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Vietnam Conflict. Trouble in South East Asia. Vietnam had been a colony of France. During World War II, communist fighters under Ho Chi Minh fought back against the French and declared independence. Trouble in South East Asia.
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Trouble in South East Asia • Vietnam had been a colony of France. • During World War II, communist fighters under Ho Chi Minh fought back against the French and declared independence.
Trouble in South East Asia • The French suffered a bad defeat and did not want to fight any longer. • If they withdrew, who would stop the communist forces? • A conference was held in Geneva, Switzerland and Vietnam was given independence from France.
Trouble in South East Asia • The county was split into two parts, North Vietnam (communist) and South Vietnam (non-communist). • With the support of Red China and the Soviet Union, Ho Chi Minh began fighting to bring all of Vietnam under communist rule.
Trouble in South East Asia • South Vietnam did not want communism and so a long war began between the two countries. • The US was devoted to helping stop the spread of communism.
Trouble in South East Asia • Presidents Kennedy and Eisenhower sent money and weapons to South Vietnam to help fight the North. • American soldiers were sent to help train the South. • Despite all of the help, the communists were winning the war.
Trouble in South East Asia • More American soldiers were sent to fight in the Vietnam Conflict.
The Vietnam Conflict • By 1969, more than 500,000 American soldiers were fighting in Vietnam. • We were willing to fight, but we were not willing to declare war against North Vietnam. • For this reason, the fighting was called the Vietnam Conflict.
The Vietnam Conflict • The Vietnam Conflict was one of the most difficult wars ever fought by the Americans due to: • mountains and thick jungles • helicopters were needed to drop soldiers • a new chemical called Agent Orange • North Vietnamese Army used guerrilla warfare • civilians were involved--Vietcong
The Vietnam Conflict • It seemed as if the communists could not be stopped. • At home, people watched film from the conflict on the news. • Many questioned our purpose in Vietnam.
The Vietnam Conflict • Americans began to protest. • People who opposed the war were called doves. • They would hold marches and sit-ins. • Some were more radical and would burn the American flag, bomb buildings, or burned their draft cards.
The Vietnam Conflict • People who supported the war were known as hawks. • They believed that the war was necessary to stop the spread of communism.
The War Ends • The US tried to organize peace talks with North Vietnam on several occasions. • The talks failed. • Finally, President Richard Nixon began to remove soldiers from Vietnam.
The War Ends • The US signed a cease-fire, or an agreement to stop fighting in 1973. • South Vietnam continued to fight the communists, but eventually North Vietnam took complete control over the country and turned it communist.
The War Ends • The war brought damage. • About 2 million Vietnamese died and 57,000 Americans had been killed or wounded. • 2,000 Americans were missing.
The War Ends • Agent Orange affected the health of many soldiers.
Remembering Vietnam • In 1980 a memorial was designed to honor men and women who served in Vietnam.
Mending Relations • Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the US has worked towards creating better relations with Vietnam. • One goal is to establish trade with Vietnam and the other is to share information on science and technology.
Mending Relations • One thing that still remains a high priority is for Vietnam to give a full account of American soldiers who are still considered prisoners of war (POWs) or missing in action (MIA). • Many families still do not know what has happened to their loved ones.
