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Vietnam War

Vietnam War. Military History. American Role 1945-54. Observer Gave French aid against Vietminh Part of strategy to fight communism By 1954—US pays 80% of cost French ask for assistance-US refuses. Geneva Agreement. 1954 Laos and Cambodia made independent Vietnam divided

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Vietnam War

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  1. Vietnam War Military History

  2. American Role 1945-54 • Observer • Gave French aid against Vietminh • Part of strategy to fight communism • By 1954—US pays 80% of cost • French ask for assistance-US refuses

  3. Geneva Agreement • 1954 • Laos and Cambodia made independent • Vietnam divided • Elections in 2 years • North under control of Ho Chi Minh • South—Diem • South refuses to hold elections in 1956

  4. Problems with South • Never a “true nation”—artificial construct • Diem sets up dictatorship • Attacks enemies • Catholic minority given favored positions • Never has support of people in South • Insurgency starts—initially not control by North • US sends in advisors

  5. Advisor Stage • Initially advise ARVN to fight “American style” • President Kennedy sends LBJ to investigate situation in Vietnam. • Sends in more “advisors” • Up to 16,000 helping the Vietnamese • Massive influx of technology • Helicopters, tanks, aircraft

  6. John Paul Vann • Advisor in 1962 • Counter-insurgency skills • Becomes frustrated with ARVN • Battle of Ap Bac • Lack of assertiveness of ARVN • Reply on artillery and firepower • Allow enemy to escape • Vann attempts to report problems • Ignored—leadership only reports success • Goes to Press—NY Times

  7. Gulf of Tonkin Incident (1964) • US Navy doing surveillance of North • Same time secret CIA missions in North • N. Vietnam does not realize difference • Attack USS Maddox • 3 days later—repeat attack • Many question if attack really happened

  8. American Response • Turning Point • Johnson not completely honest with public • G of T resolution written, waiting for right moment • Mistake-- obtain Declaration of War?

  9. Americanization • Limited War • Limited manpower • Limited goals • Allow S. Vietnam to exist without communist intervention • Probably impossible to accomplish • War of Attrition • Kill more than enemy can field • Bodycounts important

  10. Westmoreland asks for more troops • American public told that victory is close

  11. Air War • Rolling Thunder—drop more tonnage than WWII • More in South than North • Gradualism • Controlled in Washington • Hanoi, Haiphong harbor, Chinese border off limits • Problem-few suitable targets for strategic bombing

  12. Different Result? • JCS drew up list of 94 targets in 1965 • Claimed it would knock North out of the war in 2 weeks. • Most targets were on off-limits list

  13. Change in Air War • Late in War--Negotiation strategy • Linebacker I • Force NV to negotiate • Linebacker II • Break negotiations impasse • Most restraints removed • Very effective—high losses of B-52s

  14. Naval Role • Significant Role 1965-68 • Fire support—use of carriers and battleships • Interdiction of supplies • Operation Market Time • Stop coastline resupply of VC • Riverine Warfare • Control the rivers—Mekong River • Generally successful

  15. Tet Offensive • Turning Point of war • Seemingly impossible major attack • Hit urban areas • Crushed—VC basically destroyed as force • Politically- US defeat, NV victory • Role of media-Walter Cronkite • Johnson begins to have doubts • Halts bombing, stops troop increases

  16. My Lai Massacre • Attack by American troops on unarmed women and children • Area of known heavy VC activity-”pinkville” • Charlie Company recently lost popular Srgt. • Killed over 400 Vietnamese • Cover-up –revealed by NY Times • Came to be a symbol of American actions in Vietnam • Blow to military credibility

  17. Change in policy • Westmoreland asks for 200,000 more troops • Johnson’s advisors start to tell him the war is unwinnable. • Recommend disengagement • Johnson leaves big issues for Nixon to resolve in 1969 • Nixon claims to have “secret plan”

  18. Failed American Strategy • Depended heavily on search and destroy missions • Depended on sophisticated surveillance and heavily armed patrols to locate enemy • Then destroy with airstikes, artillery and air cavalry • Need for repeated sweeps • Hard to identify enemy—high civilian losses

  19. Vietnamization • US slowly withdraws • Turns over equipment to ARVN • Nixon Administration decides to walk away • Negotiations with North Vietnamese

  20. Secret War in Cambodia • Nixon began to bomb communist bases in neutral Cambodia. • April, 1972 American and Vietnamese forces invade Cambodia • Hope to cut North Vietnamese supply lines • Failed to achieve its goal • Destabilizes the Cambodian government • Massive protest in America—appears to be expansion of war

  21. End is near • 1972-NV launches major offensive • Smashes SV forces • US bombs North-nothing else • Early in 1973, negotiated settlement reached • SV government in place • Allowed VC and NVA in control of parts of South

  22. End • January 1973-last American combat soldier leaves South • March 1975-North launches another offensive • US fails to help • North wins

  23. Cost of War • Military, social and political disaster • 58,000 Americans killed • 3-4 million Vietnamese • Cost of war estimated at $100 billion • Nonmonetary costs much higher • Undermined confidence in American institutions

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