2. Where is Vietnam?

3. The Vietnam War, 1964 – 1973 (period of direct U. S
The Vietnam War, 1964 – 1973 (period of direct U.S. military involvement)
The Vietnam War was the longest war in American history (if 1954 start date …)
During the war:
58,000 Americans lost their lives.
304,000 were wounded.
75,000 were severely disabled.
The United States spent over $200 billion dollars on the war.

4. “French Indochina”
Long history of foreign occupation

5. Colonialism

6. Vietminh The “League for the Independence of Vietnam”
Receive military support from U.S. during WWII against Japan
United against France ( )

7. Why Did the United States Fight a War in Vietnam?

8. “Cold War Thinking” “Domino Theory” in Asia
1945 – 1991, U.S. Foreign Policy dominated by the “struggle against global communism.”
America’s Involvement in the war has roots in …
European colonialism
Cold War politics
Vietnamese independence

9. Conflict Between France & Vietnam
French-Vietnamese
War ends in 1954 …
Eisenhower refuses
military support …
Geneva Accords
(1954) …
[1] Indochina Independent
[2] Divided Vietnam
[3] Promised elections in 1956 …

10. Ngo Dinh Diem
Ho Chi Minh

11. Another Important Cold War Alliance
SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) (1954)
Involves the countries of Japan, South Korea, South Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Australia
Martin, America and Its Peoples 5e

12. Vietcong
The Communists supported the creation of a broad-based united front to help mobilize opposition to the government in South Vietnam.
The National Liberation Front distributed land to the peasants.

13. Opposition to Diem
The outcry against Diem's harsh and oppressive actions was immediate.
Buddhist monks and nuns were joined by students, business people, intellectuals, and peasants in opposition to Diem’s corrupt rule.

15. * Strategic Hamlet Program:
- Forced occupation of fortified villages
- Epic Failure

16. Gulf of Tonkin Incident (1964)
Causes an escalation of the Vietnam War

17. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The Johnson administration used the August 4 attack to obtain a Congressional resolution, now known as the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, that gave the president “broad war powers.”
Tremendous American Support for the war!!

18. “Cold War Thinking”
“For this Cold Warrior,” communism in the Soviet Union, China, and Vietnam were all the same. He did not recognize subtle differences.”

19. Resume reading page 734 …