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Vietnam War

Vietnam War. 2 nd Indochinese War 1964-1973. Gulf of Tonkin. ARVN (Army Republic of Viet Nam) conducts raids against North. – US ships monitors Increased VC activity and increasing number of NVA soldiers in south make collapse of S. Vietnam very likely.

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Vietnam War

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  1. Vietnam War 2nd Indochinese War 1964-1973

  2. Gulf of Tonkin • ARVN (Army Republic of Viet Nam) conducts raids against North. – US ships monitors • Increased VC activity and increasing number of NVA soldiers in south make collapse of S. Vietnam very likely. • Johnson needs reason to send US combat troops.

  3. USS Maddox (destroyer) comes under attack by NV torpedo boats on Aug 4th • Several sunk • N Vietnamese admit to attacks – say defending territorial waters • 2nd destroyer joins Maddox next day • Maddox reports attacks on Aug 5th • No confirmation of actual attacks • North denies

  4. Johnson asks for and gets Resolution from congress granting him wide latitude to conduct military operations in Vietnam • That the Congress approves and supports the determination of the President, as Commander in Chief, to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression. • Now a US war

  5. Rolling Thunder • Feb 7 1965 VC attacked Plieku airbase killing 8 US personnel. • Johnson orders limited bombing against N Vietnamese targets • Goal is to get the North to give up fighting by bombing certain targets in the north • Attempt to use carrot and stick approach • US halted bombing frequently and offered financial incentives to north

  6. Early missions were against the south of the DRV, where the bulk of ground forces and supply dumps were located • Afraid the war might escalate out of hand, Johnson and McNamara micromanaged the bombing campaign from Washington • Strict rules of engagement were imposed to limit civilian casualties or attacks on other nationals. • Lasted until Oct 1968

  7. US Escalation • March 1965 – First US troops (Marines) Arrive in Vietnam • April First US offensive operations begin • Search and Destroy missions • Airmobile 7th Cavalry arrives in Sept and go on offensive in Nov 1965

  8. Battle of Ia Drang ValleyNov14-18 1965 • NVA Forces moved into Ia Drang Valley • US goal was to engage enemy forces • Airlift by helicopter new concept • US forces land at LZ-Xray in morning • Soon find out they are facing 1600 NVA troops – 3 battalions • Sustained fighting occurs through out the day by nightfall nearly 500 us troops on ground and completely surrounded

  9. Battle Lasts for 2 days until NVA forces withdraw • US soldiers marching to another LZ are ambushed by another NVA battalion and suffer heavy casualties – largest single day loss of US soldiers in entire war-155

  10. What is learned by both sides • US – Air mobility works • Fire support is essential • Air strikes and artillery • NVA use camouflage very well and are willing to sustain high casualties • NVA must get close to US forces to stand a chance • “grab them by the belt buckle”

  11. NV strategy 65-67 • Giap chooses conservative strategy to feel out US strengths • Co-ordinated fighting method • Conventional soldiers-regular army • Mostly northern area • Independent fighting method • Guerrilla style combat • Political component • Mostly in south • Propaganda campaign • Just as important as military strategerie • Ultimately most effective

  12. US Strategy 65-68 • Military – • Strategic defensive and Tactical offensive • Body count became measure of success • Jungles and mountains reduce effectiveness of air power • Massed artillery is effective to thwart attacks • Firebases set up • Helicopters prove to be very useful • Arc Light strikes • B 52s drop tons of bombs (70000 lbs per plane) on VC and NVA positions

  13. Gen Westmoreland keeps trying different tactics • Johnson administration continues to tell American people that war is almost won • Within the white house however the assessments are different • Student protests steadily increase in size and frequency – Johnson becomes “trapped” in Whitehouse • Most Americans view protestors as radical fringe

  14. Tet offensive - 1968 • Giap sees opportunity to win war – • 1st goal - cause up rising in south • 2nd goal - cause US to lose will to fight • Same as had happened to French • Wanted to create another Dien Bien Phu • Begins moving VC into Saigon and around most provincial capitols and military bases • NVA units positioned to attack Khe Sanh • Tet was traditionally a truce period

  15. Westmoreland aware of impending attack • Wanted VC to expose themselves • Under estimated scale of attacks • Several NVA Battalions move into area near Khe Sanh – US expected main attack to be here • VC units launch major assaults all across South Vietnam on Jan 30 – Tet • Scale of attack initially surprising

  16. Expected uprising against government and US forces does not materialize • Urban Vietnamese do not support communists • Initial attacks beaten back by surprisingly resilient ARVN forces • Some pockets of resistance last for several weeks • City of Hue becomes major battle - retaken a month later • Thousands of residents including Europeans executed and buried in mass graves by VC/NVA • Not widely reported by western press

  17. Siege of Khe Sanh • NVA forces begin sustained assault against fire base at Khe Sanh on Jan 21st 1968 • Artillery and infantry assaults continue for several weeks • Estimated 30000 NVA against 6000 Marines and Army • US firepower proves decisive • US maintains supply • Giap gives up by April

  18. Effects of Tet • Military disaster for Communists • VC become mostly ineffective after 1968 • NVA heavily damaged by siege at Khe Sanh • Not able to inflict major defeat upon US forces • ARVN has restored confidence • Politically Hanoi realizes that popular resentment for Southern government doesn’t translate into support for them

  19. In the US the impression is very different • Years of White house claims of success and an imminent end to the war appear to be wrong • Media images of Tet battles show a communist insurgency strong enough to take control of many parts of Vietnam • Claims by US military leaders of major victories are received skeptically

  20. End of Johnson Era • The Anti-war became politically acceptable • Democratic antiwar candidates win early primaries in 1968 • RFK joins ranks of candidates on antiwar platform • Johnson announces increased attempts to negotiate end of war and that he will not run again for President • Also began process of Vietnamization of war

  21. Nixon Era • Hubert Humphrey wins nomination after RFK assassinated • 1968 Dem convention marred by violence • Nixon runs on “law and order” campaign • Says he use a new approach to Vietnam war • Nixon wins by a narrow popular vote

  22. Resists immediate withdrawal or massive expansion • Nixon begins by allowing US military to attack Communist sanctuaries in Cambodia • Done in secret • Announced publicly in 1970 • Leads to renewed protests – Kent State • Announces Nixon Doctrine • Also know as Vietnamization • Begins withdrawing US combat troops • Also opens up secret negotiations with Hanoi

  23. Nixon and his National Security Advisor Henry Kissenger devise strategy to exploit Sino-soviet Split • This leads to recognition of Communist China • Nixon travels to Beijing and Moscow • Gives US more latitude to fight North Vietnam • By 1972 almost all US combat troops withdrawn from Vietnam

  24. Giap’s Easter Offensive • By 1972 NVA forces rebuilt • 90% of US combat troops withdrawn • Giap believes ARVN forces are not equal to NVA without US forces • Doubts US commitment to preserve south • Negotiations with US had stalled

  25. Massive assault against South Vietnam begins March 30 1972 • 200,000 soldiers • Initially successful but with massive US air attacks called Linebacker, and effective resistance by ARVN, the NVA offensive is stopped • By Oct. talks resume • NVA units remain in S. Vietnam • Negotiations stalled • Hanoi waiting until after US elections

  26. The Christmas Bombings • Frustrated by Hanoi’s intransigence and bouyed by electoral landslide Nixons orders Linebacker II • Massive bombing of Hanoi and the rest of Vietnam – no target restrictions • Vaunted northern SAM system destroyed • Lack of reaction by USSR and China lead to serious negotiations

  27. Paris Peace Accords • Jan 1973 both sides agree to stop fighting • Nixon proclaims peace with honor • NVA units still occupy parts of South • POWs are released

  28. The Fall of Saigon • Nixon resigns in 1974 over Watergate scandal • War Powers Act passed in Nov 1973 • North begins Ho Chi Minh offensive in 1975 • US Congress cuts all funding of aid to South Vietnam • Saigon falls in April 1975

  29. Effects of Vietnam War • 58000 Americans killed 2.5 million Vietnamese killed • Vietnamese refugees – the “Boat People” • Over 1 million people flee • Cambodia falls to Khymer Rouge • Rule of Pol Pot leads to genocide • Laos falls to Pathet Lao • Americans lose faith in Government • US economy damaged – deficit spending leads to increased inflation • Vietnam syndrome • Many in US question US containment policy • US does not support anti communist efforts throughout 1970s - Angola 1975 Nicaragua 1979

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