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VIETNAMVIETNAM, 1946-75 , 1946-75 (the (the 10 000 Day War10 000 Day War))

Slide 2 Phase One – War of IndependencePhase One – War of Independence

Vietnam - French Vietnam - French colony under the name of colony under the name of French IndochinaFrench Indochina (along with (along withCambodia and Cambodia and Laos)Laos)

Vietnam fights for independence Vietnam fights for independence from France during WW IIfrom France during WW II

Vietnamese revolutionary leader was Vietnamese revolutionary leader was Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh, a , a CommunistCommunist

wanted to be the leader ofwanted to be the leader ofan independent, communist Vietnam; an independent, communist Vietnam; received support from both the USSR received support from both the USSR and “Red” Chinaand “Red” China

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French are defeated in 1954 French are defeated in 1954 at at at at Dien bien phu!Dien bien phu!

peace conference in Geneva, peace conference in Geneva, Switzerland (attended by Switzerland (attended by France, Vietnam, the US, and France, Vietnam, the US, and the USSR)the USSR)

Vietnam divided at the 17Vietnam divided at the 17thth parallel. Communist north parallel. Communist north (Led by Ho) and democratic (Led by Ho) and democratic south (led by Ngo Dinh Diemsouth (led by Ngo Dinh Diem

Elections to be held in 1956 Elections to be held in 1956 to end partition.to end partition.

U.S. sees Vietnam as a U.S. sees Vietnam as a ““DominoDomino”. Determined to ”. Determined to stop it falling according to stop it falling according to the U.S. policy of the U.S. policy of “Containment”“Containment”

Slide 4Estimated that 80% of Vietnamese would have voted for the communists –elections

were never allowed to happen!

Many ordinary Vietnamese viewed Diem as Many ordinary Vietnamese viewed Diem as an “elite” who had cooperated with the an “elite” who had cooperated with the

FrenchFrench

Diem tortures and executes nearly 40,000 political prisoners

Southern resistance increases as Southern resistance increases as communist support grows – creation of communist support grows – creation of

National Liberation Front (NLF)National Liberation Front (NLF)

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These These Southern Southern “freedom “freedom fighters” fighters” were also were also known as known as VietcongVietcong

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19631963

With U.S. approval, With U.S. approval, South Vietnamese South Vietnamese Army kills Diem! Army kills Diem!

……and of course, and of course, Kennedy is killed…Kennedy is killed…

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PHASE 2 – AMERICAN MILITARY INVOLVEMENTPHASE 2 – AMERICAN MILITARY INVOLVEMENT phase originated with phase originated with

““Ike” and JFK but was Ike” and JFK but was intensified under Lyndonintensified under LyndonBaines Johnson (LBJ)Baines Johnson (LBJ)

1964 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Gulf of Tonkin IncidentIncident - 2 American - 2 American destroyers “supposedly” destroyers “supposedly” fired upon by the North fired upon by the North Vietnamese Vietnamese

Congress passes Congress passes Gulf of Gulf of Tonkin ResolutionsTonkin Resolutions

- - Congress gave LBJ Congress gave LBJ their support in sending their support in sending American personnel and American personnel and materielmateriel

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1965 – Operation Rolling Thunder1965 – Operation Rolling ThunderSustained American bombing raids of North

Vietnam864,000 tons of bombs dropped on North Vietnam (503,000 tons in the Pacific theater during the

Second World War) 4 Objectives: 4 Objectives:

– Boost the Morale of South VietnamBoost the Morale of South Vietnam– Persuade North Vietnam to stop supporting rebels in Persuade North Vietnam to stop supporting rebels in

the Souththe South– Destroy North Vietnamese industry and air defensesDestroy North Vietnamese industry and air defenses– Cease the flow of men and material along the Ho Chi Cease the flow of men and material along the Ho Chi

Minh TrailMinh Trail– Operation runs for nearly four years! (none of the objectives are met…)

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US ground forces sent to Vietnam US ground forces sent to Vietnam – over 200,000 by the year’s end– over 200,000 by the year’s end

Danang:Danang:     The first American combat troops,     The first American combat troops, the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, arrive in the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, arrive in Vietnam to defend the US airfield at DanangVietnam to defend the US airfield at Danang

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La Drang La Drang ValleyValley

Heavy Fighting at Ia Drang ValleyHeavy Fighting at Ia Drang Valley:     The :     The first conventional battle of the Vietnam war first conventional battle of the Vietnam war takes place as American forces clash with takes place as American forces clash with North Vietnamese units in the Ia Drang Valley. North Vietnamese units in the Ia Drang Valley. - heavy casualties are reported on both sides. - heavy casualties are reported on both sides.

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Escalation!Escalation! in spite of ongoing in spite of ongoing escalation (an increase in troop escalation (an increase in troop

levels and $ spent on fighting the war) levels and $ spent on fighting the war) throughout throughout the 1960s, the US experienced a lack of success the 1960s, the US experienced a lack of success against the Vietnamese forces in S. Vietnam (the against the Vietnamese forces in S. Vietnam (the

VietcongVietcong) as the US Army was unprepared for their ) as the US Army was unprepared for their tactics (Guerilla Warfare! ) and their revolutionary tactics (Guerilla Warfare! ) and their revolutionary

mentality mentality

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The US was never The US was never entirely entirely successful in shuttingsuccessful in shutting

down the down the Ho Chi Minh Ho Chi Minh TrailTrail, a , a supply line supply line that ran between North that ran between North and South Vietnam and South Vietnam

difficult jungle terrain, difficult jungle terrain, often underground and often underground and through neighboring through neighboring nations like Cambodia nations like Cambodia and Laosand Laos

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Ho Chi Minh TrailHo Chi Minh Trail

The U.S. tries to The U.S. tries to destroy the trail destroy the trail

but the Vietnamese but the Vietnamese just go around it!just go around it!

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1968 – an awful year…1968 – an awful year… In January, the Vietnamese In January, the Vietnamese

launch the launch the Tet OffensiveTet Offensive, a , a surprise offensive on a surprise offensive on a major Vietnamese holiday major Vietnamese holiday that saw attacks all over the that saw attacks all over the country, including in Saigon country, including in Saigon itself itself

A Vietnamese defeat, but A Vietnamese defeat, but many in the U.S. now saw many in the U.S. now saw the war as unwinnablethe war as unwinnable

ongoing US casualties and ongoing US casualties and led to an increase in antiwar led to an increase in antiwar sentiment on the American sentiment on the American Home Front Home Front in large part because in large part because Vietnam was a Vietnam was a TV WarTV War where where American audiences saw the American audiences saw the brutality of war firsthandbrutality of war firsthand

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Slide 21 Americans Americans

witnessed the usage witnessed the usage of weapons like of weapons like napalmnapalm and and Agent Agent OrangeOrange, which , which devastated the devastated the people and people and environment of environment of VietnamVietnam

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My LaiMy LaiWho is the enemy?Who is the enemy?How do you “find and eliminate How do you “find and eliminate

the enemy” if you can’t tell the enemy” if you can’t tell which side anyone is on?which side anyone is on?

"Who is my enemy? Anybody that was running from us, hiding from us, or appeared to be the enemy. If a man was running, shoot him, sometimes even if a woman with a rifle was running, shoot her.“ – Captain Ernest Medina

Between 350 and 500 raped, tortured and murdered

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26 US soldiers initially 26 US soldiers initially charged with criminal charged with criminal offenses offenses

Only Second Lieutenant Only Second Lieutenant William CalleyWilliam Calley, a platoon , a platoon leader was convicted. leader was convicted.

Found guilty of killing 22 Found guilty of killing 22 villagers, he was originally villagers, he was originally given a life sentence, but given a life sentence, but only served three and a half only served three and a half years under house arrest.years under house arrest.

I was … getting orders from my commander and I

followed them- foolishly I guess

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Hippies!Hippies!

hippies inherited the values of the 1950s hippies inherited the values of the 1950s Beatniks, created their own communities, Beatniks, created their own communities,

listened to psychedelic rock, embraced the listened to psychedelic rock, embraced the sexual revolution, and some used drugs sexual revolution, and some used drugs

such as cannabis, LSD and magic such as cannabis, LSD and magic mushrooms to explore altered states of mushrooms to explore altered states of

consciousness.consciousness.

Slide 25 Protest increases at home!Protest increases at home! Hippies led the Hippies led the Counterculture movementCounterculture movement

Protests became widespread and began to polarize the Protests became widespread and began to polarize the nationnation

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Not just Not just hippies!hippies!

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250,000!250,000!

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increasingly the increasingly the American people American people came to perceive the came to perceive the ““Credibility GapCredibility Gap”, i.e. ”, i.e. they no longerthey no longerbelieved that LBJ was believed that LBJ was telling them the truth telling them the truth about events in the about events in the warwar

in 1968, LBJ chose in 1968, LBJ chose not to run for not to run for president, and president, and Republican Richard Republican Richard M. Nixon was elected M. Nixon was elected on a platform of on a platform of ““Peace with HonorPeace with Honor””

Slide 36 Nixon wanted the South Nixon wanted the South Vietnamese to play a Vietnamese to play a greater role in the war, a greater role in the war, a policy he labeled policy he labeled VietnamizationVietnamization

in spite of that, he in spite of that, he continues carpet bombing continues carpet bombing Hanoi and orders a secret Hanoi and orders a secret invasion of Cambodiainvasion of Cambodia

Seen as a further widening Seen as a further widening of the war! American’s of the war! American’s feel deceived and protests feel deceived and protests erupt.erupt.

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Kent State - May 1970Kent State - May 1970 Kent State Kent State

University University (Ohio)(Ohio)

Students Students protest turns protest turns deadly when deadly when National National Guard troops Guard troops open fire on open fire on the students!the students!

4 Students 4 Students DeadDead

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Pentagon PapersPentagon PapersClassified documents stolen Classified documents stolen

from the Pentagonfrom the PentagonExposed Government Exposed Government

knowledge that war would knowledge that war would cost more lives than the cost more lives than the public was being toldpublic was being told

Public told war was ending Public told war was ending but escalation was but escalation was happeninghappening

Government censures the Government censures the information but Supreme information but Supreme Court says NO!Court says NO!

PUBLIC DISTRUST OF PUBLIC DISTRUST OF GOVERNMENT!GOVERNMENT!

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the US agrees to remove troops the US agrees to remove troops on Jan. 27, 1973on Jan. 27, 1973

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PHASE 3 – VIETNAMESE CIVIL PHASE 3 – VIETNAMESE CIVIL WAR, 1973-75WAR, 1973-75

the NVA easily the NVA easily defeated the South by defeated the South by 19751975

1975 – the US 1975 – the US abandoned its abandoned its embassy in Saigon, embassy in Saigon, which was renamed which was renamed Ho Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City in in the newly unified and the newly unified and communist Vietnamcommunist Vietnam

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War Powers Act 1973War Powers Act 1973 the President can send U.S. armed forces into action the President can send U.S. armed forces into action

abroad only by authorization of Congress or in case abroad only by authorization of Congress or in case of "a national emergency created by attack upon the of "a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces."armed forces."

The War Powers Resolution requires the President to The War Powers Resolution requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days, with a further from remaining for more than 60 days, with a further 30 day withdrawal period, without an authorization of 30 day withdrawal period, without an authorization of the use of military force or a declaration of war. The the use of military force or a declaration of war. The resolution was passed by two-thirds of Congress, resolution was passed by two-thirds of Congress, overriding a presidential veto.overriding a presidential veto.

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Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon)Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon)

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