1. Vietnam War
U.S. History

2. Vietnam Origins
Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) was a French colony from the 1800’s
Ruled with an iron fist- imposed strict laws and high taxes
Population of Indochina rose to ~27 million people by WWII
Most people were left impoverished by the conditions

3. Vietnam Origins
Ho Chi Minh was an active anti- French organizer and was forced to flee in 1912
During is 30 year absence- he embraced communism and was able to rally Soviet support to his cause in Vietnam
After WWII, colonialism loses popularity and France’s power dwindled

4. U.S. Involvement A difficult decision:
To support decolonization
To maintain France as an ally in the Cold War
Truman believed that supporting independence in Vietnam would weaken anticommunism in France
Threatening anticommunist sentiments in Western Europe

5. Aid to France Chose to aid France in their colonial endeavor
Too much fear of Vietnam’s fall to communism after China
Between , US contributed $2.6 billion to France’s efforts

6. Domino Theory
When Eisenhower took over in 1953, he continued Truman’s policy toward Vietnam
Why? = The Domino Theory
Idea that if one country (Vietnam) falls to communism, all the other countries in that area will follow
This threatened Japan, the Philippines, and Australia

7. Dien Bien Phu
In Vietminh (Ho Chi Minh’s communist soldiers) laid siege for 55 days to this large French military base
May French surrendered after suffering ~15,000 casualties

8. Granted Independence
May France grants independence to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia
Divided Vietnam into North and South at the 17th parallel
Ho Chi Minh’s communist forces ruled the North
Anticommunist government supported by the US ruled the South
Called for free elections in to unify Vietnam

9. Aid to South Vietnam
1954- U.S. and seven other southeast Asian countries formed SEATO
U.S. provided economic and military aid to South Vietnam, led by Ngo Dinh Diem

10. 1956 Elections
Rather than risk losing to Ho Chi Minh, Diem refused to participate in the reunification elections
1957- A rebel communist group formed to undermine Diem’s government and unite Vietnam under communism
Guerrilla fighters, known as Vietcong
Diem loses popularity with his anti-Buddhist legislation and refusal to enact land reforms

11. U.S. Involvement Escalates
Eisenhower and JFK provided military and economic aid
1956-Country wide elections
Minh in North widely popular with peasants
Ngo Dinh Diem in the South was not
Cancelled elections, corrupt government, repressed Buddhism
National Liberation Front started in the South=Vietcong, used guerrilla warfare
Minh supported Vietcong with arms along the Ho Chi Minh Trail

12. Ho Chi Minh Trail

13. Kennedy Sends Troops
Kennedy took a more aggressive stand against communism in Vietnam
1961- sent the Special Forces troops to advise the army in South Vietnam
1963- more than 15,000 American “advisors” were fighting in Vietnam
Late Kennedy administration agrees that South Vietnam needed new leadership
Americans plotted with anti-Diem generals
November- Diem is removed and later assassinated

14. Buddhist Protests

15. LBJ Takes Over for JFK JFK-”In the final analysis, it’s their war.”
LBJ-Escalates U.S. role our longest war
South Vietnam struggled through inept leaders
Vietcong increased attacks
LBJ feared being weak on communism

16. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
August 2, 1964-USS Maddox patrolling the Gulf of Tonkin when attacked by N. Vietnamese patrol boat
Maddox not hit and returned fire
2 days later Maddox again reported being fired upon (did not see or hear enemy)
August 7th-Resolution passed w/ 2 dissenting senators
“all necessary measures to repel any armed attack...”
Had been prepared for months, Maddox was collecting intelligence for U.S. led raids in N. Vietnam
1965-Operation Rolling Thunder, sustained bombing
June-50,000 troops in country

17. America and Vietnam
1964-LBJ wins vs. Barry Goldwater (super anti- commie)
“not about to send American boys 9 or 10 thousand miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves.”
1965-Sec. of Def. Robert McNamara and Sec. of State Dean Rusk advise send more troops
% in favor, 24% opposed
LBJ “Americanizes” the war

18. Troop Build Up End of 1965-180,000 U.S. troops in country
Commanded by Gen. William S. Moreland requested even more
Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)
Under trained and equipped
1967-U.S. troop strength at 500,000

19. Elusive Enemy U.S. believed that superior weaponry would save the day
Vietcong used guerrilla tactics to balance lack of firepower
Used jungle to melt away
Only moved and fought directly at night
Mines and booby traps
Men, women and children acted as spies
Used tunnel systems and the Ho Chi Minh Trail

20. Vietcong Tunnels

21. By December 31, 1965
Troops in Vietnam 184,300
Killed in Action 1,363
Wounded in Action 7,645

22. Propaganda
Westmoreland’s strategy was to wear down the enemy by giving out body counts of enemy dead
Vietcong came harder and faster, struggling for their existence
US fought against communism, Vietcong fought for freedom from tyranny

23. Credibility Gap
For the first time, Americans were seeing images of war on television

24. Credibility Gap Gen. Westmorland continually stated victory in sight
, 16,000 U.S. soldiers KIA
Credibility Gap-What was being reported by the Johnson administration and what was being viewed on television did not match

25. Hearts and Minds
US hoped to win over rural population, giving guerillas nowhere to hide
US tactics such as gasoline bombs called napalm, Agent Orange which was a toxic chemical to kill the vegetation, and search-and-destroy missions which uprooted villagers and burned villages – did not make this hope a reality

26. Attrition and “Hearts and Minds”
Attrition-Gen. Westmoreland wanted to wear down the enemy through constant harassment
Kill them until they are to weak or disgusted
Communist Vietnamese received help from China and Russia
U.S. won almost all direct engagements
“Hearts and Minds” of the South Vietnamese
Agent Orange, Napalm, search and destroy

27. Winning the Hearts and Minds

28. By December 31, 1966 Troops in Vietnam 385,300 Killed in Action 6,644
Wounded in Action 37,738

29. Morale Takes a Hit
Guerrilla warfare takes its toll=no steady enemy to fight no new ground to keep
Fighting for corrupt South Vietnamese Gov’t.
Draftees vs. Volunteers
War grinds on for years
Civil War=North vs. South
Civil War=South vs. South

30. Soldiers turned to alcohol, and other drugs, though most firmly still believed in the cause
South Vietnam was being ruled by a series of military leaders, in power by force – leading to a civil war within a civil war
By December 31, 1967
Troops in Vietnam 485,600
Killed in Action 16,021
Wounded in Action 99,762

31. Tet Offensive 1968 1/30/68, Tet=Chinese Lunar New Year
Vietcong and Vietminh had been planning for an offensive
Nightfall=Coordinated attacks against 100 town, 12 U.S. bases
Overran the U.S. Embassy in Saigon
Month long battle
32,000 Vietcong dead, 3,000 U.S. & ARVN
U.S. public opinion flips, 60% against LBJ and Vietnam

33. Turning Point January 1968, on the Vietnamese New Year called Tet
There was supposed to be a cease fire
In coffins supposedly holding bodies for memorial, Vietcong had hidden weapons
At one such siege at Khe Sanh – 40,000 NVA surrounded 5,600 Marines for 77 days
Operation Niagara in February dropped more bombs than ever before in war
The Tet Offensive, though devastating in body count to Vietcong, was even more devastating to an American public who thought we were nearing peace

35. Troops in Vietnam 536,100 Killed in Action 30,160
By December 31, 1968
Troops in Vietnam 536,100
Killed in Action 30,160
Wounded in Action 192,850

36. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1vJqTN-qVI – Tet
- Cronkite