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Occupation of Vietnam. Late 1800’s – WWII Japan controlled Vietnam After WWII: France Ho Chi Minh Leader of the Indochinese Communist Party Confessed Marxist. Roots of Involvement. French condemned Uncle Ho to death in ’30
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Occupation of Vietnam • Late 1800’s – WWII • Japan controlled Vietnam • After WWII: France • Ho Chi Minh • Leader of the Indochinese Communist Party • Confessed Marxist
Roots of Involvement • French condemned Uncle Ho to death in ’30 • Ho Orchestrated ind. movement from Russia and China = Communist States • ’41 – Ho/ Vietminh fought against the Japanese • Allied Victory in WWII = Japanese out, French back in
Battles With France • Tiger vs. Elephant • 1950 = U.S. enters the struggle • Truman = $15 million in aid to help France • Cold War in full swing • Stop the spread of Communism
Domino Theory • Ike committed to stop the spread of Communism • Domino Theory: one nation falls to Communism, nearly all nations will do the same.
Fall of the French • W/U.S. $, French could not take back ‘Nam • May ’54, Battle of Dien Bien Phu. • Gen. Nguyen Giap lead the Vietminh • Two month siege of the French outpost
Geneva Accords • May – July ’54 France, U.S., G.B., S.U., China, Laos, Cambodia decided on a peace agreement • Geneva Accords: temp. divided ‘Nam at the 17th parallel • Ho Chi Minh, Communists in the North • Anti-Communists in the South
U.S. Steps In • Ngo Dinh Diem – South Vietnam’s President • U.S. cancelled elections outlined in the Geneva Accords • Knew Communists would win • U.S. $ to Diem
Mounting Problems • Ike gave Diem $ and training in exchange for a stable gov in the south • Diem failed – corrupt gov and no land to peasants • Diem was a devout Catholic – restricted Buddhist practices • Madam Nhu: “Bonz BBQ”
The Vietcong • Communist opposition group = Vietcong • Assassinated Diem’s gov. officials • Later called the National Liberation Front (NLF) • Ho Chi Minh Trail • Network of paths that started in Hanoi that went into the south • Supplied the V.C. with supplies
JFK and Vietnam • Increased $ to Diem • Upheld “Sink or Swim.” • Diem = Strategic Hamlet Program • Moving all villagers to protected areas • Diem = increased oppression of Buddhists • JFK was failing like Ike • Nov., ’63, U.S. supported coup took out the Diem regime • Diem executed (against JFK’s wishes)
LBJ’s War • JFK wanted out of Vietnam – LBJ escalated the effort • Did not want to be “soft” on Communism • The South was completely unstable • When LBJ assumed the presidency, 16,000 U.S. troops, when he left, more than 500,000
Gulf of Tonkin • USS Maddox and Turner Joy “attacked” by a Vietnamese gunboat on Aug. 2, 1964 • Unclear on whether the attack was provoked • Gunboat sank • Second attack (supposedly)
Tonkin Gulf Resolution • LBJ bombed the north • Tonkin Gulf Resolution • Gave LBJ “all necessary measures” to repel attacks against U.S. forces in Vietnam • Power to wage war w/o Congressional declaration
Operation Rolling Thunder • Feb, ’65 Continual bombing of North Vietnam • Bombing was “cheaper and less costly in lives than ground fighting.” • U.S. dropped more bombs in Vietnam than in both theatres of WWII combined • By June, ’65 – 50,000 U.S. troops in country
Mai Lai Massacre: March 16, 1968 • Lt. William Calley • 200 civilians murdered • Creates animosity towards U.S. troops in and out of Vietnam
Nixon, 1969 • Vietnamization: • Process of increasing funding and training to the S.Vietnamese army in order to make them capable of fighting the NVA / Charlie • Operation Menu • Bombing of Vietnamese and VC bases in Cambodia
August 9, 1974 • Nixon resigns as a result of the mounting evidence that he was fully aware of the planned break-in at the Watergate Hotel
April 29, 30 1975 • Massive airlift of S. Vietnamese and American civilians out of Saigon • 1000 Americans / 7,000 South Vietnamese • Apr. 30: NVA take Saigon ending the 15 year conflict.