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The Vietnam Era

The Vietnam Era. 1954 – 1975. Background. Vietnam a colony of France from 1884 – 1954 Vietnamese unsuccessfully resisted French rule for 70 years 1954  Vietnamese defeated French at the Battle Of Dien Bien Phu

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The Vietnam Era

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  1. The Vietnam Era 1954 – 1975

  2. Background • Vietnam a colony of France from 1884 – 1954 • Vietnamese unsuccessfully resisted French rule for 70 years • 1954  Vietnamese defeated French at the Battle Of Dien Bien Phu • Vietnam partitioned at the 17th parallel between communist North and capitalist South

  3. Vietnam Partitioned

  4. Ngo Dinh Diem Diem vs. Ho Chi Minh Ho Chi Minh

  5. Vietnam Government • Ho Chi Minh consolidates power in North Vietnam. • In the South, an anti-Communist government is headed by Pres. Ngo Dinh Diem which is supported by the United States. • Diem and Pres. Eisenhower oppose elections because of the fear that 80% of Viet citizens would vote for Communism and elect Ho Chi Minh.

  6. Stopping the spread of Communism takes precedence over democracy. Diem is not perceived as a strong enough leader to defeat Minh – he does not have enough support from the people. November 2, 1963: with encouragement from the CIA, South Vietnam generals kill Diem and take control of the Vietnamese government. Kennedy Administration

  7. Escalation • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (August 2, 1964): supposed torpedoing of US ships by North Vietnam. Congress gives President Johnson unaccountable power to wage war. • A different kind of war: guerilla and terrorist warfare used by Vietnam against the stronger United States. • Search and destroy: heavy bombardment of suspected Viet Cong positions, using napalm. • Innocent civilians die

  8. Victims of Napalm: Justifiable Attacks?

  9. President Johnson • Johnson was faced with limited choices: 1. Admit defeat and pull out causing a domino effect in Southeast Asia 2. Limited support that would end in defeat 3. Actively attack North Vietnam with loss of American lives and high financial costs

  10. Resistance to Peace • North Vietnam resists peace attempts, believing they could outlast over the 500, 000 American forces stationed in the country.

  11. The End in Sight? • In 1967 American Gen. Westmoreland said the end was in sight. • Viet Cong attacks American embassy in January 1968 during the Tet Offensive • Military defeat for communists, but propaganda victory as American public turns against war • In March 1968 US bombing stops, but Peace Talks in Paris the same year fail.

  12. Protest and Reaction • On the home front, Americans did not support the Vietnam War (protests, riots, etc). Youth were violently against “the machine” of American government policy. • The Turning Point: 1968 Robert Kennedy is assassinated and Pres. Johnson drops out of election race.  President Nixon narrowly wins election

  13. Protest and Reaction

  14. Conservative backlash: lack of respect for order and government from wealthier children. Student protests: college campuses became the grounds for many protests. Why do you think this is? Protest and Reaction

  15. Nixon wanted to end the war without losing or prolonging it because of limited support at home. The Pentagon Papers: four presidents had lied about US involvement in Vietnam. Government Secrecy

  16. In 1973 Nixon announces Vietnamization: American troops replaced by South Vietnamese troops. In 1974 North Viet attacks South Viet. In 1975, the war ends with the capture of Saigon.

  17. Conclusion • The United States theoretically loses the Vietnam war. Why? Because they lost support on the home front. • The legacy of Vietnam sets the stage for government mistrust and less American military involvement in the world.

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