
“America, Love It or Leave it”, “My country, Right or Wrong”
Kent State
4 students killed, 9 injured Ohio national guard fires into
crowd of college students
Jackson State College
2 students killed, 9 injured Police fire into dormitory
Turning Point: TET TET OFFENSIVEOFFENSIVE
1968, Tet – Vietnamese Lunar New Year
1/30/1968 V.C. launch massive attack 84,000 communists attack 100
cities/ 12 US Bases US wins battle
In Public’s eyes US Lost
Effects of TET
1. No Part of Vietnam SAFE2. Morale Hurt3. Public Dismay
Unstable Government
1. Westmorland requests troops1. Is US winning????
2. LBJ advisors cannot agree on solution
3. Negotiation1. Seek peace agreement with North
Vietnam
4. LBJ decides not run for 3rd term
1968 Election
D- Robert Kennedy? Assassinated by Jordanian Sirhan
Sirhan New Candidates
Eugene McCarthy & Hubert Humphrey
The Race
D – Hubert Humphrey R – Richard Nixon I – George Wallace
only 510,000 separated
The End of the WAR
Nixon Promises End to War Henry Kissenger
Vietnamization Turning fighting over to South Vietnam while US troops come home
Laos and Cambodia Secret mission to destroy V.C. supply lines
Bombing “Mad Man Theory”
My Lai
450 men, women, and children killed in a village during a search and destroy mission
No V.C. found Never officially told to public
Pentagon Papers
Daniel Ellsberg Secret papers
that traced US involvement in Vietnam back to Truman
Revelation: US misleading Public
US involvement in Vietnam Ends
1972 election Nixon wins with announcement
of peace talks 26th Amendment
Lowers voting age from 21 to 18
January 1973
US and N. Vietnam reach Peace US agrees to withdraw Both sides release all POWs US helps rebuild Vietnam S. Vietnam political structure
NOT settled
Fall of Saigon
North Vietnamese troops invaded South Vietnam (reached Saigon)
US evacuated American citizens Southern Vietnamese people rushed
embassy to try to escape US evacuates 130,000 SV people South Vietnam Falls, Vietnam United
Legacy of Vietnam 635,000 S. Vietnamese Died 58,000 Americans Died
600 POWs 2,500 MIA 300,000 wounded
US soldiers Negative reception at home Trouble adjusting Born on the Fourth of July
The Healing