Chapter 22: The Vietnam War 1945-1975

French Indo China- Vietnam -Cambodia -Laos 1940-Japan seizes control of Indo China from France 1945- WWII ends, Japan out and France struggles to take back control. Vietnamese Civil War ensues 1949- Communist Forces win the Vietnamese Civil War 1950-1954- USA contributes $2.6 billion to France’s efforts to take back Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh 1924- Exiled from Vietnam, flees to Moscow 1940-Ho Chi Minh returns to Vietnam from exile VIETMINH-Vietnamese independence movement (wanted their freedom) to kick out Japanese rule. 1954-France is defeated and leaves Vietnam Dien Bien Phu- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFMcvHQIpHY September 2, 1945- Ho Chi Minh and the Vietminh forces collaborate with US forces to help defeat Japan in WWII 1950- Ho Chi Minh receives support from China and USSR in winning Vietnamese independence from the French Domino Theory- Idea that if Vietnam falls to communism, surrounding countries will follow

Geneva Accords- July 1954 - France Grants Independence to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. -Divided Vietnam into 2 countries - North Vietnam controlled by Ho Chi Minh’s communist forces - South Vietnam controlled by an anti-communist government supported by the US.

South Vietnam President Anti-Communist Ngo Dinh Diem South Vietnam President Anti-Communist Received economic and military aid through SEATO Avoids 1956 Unification Elections Vietcong- Anti-Diem guerilla Fighters committed to under- Mining the Anti-Communist Government in the south. Ho Chi Minh Trail-Secret Trading route set up by Ho Chi Minh in the North to support His Vietcong allies in the South.

Anti-Diem Protests 1963

“In the final analysis, its their war.” -John F. Kennedy 1963 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM3uaXp8DAk Assassinated November 22, 1963

Gulf of Tonkin Incident August 2,1964- N Vietnamese torpedo boats fired on the American Destroyer USS Maddox. August 4, 1964- “Supposed” second Gulf of Tonkin Incident (never actually happened) Tonkin Gulf Resolution- Allowed Johnson to use this incident as a reason to provide military support (SEATO) rather than formally declaring war. Lyndon B. Johnson

American commander in South Vietnam William Westmoreland American commander in South Vietnam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INNKKE7Qmss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1SMb1U9-Qo Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)- South Vietnamese Army (teammates with USA enemies of Ho Chi Minh).

Viet Cong Different/Elusive Enemy- War of Attrition- “If the tiger stands still, the elephant will crush it. But if the tiger keeps moving and occasionally jumps on the elephant to take a bite out of it, the elephant will slowly bleed to death.” “Battle for Hearts and Minds”

Civil Rights and the Vietnam War

Burning Draft Cards

Class conflict and Vietnam / Draft Deferment

The Tet Offensive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPgWqgpgVRc

Hawks vs. Doves

Democratic Challengers in 1968

Johnson Steps Down

Ho Chi Minh Trail / Secret Bombing of Cambodia

The Kent State Protests https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68g76j9VBvM

The Fall of Saigon 1975