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The Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War

How did the USA become How did the USA become increasingly involved in increasingly involved in

Vietnam?Vietnam?

How did American involvement in Vietnam change in 1964?

1.S.E.A.T.O.

2.Americanisation

3.Operation Rolling Thunder

4.Gulf of Tonking Resolution

The USA taking over the fight against communism in Vietnam

US air raids over North Vietnam

US Congress allowed the President to order US military action in Vietnam

An anti communist alliance in Asia led by the USA

President LB Johnson believed that the US needed to do more than finance and advise the South Vietnamese. However, he also needed to get support from the public for increased US military involvement. He used incidents in 1964 and 1965 in Vietnam to persuade America to support him. (The picture of President Johnson links to a short documentary on the Gulf of

Tonking Incident. Click on the picture to activate the link)

19641964

Gulf of Tonking incident.(August)

US advisors exaggerated an attack on a US ship spying on North Vietnam. LBJ persuaded US Congress to give him the authority to use force against the North.

US planes bombed the secret Ho Chi Minh Trail used by the Vietcong in Laos as the first step towards defeating the Communists .

The Vietcong raid on Pleiku (7th February)

Vietcong guerrillas attacked the US base at Pleiku killing 8 US advisors. Americans were outraged, and LBJ believed he had the excuse and enough support to bomb North Vietnam.

Operation Rolling Thunder (11th Feb)

LBJ ordered the bombing of military and industrial targets in North Vietnam by US planes. This was the first direct attack on North Vietnam by the USA.

US marines land at Danang base (March 65)

3500 marines land to protect US bases. These are not “advisors”, but frontline soldiers. General Westmoreland was appointed commander of US operations. By December there were 16000 troops in South Vietnam. By 1968 there were half a million.

19651965

How did US involvement in the Vietnam war change and develop between 1945 and

1965?The new president was ______________. He wanted to e________ military involvement in the War. He greatly e__________ the Gulf of Tongking attack to persuade C_________ to give him the a________ to attack the North. However, he wanted the full s______ of the American people before bombing the North. The Vietcong attack on the US base at Pleiku o_______ US public opinion. It gave President Johnson the e______ to bomb targets in the North.

Johnson sent in US soldiers to p______ US bases. They were not called a_____ anymore. The Americans took c_____ of military operations against the Vietcong. This was called the A_________ of the War.

How did US involvement in the Vietnam war change and develop between 1945 and

1965?The new president was LB JohnsonLB Johnson. He wanted to escalateescalate military involvement in the War. He greatly exaggeratedexaggerated the Gulf of Tongking attack to persuade CongressCongress to give him the authorityauthority to attack the North. However, he wanted the full supportsupport of the American people before bombing the North. The Vietcong attack on the US base at Pleiku outragedoutraged US public opinion. It gave President Johnson the excuseexcuse to bomb targets in the North.

Johnson sent in US soldiers to protectprotect US bases. They were not called advisorsadvisors anymore. The Americans took controlcontrol of military operations against the Vietcong. This was called the AmericanizationAmericanization of the War.

1945

1950

1955

1960

1965

1. Arrange the 9 pieces of information in chronological order

2. Draw a key (next slide) and shade in each piece of information a colour to show if it is Political, financial or military

Financial supportFinancial supportProviding money to help fight Providing money to help fight CommunismCommunism

Political involvementPolitical involvement

Becoming involved in political Becoming involved in political agreements and the government of agreements and the government of south Vietnamsouth Vietnam

Military involvementMilitary involvementSending troops to defend the South Sending troops to defend the South and attacking North Vietnamand attacking North Vietnam

1945

1950

1955

1960

1965August 1964 - North Vietnamese patrol boats fired at a US ship spying on North Vietnam in the Gulf of Tongking. US aircraft bombed the Ho Chi Minh Trail in return

President Diem was murdered by his own officers in November 1963 because they feared that the USA would stop supporting South Vietnam. Kennedy knew about the plot, but did not stop it because he also wanted him removed.

President Kennedy sends military advisors to help the South Vietnamese army. By 1963 the number had reached 11,500 advisors.

February 1965 - Vietcong guerrillas attacked a US base at Pleiku killing 8 US "advisers". US launched "Operation Rolling Thunder" bombing raids on North Vietnam in return

March 1965 - 3,500 American marines landed in Danang in Vietnam to defend US bases. These were not "advisors", but troops sent to defend US bases in Vietnam

1954 The USA created the South East Asia Treaty Organisation, which was an anti communist alliance of European and Asian countries who pledged themselves to protecting smaller countries in Asia

1951 French army inflicts a series of defeats on Vietnamese Communists. The USA supplied the French with money to fight the communists

1954 The French lose the battle of Dien Bien Phu and are forced talk about giving Vietnam independence. The USA leads the talks in Geneva Switzerland. Vietnam is divided between North and South.

The US government back Diem as President of South Vietnam. They support him with financial support to run the country, but they refuse to allow elections that might give the communists more power in South Vietnam.

Explain how and why the USA became increasingly involved in the Vietnam War (12 marks)

Skills – Cause and effect, sequencing events

Level 1 gives a simple brief description of some reasons Level 1 gives a simple brief description of some reasons for US involvement, but is very general and lacks detail for US involvement, but is very general and lacks detail (1-3)(1-3)

Level 2 gives a description and simple explanation by Level 2 gives a description and simple explanation by identifying different causes, may also identify factors (4 – identifying different causes, may also identify factors (4 – 6)6)

Level 3 develops and explains several causes and refers Level 3 develops and explains several causes and refers to the question throughout their answer. Makes links to the question throughout their answer. Makes links using factors to structure their work, and concludes with using factors to structure their work, and concludes with an explanation of most important factor and significant an explanation of most important factor and significant turning points (7 – 10)turning points (7 – 10)

Level 4 as level 3, but structure, links, factors and Level 4 as level 3, but structure, links, factors and conclusion more developed (11 – 12) conclusion more developed (11 – 12)

1. Between 1945 and 1965 the USA became increasingly involved in the Vietnam War. This was because the USA ………(attitude towards and fear of communism, SEATO).

2. American involvement began as financial involvement because… (Japanese, French, Ho Chi Minh, (Japanese, French, Ho Chi Minh, datesdates).).

3. The USA’s involvement became more political for example……

(Geneva Agreement, elections, President Diem, (Geneva Agreement, elections, President Diem, datesdates).).

4. By the 1960s US involvement began to be more military ……

(Kennedy’s advisers, LB Johnson, Gulf of Tonking incident (Kennedy’s advisers, LB Johnson, Gulf of Tonking incident and resolution, Pleiku raid, Operation Rolling Thunder, and resolution, Pleiku raid, Operation Rolling Thunder, increasing US troop numbers, increasing US troop numbers, datesdates).).

5. In conclusion the most important political turning point was …… because… A major military turning point was …… because ….