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Vietnam War

Vietnam War. U.S. History . Vietnam Origins . Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) was a French colony from the 1800’s Ruled with an iron fist- imposed strict laws and high taxes Population of I ndochina rose to ~27 million people by WWII

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Vietnam War

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  1. Vietnam War U.S. History

  2. Vietnam Origins • Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) was a French colony from the 1800’s • Ruled with an iron fist- imposed strict laws and high taxes • Population of Indochina rose to ~27 million people by WWII • Most people were left impoverished by the conditions

  3. Vietnam Origins • Ho Chi Minh was an active anti-French organizer and was forced to flee in 1912 • During is 30 year absence- he embraced communism and was able to rally Soviet support to his cause in Vietnam • After WWII, colonialism loses popularity and France’s power dwindled

  4. U.S. Involvement • A difficult decision: • To support decolonization • To maintain France as an ally in the Cold War • Truman believed that supporting independence in Vietnam would weaken anticommunism in France • Threatening anticommunist sentiments in Western Europe

  5. Aid to France • Chose to aid France in their colonial endeavor • Too much fear of Vietnam’s fall to communism after China • Between 1950-54, US contributed $2.6 billion to France’s efforts

  6. Domino Theory • When Eisenhower took over in 1953, he continued Truman’s policy toward Vietnam • Why? = The Domino Theory • Idea that if one country (Vietnam) falls to communism, all the other countries in that area will follow • This threatened Japan, the Philippines, and Australia

  7. Dien Bien Phu • In 1954- Vietminh (Ho Chi Minh’s communist soldiers) laid siege for 55 days to this large French military base • May 1954- French surrendered after suffering ~15,000 casualties

  8. Granted Independence • May 1954- France grants independence to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia • Divided Vietnam into North and South at the 17th parallel • Ho Chi Minh’s communist forces ruled the North • Anticommunist government supported by the US ruled the South • Called for free elections in 1956 to unify Vietnam

  9. Aid to South Vietnam • 1954- U.S. and seven other southeast Asian countries formed SEATO • U.S. provided economic and military aid to South Vietnam, led by Ngo Dinh Diem

  10. 1956 Elections • Rather than risk losing to Ho Chi Minh, Diem refused to participate in the reunification elections • 1957- A rebel communist group formed to undermine Diem’s government and unite Vietnam under communism • Guerrilla fighters, known as Vietcong • Diem loses popularity with his anti-Buddhist legislation and refusal to enact land reforms

  11. U.S. Involvement Escalates • Eisenhower and JFK provided military and economic aid • 1956-Country wide elections • Minh in North widely popular with peasants • Ngo Dinh Diem in the South was not • Cancelled elections, corrupt government, repressed Buddhism • National Liberation Front started in the South=Vietcong, used guerrilla warfare • Minh supported Vietcong with arms along the Ho Chi Minh Trail

  12. Ho Chi Minh Trail

  13. Kennedy Sends Troops • Kennedy took a more aggressive stand against communism in Vietnam • 1961- sent the Special Forces troops to advise the army in South Vietnam • 1963- more than 15,000 American “advisors” were fighting in Vietnam • Late 1963- Kennedy administration agrees that South Vietnam needed new leadership • Americans plotted with anti-Diem generals • November- Diem is removed and later assassinated

  14. Buddhist Protests

  15. LBJ Takes Over for JFK • JFK-”In the final analysis, it’s their war.” • LBJ-Escalates U.S. role our longest war • South Vietnam struggled through inept leaders • Vietcong increased attacks • LBJ feared being weak on communism

  16. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • August 2, 1964-USS Maddox patrolling the Gulf of Tonkin when attacked by N. Vietnamese patrol boat • Maddox not hit and returned fire • 2 days later Maddox again reported being fired upon (did not see or hear enemy) • August 7th-Resolution passed w/ 2 dissenting senators • “all necessary measures to repel any armed attack...” • Had been prepared for months, Maddox was collecting intelligence for U.S. led raids in N. Vietnam • 1965-Operation Rolling Thunder, sustained bombing • June-50,000 troops in country

  17. America and Vietnam • 1964-LBJ wins vs. Barry Goldwater (super anti-commie) • “not about to send American boys 9 or 10 thousand miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves.” • 1965-Sec. of Def. Robert McNamara and Sec. of State Dean Rusk advise send more troops • 1965-61% in favor, 24% opposed • LBJ “Americanizes” the war

  18. Troop Build Up • End of 1965-180,000 U.S. troops in country • Commanded by Gen. William S. Moreland requested even more • Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) • Under trained and equipped • 1967-U.S. troop strength at 500,000

  19. Elusive Enemy • U.S. believed that superior weaponry would save the day • Vietcong used guerrilla tactics to balance lack of firepower • Used jungle to melt away • Only moved and fought directly at night • Mines and booby traps • Men, women and children acted as spies • Used tunnel systems and the Ho Chi Minh Trail

  20. Vietcong Tunnels

  21. By December 31, 1965 • Troops in Vietnam 184,300 • Killed in Action 1,363 • Wounded in Action 7,645

  22. Propaganda • Westmoreland’s strategy was to wear down the enemy by giving out body counts of enemy dead • Vietcong came harder and faster, struggling for their existence • US fought against communism, Vietcong fought for freedom from tyranny

  23. Credibility Gap • For the first time, Americans were seeing images of war on television

  24. Credibility Gap • Gen. Westmorland continually stated victory in sight • 1961-1967, 16,000 U.S. soldiers KIA • Credibility Gap-What was being reported by the Johnson administration and what was being viewed on television did not match

  25. Hearts and Minds • US hoped to win over rural population, giving guerillas nowhere to hide • US tactics such as gasoline bombs called napalm, Agent Orange which was a toxic chemical to kill the vegetation, and search-and-destroy missions which uprooted villagers and burned villages – did not make this hope a reality

  26. Attrition and “Hearts and Minds” • Attrition-Gen. Westmoreland wanted to wear down the enemy through constant harassment • Kill them until they are to weak or disgusted • Communist Vietnamese received help from China and Russia • U.S. won almost all direct engagements • “Hearts and Minds” of the South Vietnamese • Agent Orange, Napalm, search and destroy

  27. Winning the Hearts and Minds

  28. By December 31, 1966 • Troops in Vietnam 385,300 • Killed in Action 6,644 • Wounded in Action 37,738

  29. Morale Takes a Hit • Guerrilla warfare takes its toll=no steady enemy to fight no new ground to keep • Fighting for corrupt South Vietnamese Gov’t. • Draftees vs. Volunteers • War grinds on for years • Civil War=North vs. South • Civil War=South vs. South

  30. Soldiers turned to alcohol, and other drugs, though most firmly still believed in the cause • South Vietnam was being ruled by a series of military leaders, in power by force – leading to a civil war within a civil war • By December 31, 1967 • Troops in Vietnam 485,600 • Killed in Action 16,021 • Wounded in Action 99,762

  31. Tet Offensive 1968 • 1/30/68, Tet=Chinese Lunar New Year • Vietcong and Vietminh had been planning for an offensive • Nightfall=Coordinated attacks against 100 town, 12 U.S. bases • Overran the U.S. Embassy in Saigon • Month long battle • 32,000 Vietcong dead, 3,000 U.S. & ARVN • U.S. public opinion flips, 60% against LBJ and Vietnam

  32. Turning Point • January 1968, on the Vietnamese New Year called Tet • There was supposed to be a cease fire • In coffins supposedly holding bodies for memorial, Vietcong had hidden weapons • At one such siege at KheSanh – 40,000 NVA surrounded 5,600 Marines for 77 days • Operation Niagara in February dropped more bombs than ever before in war • The Tet Offensive, though devastating in body count to Vietcong, was even more devastating to an American public who thought we were nearing peace

  33. By December 31, 1968 • Troops in Vietnam 536,100 • Killed in Action 30,160 • Wounded in Action 192,850

  34. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1vJqTN-qVI – Tet • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn4w-ud-TyE - Cronkite

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