The Vietnam War
Vietnam Struggles for Independence Chinese Rule Hundreds of Years (111 BC) French Indochina (colony) Late 1800 - 1940 Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia Japan took over Vietnam during WWII
Ho Chi Minh After WWI He Petitioned Allies to free Vietnam from French control Denied by Allies (United States and President Wilson) Became Communist after visiting Soviet Union Created the Indochinese Communist Party (most didn’t like) Created the Vietminh to fight against Japan Included Communist and Non-Communists Guerrilla war tactics U.S. will give some aid at this point
French Re-Colonization Japan loses Vietnam after losing WWII France wanted to regain colony of Vietnam U.S. faced with difficult decision: Support France = Support Colonialism Support Vietminh = Communism could spread
America Aids French Truman decides to aid the French WHY? Cold War Containment (pg. 655) China recently fell to Communism The Korean War was beginning Support Rebuilding of Japan (food and oil supplies) Protect Strait of Malacca Malaysian Rubber and Tin Industries ($$$) Ho Chi Minh turns to USSR/China for help against French
President Eisenhower Continued Truman’s Policy of French Support Domino Theory If Vietnam falls, all other nations in SE Asia will fall Don’t want to lose access to the Strait of Malacca
Vietnam Divides Geneva Accords Vietminh defeat the French at Dien Bien Phu What happened? Geneva Accords Geneva, Switzerland Accord = Agreement Divide Vietnam along the 17th parallel
Vietnam Divides North Vietnam Communist Ho Chi Minh 17th Parallel - DMZ South Vietnam Pro-West Control Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngo Dinh Diem South Vietnam (Nationalist) Leader Devout Catholic Fiercley Anti-Communist Geneva Accord mandated election to unite Vietnam Diem and US did not permit election Afraid of Ho Chi Minh winning
U.S. Involvement Grows Vietcong emerge Army of communists in S. Vietnam Vietcong used terror against civilians Assassinate thousands of government officials US aid to prevent communist takeover Eisenhower sent in advisors to train S. Vietnam’s army Diem was becoming more and more unpopular
President Kennedy Kennedy gave aid to Diem Democrats needed to look tough on Communism Why? JFK-CIA coup overthrows Diem He had banned Buddha’s birthday and burned flag Buddhist Monks burned themselves in protest Diem overthrown and executed by JFK administration But now, we have a problem….leadership in S. Vietnam
President Johnson Vietnam success is crucial to LBJ The Gulf of Tonkin “Get in or Get Out”? The Gulf of Tonkin U.S. Destroyer was attacked by North Vietnam Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Gave LBJ power to wage war without Congress “take all necessary measures to prevent aggression” LBJ DIDN’T mention that U.S. was spying and assisting raids against North Vietnam
U.S. Attacks (March 1965) Operation Rolling Thunder Hopes to bring N. Vietnamese to peace talks…nope US “advisors” begin to take active role in fighting Vietcong attacks U.S. embassy in Saigon Johnson’s Approval Ratings: Jumped from 41% - 60% ~ 80% of Americans felt S. Vietnam would fall to communism without our help We needed to send troops to protect the area
A Bloody Stalemate U.S anticipated a quick war More firepower / better troops Underestimated guerilla tactics of the Vietcong Jungle Warfare Ambushes Booby Traps Blending with general population Vietcong disappeared easily into jungles “It was a sheer physical impossibility to keep the enemy from slipping away whenever he wished.” “It’s a war where nothing is ever quite certain, and nowhere is ever quite safe.”
Search and Destroy Napalm U.S. forces literally destroyed the landscape Napalm Jellied Gasoline
…from LIFE Magazine
A chemical defoliant - Strips ALL foliage from trees Search and Destroy Agent Orange A chemical defoliant - Strips ALL foliage from trees
Agent Orange Side Effects
Agent Orange Side Effects
The Ho Chi Minh Trail Vietcong needed supplies Trail passed through Cambodia and Laos Why? LBJ refused to attack trail Consequences?