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Indochina after World War II. 1945-1965. Vietnamese War- continuous warfare for 35 years 1945 Colony returned to France Ho Chi Minh- communist or nationalist? US supports French. Early U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Restoration of French colonial power Ho Chi Minh Domino Theory
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Indochina after World War II 1945-1965
Vietnamese War- continuous warfare for 35 years • 1945 Colony returned to France • Ho Chi Minh- communist or nationalist? • US supports French
Early U.S. involvement in Vietnam • Restoration of French colonial power • Ho Chi Minh • Domino Theory • Dien Bien Phu- French Defeat-General Giap
1954 Geneva Convention: Vietnam split in two • Communist North Vietnam is led by Ho Chi Minh • Democratic South Vietnam • Ngo Dinh Diem • Vietcong communist rebels in the south
Tonkin Gulf Resolution 1964 • Was there an attack on U.S. ships? • Congress gives “Blank check” to President to fight war
Colonial Consensus • American ignorance • MacCarthyism • Vietnamese divisions • City v country • Elites v peasants • Colonialism v nationalism
US fears based on Domino Theory • 1954-French crushed at battle of Bien DienPhu • 1954 Geneva Conference calls for free elections
U.S. Escalation • Kennedy: advisors • SEATO • Johnson’s dilemma-Great Society held hostage by ‘softness” on Cold War
Vietnam War 1965-1973
1965 Operation Rolling Thunder • Secretary of Defense-Robert McNamara • U.S. Commander in Vietnam-William Westmoreland
Unconventional Warfare • Ho Chi Minh-”never fight on you enemy’s terms” • Guerilla War • Hit-and-run • Booby-traps • Night raids • Just who is the enemy?
U.S. Response • Napalm • Agent Orange • Relocation (pacification) of villages
1967-Stalemate • 30, 000 U.S. casualties • World Opinion • War on T.V. • Body counts • Immediacy of modern war • Troop Morale
Cost of Unpopular War • Modern war = $$$ • Taxes • Social programs cut • Congress- Hawks v Doves
Colleges Center Of Antiwar Sentiment • Students for a Democratic Society • Credibility Gap between Gov’t and news
The Draft • College Deferments • Racially disproportionate
Turning Point:1969 TetOffensive • U.S. wins • North Vietnam shows it’s here to stay
1968 Presidential Campaign • Democrats turn on Johnson • Eugene McCarthy –peace candidate • Robert F Kennedy • Johnson does not run
1968 Summer of Violence • Assassinations of MLK and RFK • Democratic National Convention in Chicago • Richard Nixon-”Peace with Honor”
Vietnamization • Get the troops out • Bomb the North into submission • Make a deal to save South Vietnamese independence