The Vietnam War

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The Vietnam War
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The Vietnam War

• A. Background
• The French had made Vietnam a colony in the late
  1800's. Ho Chi Minh led revolts in Vietnam as
  the leader of the Communist Party. War broke out
  when Communists asked for freedom from the French
  after WWII.

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The Vietnam War

• A. Background
• Americans supported the French with money to
  stop the domino theory (spread of communism from
  one country to another). In 1954, the French
  stronghold, Dien Bien Phu, fell to the
  Vietnamese.

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The Vietnam War

• A. Background
• Vietnam was divided into N S by the
  Geneva Accords. Ngo Dinh Diem
  seized power in South and angered many
  citizens.
• The Vietcong were guerrillas in S.
  Vietnam against Diem. People in the
  countryside supported them.

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The Vietnam War

• A. Background
• Diem further lost support by cracking down on
  anyone and anything that spoke out against his
  leadership.

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The Vietnam War

• A. Background
• Two U.S. ships operating off the coast of N.
  Vietnam were attacked and President Johnson
  elevated the war and asked Congress for the right
  to continue.
• The Tonkin Gulf Resolution gave the president of
  the United States the right to take whatever
  means necessary to prevent further aggression.
• Basically, this document allowed the president to
  make war without declaring war.

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The Vietnam War

• B. American Involvement
• 1. Tactics-Bombing raids, search destroy
  missions, use of defoliants.

The B-52 bomber
Our soldiers were constantly on the search for
Charlie
US used napalm and agent orange to gain an
advantage in the jungle
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The Vietnam War

• B. American Involvement
• 2. Results-Anti-war movement was strong.
  Media fueled it with pictures from the war.

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The Vietnam War

• B. American Involvement
• Kent State Shootings-May 4, 1970
• 4 Students were killed and 9 others wounded
  when the Ohio National Guard fired on a crowd
  of protesters.

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The Vietnam War

• C. Changes in 1968
• 1. Tet Offensive-January 1968- Vietcong
  led surprise attacks on major cities in
  Vietnam.
• 2. Robert McNamara-Secretary of Defense
  resigned because he could no longer support
  the war.
• 3. Johnson decides not to run again in
  1968 after he loses so much support.

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The Vietnam War

• D. Withdrawal-Richard Nixon became president in
  1968 and committed to getting out of Vietnam.
• Nixon began withdrawal but still wanted
  North Vietnam to recognize the government of
  South Vietnam.
• In 1970, Nixon orders an invasion of Cambodia to
  cut off Vietcong and N. Vietnamese supply
  lines. Created huge protests in America that
  led to violence.

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The Vietnam War

• D. Withdrawal
• January, 1973-U.S. N. Vietnam signed a
  cease- fire after Henry Kissinger negotiated
  with N. Vietnam.
• After the American withdrawal, N. Vietnam
  conquered the South and in April, they captured
  Saigon, reunifying the country under Communist
  rule.

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The Vietnam War

• E. Results
• 1. Vietnam Vets were not considered heroes
  and many suffered delayed stress syndrome.
  Over 58,000 soldiers died in Vietnam.
• 2. War Powers Act-1973-passed to limit
  war- making powers of the president.
• 3. Vietnamese refugees poured into America.