The Vietnam Conflict

1963-1975 (U.S. involvement)

Background Vietnam was originally

one country After WWII, war vs.

French colonialists to free Vietnam

France lost and Geneva Peace Conference temporarily divided Vietnam

In 1958, communist backed guerrillas begin battle vs. South Vietnam govt. and civil war between North Vietnam and South Vietnam begins

The North was “communist”; South was “democratic”

U. S. Involvement Begins

• Happened during the Cold War – U.S. was DETERMINED to stop the spread of communism, so advisors were sent to help the South

• WAR WAS NEVER ACTUALLY DECLARED – yet more and more troops committed (536,000 in 1968)

• Fueled by fear of the “Domino Theory”• VERY controversial in U.S.

The Enemy• Regular soldiers

from North Vietnam (the NVA)

• Guerrillas from the South (officially the National Liberation Front) but nicknamed:• Vietcong• Congs• VC• Victor Charlie• Charlie

Difficult War for U.S. Troops• Difficult terrain – jungles,

rain, rice paddies, mountains, extensive tunnel system

• South Vietnamese on BOTH sides – hard for U.S. GIs to know who was the enemy and who wasn’t

• Costly for the U.S. – Over 58,000 U.S. soldiers killed

• Costly for Vietnam - between 2.1 - 3.8 million killed

DIFFICULT WAR

• http://www.history.com/shows/vietnam-in-hd/videos/cu-chi-tunnels-deconstructed#cu-chi-tunnels-deconstructed

PROTEST AT HOME

• Draft Resistance – People went to jail or fled the country to avoid service

• Marches• Sit-Ins• Demonstrations• Protest Music• Draft Card burnings

• http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=105895&title=Vietnam_War_Protests

The Soldiers Who Fought