Was it the right decision for the US to fight in Vietnam? The Vietnam War Was it the right decision for the US to fight in Vietnam?

War in Vietnam vs. Democratic Republic of Vietnam Republic of Vietnam North Vietnam Common Name South Vietnam Hanoi Capital City Saigon Ho Chi Minh (55-69) Le Duan (after 69) Leaders Ngo Dinh Diem (55-63), Nguyen Thieu (65-74) Vietcong Direct Ally United States Soviet Union, People’s Republic of China Indirect Ally None

1919-1954: Ho Chi Minh vs. Imperialism 1919:Ho Chi Minh travels to Paris to meet Pres. Wilson HCM rejected by Wilson, joins the Communist Party 1941: Japan invades French Indochina, HCM forms the Vietminh to fight Japan 1945: Vietminh drive Japanese out, HCM declares an independent Vietnam French want their colony back, go to war w/ Vietminh, French lose in 1954

Eisenhower Years (1954-1959) 1954: Geneva Accords ends war but Vietnam is split at 17th parallel Ho Chi Minh controls north, Ngo Dinh Diem controls south until nationwide elections are held in 1956 Fearful HCM will win election, US & Diem cancel elections & declare independent South Vietnam HCM creates North Vietnam & declares war on SV Afraid SV will fall to Communists (Domino Theory) US sends Military Advisors to SV

Southeast Asia Map In Key: North Vietnam & Laos are influenced by Soviet Union South Vietnam & Thailand are influenced by the United States Cambodia is influenced by the United States & Communist Rebels

Kennedy Years (1960-1964) 1960: southern communists form a guerilla army called the Vietcong 1962: Pres. Kennedy encourages Flexible Response, send more advisors, but Diem is very unpopular with S. Vietnamese people 1963: JFK okays removal of Diem in a coup. JFK re-thinking US involvement in Vietnam but is assassinated 1964: Two US ships allegedly fired upon in Gulf of Tonkin

“I ain’t got no quarrel with them Vietcong” Johnson Years (1964-1968) LBJ asks Congress to pass Tonkin Gulf Resolution US strategy is to root out & demoralize VC w/ search & destroy missions, while winning hearts/minds of villagers 1966: LBJ asks Congress for draft and $12.8 billion Anti-war protests begin, many refuse draft, face prison Unlimited Power! Dec 67: LBJ & Gen. Westmoreland assures public we’re winning & enemy is nearly defeated Jan ‘68: N. Vietnamese & Vietcong launch Tet Offensive, reach Saigon, proves LBJ was lying – LBJ won’t run for reelection “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Vietcong”

Nixon/Ford Years (1969-1975) Former VP Richard Nixon wins election, promising “Peace /w Honor” Nixon’s Vietnamization plan will turn over ground fighting to S. Vietnam, bring home troops but expand bombing campaign 1973: Paris Peace Accords - US, North Vietnam and South Vietnam sign a peace treaty ending the war (Kissinger negotiates treaty) 1974-75: N. Vietnam invades S. Vietnam. President Ford asks Congress to help, Congress refuses. Saigon falls in April1975