COS Standard 13

1. Trace the course of the involvement of the United States in Vietnam from the 1950s to 1975, including the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the Tet Offensive, destabilization of Laos, secret bombings of Cambodia, and the fall of Saigon. COS Standard 13

2. Chapter 30 Locating on a map or globe the divisions of Vietnam, the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and major battle sitesDescribing the creation of North and South Vietnam

3. Vietnam: Background • China had ruled Vietnam off and on for many years. • Around 1880 until World War II, France controlled the French Indochina (Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam). • During World War II, Japan controlled Vietnam.

4. Vietnam: Background • In the early 1900s, nationalism becomes powerful force. • Ho Chi Minh became a nationalist leader. • Travelled to USSR and advocated for Communism • Returned to Southeast Asia and founded the Indochinese Communist Party, wants to overthrow French rule • Exiled to China and USSR • Comes back to Vietnam in 1941 and starts nationalist group called the Vietminh (all Vietnamese unite to expel Japanese forces) • US sends aid to Vietminh

5. Ho Chi Minh and French Indochina

6. US and France versus Vietnam: Background • When Japan lost World War II, Ho Chi Minh quickly announced that Vietnam was independent. • France did not let the Vietnamese to be independent. • Forced the Vietminh into the countryside • Vietminh fight back and gain support • France asks for aid from the US. • US is torn: should they help France and create a colony or should they let Vietnam be free and spread communism?

7. US and France versus Vietnam: Background continued • 2 events that make the US help Vietnam (Truman) • China falls to Communism • Outbreak of the Korean War • Eisenhower continued aid: domino theory • Vietminh fought back with guerilla tactics and France could not keep up. • The struggle was unpopular in France. • In 1954, a turning point changed things.

8. Dien Bien Phu • French troops occupy the small mountain town in Vietnam • Supply lines • If they take Dien Bien Phu, it would force an attack • A huge force of Vietminh surround Dien Bien Phu and force the French out of French Indochina.

9. After Dien Bien Phu: Geneva Accords • Geneva, Switzerland • Divide Vietnam at the 17th parallel • Ho Chi Minh and Vietminh are supposed to control the North • In 1956, the hold elections to reunite Vietnam • Cambodia and Laos gain independence • US steps in to make sure Vietnam is not Communist • Ngo Dinh Diem: nationalist, Pro-Western, Anti-Communist • Free elections are not held: biased, fraud, compromised • US aids South Vietnam • Tensions increase between North and South

10. Geneva Accords and Ngo Dinh Diem

11. Eisenhower and Vietnam continued • US support South Vietnam • Ho Chi Minh and his followers begin an armed struggle to reunite Vietnam • They make a new army: Vietcong • Eisenhower sends more aid and advisors to train the army. • Vietcong gains more power

12. Kennedy and Vietnam • Kennedy takes over and continued to send aid and advisors to train the military • Diem’s government causes the Vietcong to grow • Corruption • Strategic hamlets: people from the countryside are moved to fortified areas for protection and so they cannot turn on Diem • Buddhists: banned flag on Buddha’s birthday, Buddhist monks protest, several are killed. Buddhist monk protests by setting himself on fire.

13. Buddhist Monk on Fire

14. The end of Kennedy and Vietnam • Diem is so unpopular, they overthrow him on November 1, 1963. • Short after, Diem is executed. • Vietnam is very unstable. • Kennedy is shot and Johnson takes over.

15. Johnson and Vietnam • On August 2, 1964, Johnson announced two North Vietnamese torpedo boats fired upon American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. • Another similar attack happened. • Johnson takes action. • Orders American aircrafts to attack North Vietnamese ships and naval facilities. • Johnson neglects to mention the reason the destroyers were attacked: electronic spying and commando raids against the North Vietnamese.

16. Johnson and Vietnam continued • Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • August 7, 1964 • The president can “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the US and to prevent any further aggression.” • Congress gives their war powers to the president.

17. America Sends Troops • After the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the Vietcong attacks the advisors stationed in South Vietnam. • After an attack on Pleiku, Johnson ordered an aircraft attack. • In March 1965, Johnson started a campaign called Operation Rolling Thunder (series of bombings in North Vietnam). • Johnson sends the first combat troops into Vietnam, they fight alongside the South Vietnamese troops.

18. Pleiku and Operation Rolling Thunder

19. Stalemate • 1965: 180,000 troops; 1966: doubled • Vietcong used guerilla tactics. • Booby traps • Ambush attacks • They blend in well and can quickly hide because it is difficult to tell Vietnamese apart. • Americans used search and destroy missions. • Find enemies • Bomb their positions • Destroy their supply lines • Force them into combat • Agent Orange and napalm

20. Stalemate continued • Vietcong will not easily give up (stamina and morale) • Ho Chi Minh trail: arms and supplies network of jungles paths through Cambodia and Laos, avoiding the border between North and South Vietnam • Johnson will attack because the trail goes through countries that are not directly involved in the war. It could start another war. • Other people could attack if there is a full scale invasion. • War of attrition: slowly wearing down the enemy • Many death cause Americans to question the war.

21. Ho Chi Minh Trail

22. Ho Chi Minh Trail

23. War and America • In the beginning, people support the war. • As time wanes, people get tired of the war. • Vietnam becomes the first television war. • In person, people say America is winning the war. • Media shows something different

24. War and American continued • Protests • Teach-ins • University of Michigan • Draft • College: defer until graduation • more low income people were drafted (African Americans) • Burned draft cards • March • Changed voting age to 18 (26th Amendment)

25. Protests

26. Tet Offensive • January 30, 1968: Vietnamese New Year • Vietcong and North Vietnamese launch a huge surprise attack. • Guerilla’s attack nearly every American base in South Vietnam as well as many of the major cities. • Militarily it was a disaster. Politically, it was good. • Turning point • America requests more troops. • Looks like America can’t win the war.

27. Tet Offensive

28. Nixon for President • Johnson will not run for president in 1968. • Nixon promises to unite the country, restore law and order at home and put an end to the Vietnam War. • He wins the presidency in 1968 because of his promises.

29. Nixon ends the war • Appoints Henry Kissinger as the special assistant for national security affairs. • Linkage: improve relations between USSR and China, resume peace talks with North Vietnam • Vietnamization: Nixon cuts back on troops in Vietnam, but increases air strikes and bombs sanctuaries in Cambodia.

30. Protests: My Lai and Cambodia • Spring 1968, American platoon at My Lai massacred 200 unarmed South Vietnamese. • Brutal and senseless conflict • Americans had invaded Cambodia to destroy military bases there. • Broadens the war • Protest at Kent State University

31. My Lai

32. Kent State

33. Protests continued: Pentagon Papers • Congress is upset with Nixon because of the lack of information about the invasion of Cambodia. • Revokes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Pentagon Papers • Government officials privately criticized the war and publicly defended it. • Confirms that that government was not honest about the Vietnam situation

34. Nixon really ends the war • By 1971, people are ready to end the war ASAP. • Nixon concedes that North Vietnamese no longer have to leave South Vietnam before peace talks could begin. • Henry Kissinger said that peace was at hand. • This helps get Nixon reelected in 1972. • The leader of South Vietnam, Nguyen Van Thieu, didn’t want North Vietnamese left in his country.

35. Nixon really ends the war continued • Peace talks stop. • The next day, Nixon began an intensive air raid called the Christmas Bombings, where B-52s dropped bombs for 11 days. • Peace talks resume. Thieu gives in and allows the North Vietnamese to stay. • January 27, 1973: an agreement is signed that ended the war and restored peace. • Withdraw troops, exchange prisoners

36. Nguyen Van Thieu and Christmas Bombings

37. South Vietnam Falls • In March 1975, North Vietnam invades South Vietnam. • Thieu asks for help from the US. • Gerald Ford (new president) asks for Congress to send money. They don’t. • April 30th, North Vietnam captured the south’s capitol, Saigon, renamed it Ho Chi Minh City and united Vietnam.

38. Fall of Saigon

39. Gerald Ford and Fall of Saigon

40. Legacy of Vietnam • $170 billion in direct costs • 58,000 deaths; 300,000 injuries; more Vietnamese were killed • People wanted to just forget the war because it seemed as it was a failure. • Vietnam Memorial was erected in 1982. • War Powers Act: limits executive powers • Inform Congress of any commitment of troops aboard within 48 hours • Withdraw them in 60-90 days unless Congress said otherwise