Chapter19: The Vietnam War

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Chapter19 The Vietnam War
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19.1 Going to War in Vietnam

• The United States tries to control the spread of
  communism in Vietnam

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A. American Involvement in Vietnam

• Rulers of Vietnam
• a. before WWII?
• France
• b. during WWII?
• Japan
• c. after WWII?
• i. Ho Chi Minh/North
• ii. Ngo Dinh Diem/South

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2. In w/Ho Chi Minh

• a. communist leader of Northern Vietnam
• b. What did he want?
• Independence for Vietnam
• Who were the Vietminh?
• Northern Communist Vietnamese who wanted
  independence
• How does he relate to containment?
• He was supported by SU and China

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3. France vs. Vietminh

• France reclaims Vietnam after WWII (1946)
• Why should the U.S. help?
• fighting against communism
• Fall of Chinas Korea
• Truman decides to aid France
• 1950-1954 U.S. spends 2.6 billion supporting
  France domino theory

• VS.

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d. Domino Theory (Pres. Eisenhowers)

• If Vietnam fell to communism others would follow,
  so the U.S. must help.

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4. Defeat at Dien Bien Phu

• Vietminh defeat French at Dien Bien Phu post
  (1954) -guerilla tactics used
• July 1954Geneva Accords (peace agreement)
  temporary divide at 17th parallel
• Diem, southern leader, agreed to countrywide
  elections for 1956 never happens

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5. French out U.S. Stepping In

1. elections cancelled
2. Ho Chi Minh supported by the people
3. Diem corrupt suppressed opposition
4. Repressed Buddhist practices hes Catholic

• Ngo Dinh Diem (South V.)
• Nationalist

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B. America Becomes Involved in Vietnam

• 1. Vietcong
• South Vietnamese communists organize after
  cancelled elections
• begin to kill SV govt officials
• Eisenhower sends in military advisers to train SV
  army

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2. Kennedy and Vietnam

1. 1960 supports Diem
2. Diem continues with corruption
3. Nationalist Vietnamese executes Diem/JFK
   assassinated (63)
4. LBJ now president and does not want to appear
   soft on communism

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e. Strategic Hamlets

1. plan to protect SV from communist by relocating
   them
2. Made things worse for Diem

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3. Pres. Johnson expands the conflict

• Gulf Tonkin Incident
• i. US naval ships fired upon
• ii. Second attack unclear if it happened
• iii. US spying on NV

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3. Pres. Johnson expands the conflict

• b. Tonkin Gulf Resolution (1964) Granted
  Johnson military powers in Vietnam without
  officially declaring war
• c. Operation Rolling Thunder (65)
• First prolonged bombing of North Vietnam
• Attempt to avoid sending in troops
• d. First combat troops sent in

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C. A Bloody Stalemate

• 1. Tricks of the Vietcong
• Guerilla tactics irregular warfare such as hit
  and run and ambush tactics
• Hiding within civilian population
• Booby traps/land mines
• Terrain and tunnels

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Vietcong Tunnels
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Search and DestroyUS Strategies

• War of Attrition wearing down the enemy by
  continuous harassment progress measured by the
  dead
• Body count
• c. Napalm/agent orange
• d. Search and destroy missions

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Agent Orange
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Napalm(gasoline-base bomb) attack
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3. Ho Chi Minh Trail

1. SU and China supplied N. Vietnam
2. No full-scale invasion of NV US concerned China
   will enter war