Vietnam I: ‘A Bright and Shining Lie’ Reform, Revolt and Reaction Lecture Nine, Term 2 Week 1

Historiography Radical Left –– evils of “capitalist imperialism” (Isolationist) Liberal Left –Tragic, unnecessary mistake –Arrogance and exaggerated fear of communist threat Conservative / Military –Could have won if civilian policymakers had stayed out of the way 1990s Consensus (Liberal left and Conservatives) –Mistake to intervene, but once they had, should have used unlimited force to win quickly and decisively ‘Liberal anti-communist’ (Michael Lind) –War necessary to maintain credibility of US as a superpower in the Cold War; but also necessary to end due to Cold War and domestic issues changing

French Indochina

Ho Chi Minh Leader of communist nationalist movement (Viet Minh) 2 Sept 1945 declared Democratic Republic of Vietnam Supported by China and USSR

The beginnings of US Involvement Eisenhower and the “domino theory” Provides aid to French of c. $1billion a year (about 2/3 cost of the war) Refused military aid due to war in Korea

The Geneva Accords (1954) French defeated at Dienbienphu Formation of Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam Vietnam divided at 17 th parallel By 1956 free elections and French removal

President of South Vietnam: Ngo Dinh Diem

The Viet Cong (National Liberation Front) and the Ho Chi Minh Trail

Buddhist monks protesting against Diem’s regime 11 June 1963, Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc burned himself to death in Saigon

JFK and Vietnam number of “advisers” rises from 2,000 to 16,000

LBJ and Vietnam: The Gulf of Tonkin (1964) 2 Aug “attack” on USS Maddox 4 Aug second “attack” LBJ addresses nation on TV 7 Aug Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Operation Rolling Thunder (begins Feb 1965)

General William Westmoreland

Problems faced by the US Aims unclear and no military plan to end the war Underestimated the determination of their enemy Alien terrain and guerrilla tactics used by Viet Cong Lack of morale and discipline amongst troops High casualty rates (16,500 by end of 1967) Media coverage led to lack of support at home Economic cost destroyed social programmes By 1967 realised bombing wasn’t working

Tet Offensive (31 Jan 1968)

General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing a Viet Cong prisoner in Saigon (1 Feb 1968)

Nixon and “Peace with Honor” 1969 Negotiations in Paris “Vietnamization” and withdrawal of US troops Mar 1969 Secret bombing of Cambodia (14 months) 30 Apr 1970 “incursion” into Cambodia 1972 election Kissinger declares “peace at hand” (it wasn’t) 1972 “Christmas bombings” 27 Jan 1973 Agreement to end war 29 Mar 1973 Last US troops leave Vietnam and POWs released from Hanoi

Epilogue Fighting resumed between North and South within months 30 April 1975 North took Saigon and renamed it Ho Chi Minh City US evacuates all remaining personnel from embassy

Some Statistics Number of US Troops: early 1965: 184, : 385, : 542,000 early 1973: 50,000 Cost: c. $150billion US Casualties: Dead: 58,000 Wounded: 300,000 (150,000 lost limbs) Missing: 2,500 Drug, alcohol or psychiatric problems: 150,000 NB total deaths estimated at 2 million

Effect of war on US soldiers Low morale Lack of clear objectives Racism “fragging” and lack of discipline Drug and alcohol abuse PTSD POWs

The My Lai Massacre (16 Mar 1968)

The effect on the Vietnamese Children fleeing napalm attack (1972)

Chemical Warfare: Agent Orange

The Vietnam War Memorial

Key Questions to Consider… Why did the US become involved in (and escalate) the conflict? What were the aims of each side? Why did the US lose the war? How did Vietnam affect US soldiers (short term and long term)? How did the war affect the Vietnamese people? How is the war represented and remembered? Next week: The Anti-War Movement