The Vietnam War

1
The Vietnam War

• 1945-1975

2
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
  

3
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.

4
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.
  

5
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

6
2nd Vietnam Begins-

• Good Guys

• Bad 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.

• 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

7
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.

8
Buddhist Monks Self-immolation 1963
9
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.
  

10
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

11
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

12
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.
  

13
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
  

14
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
  

15
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 governments assessment of
  the situation.
  

16
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

17
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.)
  

18
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

19
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

20
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

21
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.

22
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.