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The War Unfolds

The War Unfolds. The Early Years of Vietnam. Background. From the 1880s until after WWII the French controlled Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia (French Indochina) The Viet Minh formed to overthrow French colonial rule Led by Ho Chi Minh who leaned toward Communism. Post WWII Conflicts.

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The War Unfolds

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  1. The War Unfolds The Early Years of Vietnam

  2. Background • From the 1880s until after WWII the French controlled Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia (French Indochina) • The Viet Minh formed to overthrow French colonial rule • Led by Ho Chi Minh who leaned toward Communism

  3. Post WWII Conflicts • After WWII, the French refused to grant Vietnamese independence and drove the Viet Minh back into the north • Ho Chi Minh asked President Truman to officially recognize North Vietnam’s independence • He refused since it was led by the Communist Party • US feared the domino theory would come to pass • The U.S. decided to help France regain colonial control of Vietnam • 1949 The French established a government in the South setting up Emperor Bao Dai as their “puppet” head of state

  4. 1st Indochina War • The Viet Minh recruited hundreds of thousands of soldiers and fought the French to a stalemate • Geneva Accords • Divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel temporarily • Bao Dai would remain leader in the south as Ho Chi Minh would remain in the North • Elections would be held and the country united under the government decided by popular vote

  5. The U.S. Gets Involved • The U.S. did not want voters to choose a Communist to lead the country • The US pressured Bao Dai into naming Ngo Dinh Diem Prime Minister of South Vietnam • Under our “guidance” Diem refused to sign the Geneva Accords and participate in a national election • The U.S. quickly acted to organize and sign the South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) • We guaranteed protection to SE Asian countries who might be under the threat of Communism

  6. Rebellion in the South • The south was full of Viet Minh and Communist sympathizers angry at Diem • The U.S. helped Diem create the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) to fight the Viet Minh • Diem was an unpopular leader whose policies lost support of the Vietnamese people • Buddhist monks set themselves on fire in protest

  7. Kennedy and Vietnam • Kennedy believed that the ARVN could still be effective • Increased American military advisors from 800 to 16,700 • “Agent Orange” was used extensively causing thousands of deaths and birth defects among the Vietnamese • Kennedy was informed by the CIA of a possible military coup to overthrow Diem – US steps aside • Diem and his brother were assassinated November 1, 1963 • South Vietnam now left in control of the military

  8. President Johnson • LBJ assumes office 3 weeks after Diem’s assassination • Johnson’s Sec’y of Defense Robert McNamara pushed for expansion of the war • Johnson did not want to be the first American president to lose a war

  9. Gulf of Tonkin • August 1964, the US gov’t claims that N. Vietnamese torpedo boats had attacked US destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin • Later shown that the attack never took place • Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Gave the president widespread power to expand the war in Vietnam

  10. Political Divisons

  11. The Draft • All men 18-26 were required to register for the draft • At its peak, there were over500,000American soldiers in Vietnam

  12. Draft Resistance • Young men had few choices when they were eligible for the draft • Receive a student deferment • Claim a physical disability • Try to file as a conscientious objector based on moral or religious grounds • Move to Canada – (an estimated 100,000 did)

  13. Student Activism • The war in Vietnam would prove to be one of the most divisive eras in US history • As the war escalated under LBJ, protests began on college campuses across the country • In 1968 over 200 demonstrations took place on college campuses

  14. 1968 • By the end of his term, LBJ was a virtual prisoner in the White House • In March 1968, Johnson shocks the nation by announcing that he wouldn’t run for re-election • Bobby Kennedy is in the race (and against the war) but is gunned down in June

  15. 1968 Democratic Convention • The Democratic Convention is held in Chicago in August • Anti-war protesters and police clash outside the convention • Hundreds are injured as police use tear gas and clubs against protesters • VP Hubert Humphrey is the Democratic nominee

  16. Election of 1968 • Richard Nixon (R), Hubert Humphrey (D), George Wallace (I) • Nixon campaigns on a law and order platform and a secret plan to end the war • Humphrey is saddled with Johnson’s war policy • Nixon wins the electoral votes 302-191

  17. Paris Peace Talks • Prior to the end of his term, Johnson cut back on bombing and called for peace negotiations • Paris peace talks began in May 1968, but no agreement was reached

  18. Nixon’s Vietnam Policy • June 1969, Nixon announces new policy of Vietnamization • US troops to be withdrawn; replaced by S. Vietnamese soldiers • At the same time, Nixon ordered secret bombings of major targets in Laos, Cambodia, and N. Vietnam

  19. Cambodia • April 1970, Nixon announces campaign to expand the war into Cambodia • Goal was to flush out Communist camps there • This action intensified anti-war sentiment in the US

  20. The “Silent Majority” • In a speech in 1969 on Vietnam, Nixon referred to a group of Americans he believed supported his policies • He called them the “silent majority” because they weren’t as vocal as his opponents were

  21. Kent State • In 1970, students on the campus of Kent State University (in Ohio) protested against the invasion of Cambodia • Ohio governor calls in the National Guard to control the protesters • Guardsmen fire into the crowd of students killing 4

  22. American Withdrawal • Days before the 1972 election, NSA Henry Kissinger announces that “peace is at hand” • January 1973, a formal agreement is signed • US promises to withdraw all troops within 60 days

  23. Fall of South Vietnam • Fighting between the north and south would continue for another 2 years • By April 1975 N. Vietnam would complete its conquest of the south • Since then, Vietnam has been a united Communist country

  24. Legacy of the Vietnam War • 58,000 American GI’s killed • 300,000 wounded • $150 billion • Damage to America’s image in the world • Millions of Vietnamese casualties

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