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Vietnam

Vietnam. APUSH – Unit 8 R. M. Tolles. Moving Toward Conflict. France Controlled Vietnam since late 1800’s, but the peasants disliked foreign rule, followed Ho Chi Minh who was exiled to China

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Vietnam

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  1. Vietnam APUSH – Unit 8 R. M. Tolles

  2. Moving Toward Conflict • France Controlled Vietnam since late 1800’s, but the peasants disliked foreign rule, followed Ho Chi Minh who was exiled to China • Japan forced out France in WWII, but faced problems with peasants with return of Ho Chi Minh who started Vietminh (against foreign rule) • After Japanese defeat in WWII, France wanted to take back over Vietnam • Vietnamese fought back with Ho Chi Minh

  3. Ho Chi Minh

  4. Domino Theory • US afraid of “Domino Theory”, one country falling to communism after the next • The French were beaten and surrendered in northwest Vietnam in 1954 • Geneva Accords temporary divided Vietnam along 17th parallel. N. Vietnam being communist with elections in 1956 to decide leader of N and S Vietnam • Kennedy felt he needed to stand up to communism in Vietnam because many Rep blamed Truman for losing China. - so JFK sent advisors and military aid

  5. Moving Toward Conflict (cont) • Ho Chi Minh had great popularity in the North b/c he divided up land between the peasants • Ngo Dinh Diem, S. Vietnam’s democratic leader, was very corrupt and lost so much popularity, refused to run in 1956 election. • By 1957 Ho Chi Minh started attacking S. Vietnam with Vietcong using the Ho Chi Minh Trail • By 1963, the US had put 16,000 US troops in S. Vietnam to keep them from falling to communism • Ngo Dinh Diem was Catholic, and country was Buddhist, he tried stop Buddhism, and monks set themselves on fire to protest • The US needed to “replace” Diem b/c he lost support of the people, so the US allowed him to be assassinated

  6. Tonkin Gulf Resolution • Now S. Vietnam needed a leader, and none could be found, this made S. Vietnam weaker • United States wanted to get involved, and knew an “attack” would be the only way in which the people would buy a war • USS Maddox was supposedly attacked by N. Vietnamese • President Johnson had the Tonkin Gulf Resolution passed by congress allowing him to go to war with North Vietnam in “self defense” • Basically gave war powers to the President

  7. US Involvement and Escalation • Lyndon B. Johnson is president, and by 1965, 50,000 US troops are in Vietnam • Two biggest pro-war advisors left over from JFK that encourage escalation are Robert McNamara and Dean Rusk • 61% of Americans in 1965 support the war • President Johnson refused to order a full-scale invasion of N.Vietnam – fear that an invasion would bring China into the conflict.*

  8. Robert McNamara

  9. US Involvement and Escalation (Cont.) • The American Commander in Vietnam: General William Westmoreland • He said that the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), S. Vietnam Army, was horrible, and the US should do all the work • Most fighting done in the Jungles in Vietnam • Vietcong used guerilla tactics, and hid in tunnels underground between attacks, also blended in with the ordinary people • The Vietcong’s power continued to increase in part, because of the Vietcong’s use of force and terror.

  10. United States Strategy • US wanted to win the “hearts and minds” of the S. Vietnamese people, to help find the Vietcong • Napalm (fire bombs) and agent orange (jungle killer) hurt he S. Vietnamese and made them sick. Didn’t like the US. • Search and Destroy Missions – US Strategy Marines would attack villages thought of harboring Vietcong

  11. US Involvement and Escalation (Cont.) • Soldier moral dropped • S. Vietnamese corrupting increased • Monks and Nuns started burning themselves again • POW’s served for years when captured and tortured • Less money in US for “Great Society” • War was on TV. Lost much support

  12. A Nation Divided • By the late 60’s, so many men were needed in Vietnam, the Draft was put back into place • Many people tried to avoid the draft, the easiest way was college deferment. However, most college students were rich white males. • This made a disproportionate amount of African Americans serve in the military • 10,000 women also served in Vietnam

  13. A Nation Divided (Cont.) • Much opposition began to spring up from college students for many reasons • They would be drafted if not in college • They are in the US and can protest • Can get drafted at 18, can’t vote until 21 • Thought it was against basic human rights • Thought the country was being run by faceless corporations

  14. Hawks and Doves • College Students United together and formed the “New Left”, or an organization that wanted massive changes in US Society. Other organizations spun off from the “New Left” • Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Free Speech Movement (FSM)… protested and started protests that often turned violent • The United States was split down the middle on the war. • Doves – people who were against the war • Hawks – people who supported the war • 1967 - McNamara resigned to take a civilian job

  15. Jane Fonda

  16. 1968 – Turning Point • LBJ and his men tried to convince the American people that the war was almost over • Tet Offensive – the N. Vietnamese launched a vast, powerful attack on all of S. Vietnam on Tet (Vietnam’s new year) and controlled all of S. Vietnam for a month • Media disaster for the war effort. Nightly news coverage of the Vietnam War on TV helped to create a credibility gap. • Tet is considered a turning point because the communist forces scored a major political victory. • Pentagon Papers - documents revealed that the government had not been honest about the war with the American people.

  17. The End of the War and It’s Legacy • Richard Nixon is President, and appoints security advisor Henry Kissinger to complete Vietnamization(gradual withdraw of troops) • Wanted to pull out of Vietnam, and not have the Vietcong go on offensive to S. Vietnam, so Nixon bombed N. Vietnam hard to scare them. Along with Laos and Cambodia • Operation Rolling Thunder – a sustained bombing campaign against N. Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, did not bring about an end to the war.

  18. Trying to Withdraw • Nixon tried to appeal to the silent Majority, or mainstream America. • The My Lai Massacre had made the news, and people were disgusted at the US military, and demanded withdrawal • Kent State University 1970 – a demonstration turns violent, and police open fire on un armed students, killing 4.

  19. War Finally Ends • War was on its last legs when the Pentagon Papers were leaked, showing that LBJ had planned to put soldiers in Vietnam even when he promised he wouldn’t • Nixon pulled out troops, and N. Vietnam quickly took over S. Vietnam • Soldiers were not welcomed on their return, many had life-long ailments.

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