1. Vietnam War
Chapter 22
Section 1 &2

2. Beginning French Indochina War
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
Beginning

3. Vietnam Ho Chi Minh Vietminh Revolutionaries fled to China
Created the Indochinese Communist Party
Returned home with help and formed:
Vietminh
Organization who wanted independence from foreign rule in Vietnam
Vietnam

4. 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
France Battle Vietminh

5. Drive out the French 17th parallel 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
Drive out the French

6. U.S. Steps In Ho Chi Minh winning support from the North
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)
U.S. Steps In

7. 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
Cont.

8. Kennedy Kennedy increases aide Diem’s popularity plummets
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
Kennedy

9. 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
Johnson

10. Tonkin Gulf Resolution
August 2, 1964
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
Tonkin Gulf Resolution

11. 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 ,000 American soldiers over there
U.S. involvement and escalation

12. Fighting the Viet Cong Guerilla Tactics Hit and run, ambush No rules
3.5 million land mines
Civilians still being killed by them
Fighting the Viet Cong

13. 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.
War of Attrition

14. Nasty Warfare Napalm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbEhsqStPTM
Agent Orange
Nasty Warfare

15. 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
Sinking moral of U.S. soldiers and citizens

16. The Living Room War Casualties and statistics every night on the news
Between ,000 U.S. soldiers died
No end in sight
The Living Room War