Vietnam WarChapter 22Section 1 &2

Beginning

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnSUBFEHmB0

• 1950

• French Indochina War• France = trying to gain control back in Vietnam• America Supports France • Massive economic aide’• Stop communism

• France ruled• Vietnam• Laos• Cambodia

• Restricted freedom of speech = jailed nationalists

Vietnam

• Revolutionaries fled to China

• Ho Chi Minh • Created the Indochinese Communist Party• Returned home with help and formed:

• Vietminh• Organization who wanted independence from foreign

rule in Vietnam

France Battle Vietminh

• France not giving up

• Ho Chi Minh fights from the North

• Truman send $15 million to France• Next 4 years U.S. pays for much of the war = $1 Billion

Drive out the French

• Battle of Dien Vien Phu• French forced to surrender - May 1954

• Countries meet to decide the fate of Vietnam• Peace agreement• Geneva Accords• Temporarily divide Vietnam

• 17th parallel

• Ho Chi Minh controlled the north = Capital Hanoi

• Diem controlled the south = Capital Saigon

U.S. Steps In

• US aides South Vietnam

• Ho Chi Minh winning support from the North• Land redistributing to Peasants• National Hero

• Diem refused to take part in elections• Not holding up his part of bargain• Corrupt government• Suppressed opposition• Angered Buddhists = restricted practices• (he was catholic)

Cont.

• 1957• Vietcong• Communist opposition group in the South• Attack Diem’s government• Assassinating thousands• Supported by Ho Chi Minh• Suppling arms

• Ho Chi Minh Trail

Kennedy

• Kennedy increases aide• Troops sent to train the South• 1963 = 16,000

• Diem’s popularity plummets• Corruption• Moved villagers• Attacks intensified on

Buddhism• Killed 100+• Destroyed temples• Monks burn themselves in

protest

• November 1, 1963• U.S. supported military

coup• Diem assassinated

Johnson

• Kennedy was going to withdraw

• Johnson escalates U.S. role in the war

• Diem’s death brings more chaos• Unstable because of no clear leader• Vietcong’s influence grows in the South

Tonkin Gulf Resolution

• August 2, 1964• http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYf6JZtVClY

• American destroyer fired upon by North Vietnamese• USS Maddox

• Returned fire

• 2 days later reported more enemy torpedoes• U.S. destroyers began firing

• Johnson retaliates• Launching bombing strikes on North

Vietnam

• Tonkin Gulf Resolution• Gave Johnson broad

military powers in Vietnam

• Blank Check

• Operation Rolling Thunder• 1965 = 50,000

U.S. involvement and escalation

• Much of America supported Johnson’s attempt to contain communism.

• Began sending large amounts of troops to aide S. Vietnamese.• By end of 196 500,000 American soldiers over there

Fighting the Viet Cong

• Guerilla Tactics• Hit and run, ambush• No rules• 3.5 million land mines• Civilians still being killed by them

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl8-dAPCQmQ

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDzGj0mHMxM• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo7XBaG_-SE

War of Attrition

• U.S. goal was to destroy moral of Viet Cong through Attrition. • Gradual wearing down of enemy• Body counts• To the U.S. soldier it was just a military battle, to the

Vietcong it was a battle for their existence.

Nasty Warfare

• Napalm• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbEhsqStPTM

• Agent Orange• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1r8Jn07Oxg

Sinking moral of U.S. soldiers and citizens

• Brutal warfare took its toll on soldiers• Many resorted to drugs and alcohol• U.S. economy began to falter• Increased protests

The Living Room War

• Casualties and statistics every night on the news• Between 1961-67 16,000 U.S. soldiers died• No end in sight