1. The Vietnam War Background and Start of the War

3. Background…. French Colonization Vietnam was colonized by France in the 1800s Ho Chi Minh, a communist sympathizer, fought for Vietnam’s independence; defeated France in 1954 At the Geneva Accords Vietnam was divided into a communist North (led by Ho Chi Minh) and an anti- communist South (led by U.S. backed Ngo Diem)

4. Beginnings of a Conflict…. North vs. South The North wanted to unify Vietnam under Communist rule The South opposed this, but many people in South Vietnam disliked Diem(picture) Diem was overthrown and killed in 1963 (U.S. helped); new government was unsuccessful

5. The Viet Cong Trouble in the South Members of the South Vietnamese Army began their own guerilla fighter groups, called the Viet Cong Viet Cong were helped by the North Vietnamese The Viet Cong gained control and support from a majority of people in South Vietnam

6. U.S. Involvement Containment U.S. feared the domino theory, that if one Southeast Asian country fell to communism the others would fall as well U.S. supported the South Vietnamese; containment of Communism After a U.S. ship was attacked by the North Vietnamese in 1964, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution; allowed direct military intervention in Vietnam

7. Exit Slip 3/21/12 1. What can you infer about the Vietnam War between the years 1965-1968? 2. How many more people died in 1968 when compared to total deaths from 1956-1964? Why do you think this happened? 3. How do you think the death toll numbers between 1965-68 affected LBJ’s popularity? What about support for the war?