The Vietnam War

Early History The country of Vietnam had a long history of resistance to foreign occupation. ie. China and Japan In the post WWII era the U.S supported French Colonial interests in Vietnam. Continued resistance from Nationalistic-Communist forces led to a French withdraw and division of the country into 2 separate nations in 1954.   Elections planned for 1956 to unite the country were trashed by the U.S. and their hand picked leader of the South, Diem. The reason given for not following through with the agreed elections was that communist infiltration from the north made fair elections impossible.

Eisenhower provides first U.S. troops The U.S. did not want Vietnam to become part of the Communist bloc and Diem continued to be supported by the U.S. in spite of his corrupt leadership. Kennedy increased Troops to 16,000 By 1963 Diem’s government had become so unpopular that officials of the Kennedy administration gave approval to a South Vietnamese military take over the government resulting in the assignation of Diem. 3 weeks after Diem’s assassination Kennedy is killed in Dallas. The new president Lyndon Johnson is determined to avoid a repeat of the 1949 communist takeover of China and the resulting democrats’ loss of the White House in the election of 1952. Johnson begins to commit more US soldiers to Vietnam.

Election of 1964 In 1964 Johnson defeats Sen. Barry Goldwater. Goldwater advocates U.S. bombing in Vietnam. Johnson is quick to portray Goldwater as a hawk (pro war) while representing himself as the peace candidate. Despite the claims from the White House Pres. Johnson and the military increased American involvement. US Navy claims NV attacked US ships in Gulf of Tonkin In 1964 Congress pass the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, unanimously 416-0, giving Johnson a free hand to wage war.

Troop Levels 1965-1968   1965 - 25,000 – 184,000 1966 - 385,000 1967 - 485,000 1968 - 543,000

US Military Involvement By 1968 U.S. troops have long dropped the role of “advisors” and began to actively engage in combat. American losses increased. 1968 Tet Offensive: N. Vietnam and Viet Cong mount a major military offensive. Many American bases are attacked in Saigon and the U.S. Embassy is taken by Viet Cong. The offensive fails but the “Tet” demonstrates the wars is not a sure thing and for the first time Americans began to seriously question the war in great numbers.

Anti- War Movement   In 1971 Daniel Ellsberg, a government researcher, gives classified documents to the New York Times. The Pentagon Papers revealed the President Johnson and the military had lied to the American public about the extent of U.S. involvement. College Campuses and students were at the forefront of the anti-war protest movement. Many protests focused on the military draft.  Using many of the same tactics of the civil rights movement, war resistance increased and use of police and military in response became a common sight on T.V. along with war footage from ‘Nam 1968 Pres. Lyndon Johnson declines to run for re-election due to the unpopularity of the war and demonstrations.

Nixon/Vietnamization Nixon elected in 1968. Has “Secret Plan” Nixon’s Plan-Vietnamization Turn the War over to the South Vietnamese Train and Equip South Vietnamese to Fight North US Troops withdraw begins 1969 Cambodia Vietnamese Were Using Cambodia to attack So. Vietnam Bombing and Invasion Fails to stop NV troops. Cambodian Communists Go Deeper into Cambodia Nixon Policy Combination of Increased Bombing of North Vietnam and Secret Negotiations and Diplomacy with China and USSR.

The War Ends US underestimated the NV/Vietcong strength and endurance. NV/Vietcong were willing to suffer huge casualties. USSR and China both aided N. Vietnam US was forced to fight a war of attrition Opposition to the war in USA forces an exit policy By 1973 last of US troops leave. 1975 N. Vietnam takes over entire county. Vietnam becomes a communist nation.