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The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War. What was it all about? Link. Longest war in US history. The first major m ilitary defeat for the United States 1954-1975. 55,000+ American soldiers dead. Millions of U.S. and Vietnamese veterans injured or psychologically damaged.

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The Vietnam War

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  1. The Vietnam War What was it all about? Link

  2. Longest war in US history. The first major military defeat for the United States1954-1975

  3. 55,000+ American soldiers dead

  4. Millions of U.S. and Vietnamese veterans injured or psychologically damaged

  5. 1.3 million Vietnamese soldiers dead, and unknown numbers of civilians

  6. 10 million Vietnamese refugees

  7. Bombing

  8. A country permanently scarred by American bombing, chemical weapons, and the brutality of a civil war

  9. Where is Vietnam?

  10. Where is Vietnam?

  11. Vietnam during the War

  12. Vietnam Today

  13. Colonized by China from 200 BC to 938 AD

  14. Then by the French from the 1880s till WWII

  15. … and the Japanese during WWII

  16. An Independent Vietnam was a dream …

  17. The Geneva Accords French defeat at defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 after 8 years of battle Divide the country into North and South Promise to hold elections in 1956

  18. Ho Chi Minh, leader of communist forces in North Vietnam Letter to Truman

  19. American Foreign Policy and the Vietnam War (1954-1975)

  20. American Foreign Policy and the Vietnam War (1954-1975) Continuing US fear of & hostility to communist Russia & China

  21. Main Entry: com·mu·nism Pronunciation: 'käm-y&-"ni-z&m, -yü-Function: nounEtymology: French communisme, from commun common1 a : a theory advocating elimination of private property b : a system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as needed2 capitalized a : a doctrine based on revolutionary Marxian socialism and Marxism-Leninism that was the official ideology of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics b : a totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls state-owned means of production c : a final stage of society in Marxist theory in which the state has withered away and economic goods are distributed equitably d : communist systems collectively

  22. “Practice skills, be always prepared, support Vietnam, wipe out the American aggressor!” (1966) Chinese poster reflecting solidarity with Vietnam, Landsberger Collection

  23. . . . Thus the Cold War and the Domino Theory • Vietnam then became symbolic of the battle to prevent the spread of Communism – a battle of power between the U.S. and the Soviet Union named the Cold War • With China becoming communist and with a war in Korea, the U.S. feared the consequences of “losing” Vietnam • This fear became known as the “Domino Theory” – if one country came under communist rule, then adjacent countries would follow suit.

  24. Cold War Map

  25. Who was Fighting? North/Communists Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV or North Vietnam) South/Insurgents People's Liberation Armed Forces (PLAF) Vietcong (Charlie, VC) Vs South/Anti-communists Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Americans

  26. President Eisenhower with President Ngo Dinh Diem

  27. Caution! • The next slide contains a very disturbing image – you may choose not to see it!

  28. A Vietnamese Buddhist monk burns himself alive to protest the actions of the Diem government

  29. . . . Involvement in Vietnam Grows • U.S. involvement in Vietnam grew over time • Following President Eisenhower’s example, President Kennedy tripled aid to S. Vietnam (N. Vietnam was controlled by communists) and increased military presence to 16,700 troops • After Kennedy’s assassination, President Johnson, faced w/ the potential allegation of “losing Vietnam,” committed himself and the country to deeper involvement in the Vietnam conflict

  30. President Johnson Escalates U.S. Involvement • By 1965, Johnson had to choose between losing a war or making the Vietnam War a huge military commitment • He did not choose either extreme, but still committed 300,000+ troops which grew to 500, 000 by 1968 • After the Tet Offensive, a surprise series of attacks on U.S. and S. Vietnamese Troops in 1968, Johnson slowly and painfully reduced U.S. involvement

  31. What event initiated large scale U.S. involvement?

  32. Alleged Provocation, August 1964 Gulf of Tonkin A resolution was then developed allowing Johnson to use military force in Vietnam – to “take all necessary steps, including the use of armed forces’ to help the South East Asia Treaty Organization “defend their freedom.” Link

  33. The average soldier was 19 years old . . .

  34. Soldiers were drafted, while some volunteered. Conditions in Vietnam were tough . . .

  35. The Draft

  36. The Viet Cong • The Vietcong usually fought as guerillas, meaning they did not fight in the open but struck against their enemies and then resumed hiding in the jungle. They also were not distinguished by a uniform as the North Vietnamese Army would have been, so it was difficult to distinguish a member of the Viet Cong from a civilian • They incorporated extensive methods to remain hidden, building tunnels where necessary • As guerillas, they did not stage battles but instead murdered S. Vietnamese leaders and village heads to control the Southern country side • Effective in their methods, the Viet Cong were supported by the North Vietnamese Army by 1960

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