The Vietnam War

1945-1975

Prelude to War: Vietnam

• Vietnam was originally part of French Indochina• During WWII Japan had seized Indochina• Independence movement began under the leadership of

Ho Chi Minh a nationalist first, Communist second.• Founded Vietminh (independence) League in 1941 to

expel Japanese. Made up of both Nationalists and Communists

• After the Japanese surrender Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam independent.

• 1946- the French tried to hold onto its colonies in Indochina

The 1st Vietnam 1945-1954

• The Fall of China to Communism and the outbreak of the Korean War convinced the US to help the French

• By 1954 US had given France over 300,000 small arms and $1billion. (75-80%) of entire French war effort

• US defended involvement by claiming the Domino Theory- if Vietnam fell to communism do would the rest of South East Asia.

French Surrender

• 1954 - French are defeated at Dien Bien Phu and surrender to Ho Chi Minh

• Geneva Accords -International Peace conference was held to decide what to do with Indochina

• Vietnam was divided into North and South at the 17th latitude. Free elections were to be held in two years.– North Ho Chi Minh in control– South US placed anti-communist government under Diem (ruled

as a dictator)• Once it was clear that Ho Chi Minh would win the

election the US prevented the elections from occurring.• After Diem refused to hold elections Ho Chi Minh began

an armed struggle to reunify the country.

The 2nd Vietnam Begins 1956-1973

• 1957 National Liberation Front/ Vietcong is organized

• used guerilla tactics – hit and run, terrorism, assassinations. Willingness to accept high casualties– Create underground tunnels to move from one part

of the country to another• By 1961 Vietcong controlled most of the countryside

in South Vietnam.• Supplied by Ho Chi Minh- via Ho Chi Minh Trails-

paths along border of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

2nd Vietnam Begins-

“Good Guys”

• Non communist leaders (Diem)

• US advisors/Forces• ARVN (Army of the

Republic of Vietnam) made up of southern vietnamese

• By 1967 Us forces totaled 500,000.

“Bad Guys”

• Ho Chi Minh• Vietminh= North

Vietnamese army under Ho Chi Minh

• National Liberation Front (NLF)Vietcong- Southern vietnamese Guerilla fighters. Supplied by Ho Chi Minh

JFK and Vietnam

• Increased military aid and sent more advisers to South Vietnam. By 1963 there were about 16,000 military advisers in Vietnam. Many who had engaged in covert military operations.

• Diem- a Catholic banned traditional Buddhist ceremony. Created protests.

• Refused land reform to peasants• Along with his dictatorship became very

unpopular among South Vietnamese• 1963 Assassinated in a military Coup with US

consent.

Buddhist Monk’s Self-immolation 1963

Johnson and Vietnam

• 1964 Johnson runs for election on claim that US will not send boys to do what Asian boys ought to be doing”

• The Gulf of Tonkin incident.• On Aug 2 1964 Johnson announced that a North

Vietnamese Torpedo boat had fired on two US destroyers doing “routine patrols.

• “Routine patrols” = US ships had been helping South Vietnamese do electronic spying and commando raids against North Vietnam.

Johnson Escalates the War

• Johnson used the Gulf of Tonkin incident to obtain the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

• Passed by congress on August 7th 1964 – which authorized the President to “take any means necessary to prevent further aggression”.

• US enters into War with Vietnam

Johnson Escalates the War

• 1965 - Johnson orders a heavy round of bombing raids on North Vietnam.

• Fought Vietcong with napalm and Agent Orange (defoliant) – could not gain support of Vietnamese people.

• March 1965 Johnson orders in First ground troops to Vietnam.

• By 1967 over 500,000 US troops are in Vietnam

Troop Morale

• Early war was popular seen as part of containment. Over 60% approval rating in 1965

• Ideas of an easy victory soon left

• Troops began to use drugs alcohol, weed, heroin.

• Racial tensions hurt some platoons led to some conflicts

• Instances of “Fragging” of officers occurred- soldiers would murder their officers.

The Impact of the War at home

• As the war continued support dropped.

• Economic cost of war lead to inflation, inflation rate tripled by 1969.

• Tax increase to fund war led to a decline in Great Society programs

Resistance and The New Left

• Students for a Democratic Society SDS

• Founded by Tom Hayden and AL Haber.

• Argued for a more participatory democracy

• Argued that US had been taken over by large corporations and large government institutions.– Industrial-military complex

• Major organization that led teach-ins and other anti-war protests

Opposition to Vietnam Begins – Reasons for Opposition

• Some saw Vietnam as a civil war which US had no business interfering in

• Others saw South Vietnamese government as corrupt and not worth defending.

• Credibility Gap- the US government was saying that Vietcong were on the verge of collapse while television news were broadcasting footage of combat nightly.

• images of American wounded and dead began to make people question the government’s assessment of the situation.

Reasons for Opposition Cont.

• The Draft (forced conscription)• Targeted low income youths that could not afford

college (1967- Blacks made up 20% of casualty rates twice the proportion of population) 80% of American soldiers came from lower economic levels

• As need for men increased college students became at risk. Many refused to go fled to Canada or went to jail.

• Voting Age was 21 yet draft age was 18. Argued they were old enough to die for their country but not old enough to decide on political leadership .

• 1971- 26th Amendment lowers the voting age to 21

The Tet Offensive- Jan 30th 1968

• Tet is the Vietnamese New Year. Guerilla fighters attacked almost all US airbases and South Vietnamese Cities simultaneously.

• After 1 month of fighting US was able to stop vietcong.

• Broadcasts of the Tet offensive had the effect of changing US public opinion against the war.

• Further, General requested another 200,000 troops be sent to Vietnam. (US Citizens were not willing to pay that high a price.)

Massacre at My Lai -1969

• American Platoon under orders from Lt. Calley had massacred as many as 200 unarmed South Vietnamese villagers. Mostly women, children and old men.

• Calley went to Prison.• Reinforced the horrors of

Vietnam war. Capabilities of

US soldiers

Nixon and Vietnam

• After the disaster of Tet Johnson does not seek re-election.

• Nixon pledges to get US out of Vietnam.• Orders Vietnamization – gradual withdrawal

of US troops while S. Vietnamese assume more responsibility.

• 1970 Nixon invaded Cambodia to destroy vietcong bases- seen as an escalation of war.– Kent State “Massacre”

Kent State – May 4 1970

• Response to bombing of Cambodia

• Student Protest led to burning of ROTC building

• Crowd throwing Rocks

• National guard called in– fired on crowd

• Wounded 9 killed 4

Pentagon Papers

• Leaked by defense Department worker Daniel Ellsberg.

• Written by Defense secretary Robert McNamara– Revealed that US had war plans even when

LBJ said he would not send troops in– No exit strategy as long as North Vietnam

Persisted.

The Vietnam War Ends – Nixons “Peace with Honor”

• January 27th 1973 Peace agreement is signed US Agreed to withdraw the rest of its troops.

• No agreement was made on S. Vietnams future• North Vietnamese soldiers were able to stay in

South Vietnam• April 30th 1975 North Vietnamese soldiers

captured Saigon. US sent no support. • Vietnam is currently unified under a communist

government.