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What was going on in Vietnam?

What was going on in Vietnam?. French involvement. French had long held Vietnam as a colony WWII- Japan Takes control Resistance movement led by Communist Ho Chi Minh declared independence in September 1945 Allied Powers Agree that Vietnam belongs to France and restores the colony

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What was going on in Vietnam?

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  1. What was going on in Vietnam?

  2. French involvement • French had long held Vietnam as a colony • WWII- Japan Takes control • Resistance movement led by Communist Ho Chi Minh declared independence in September 1945 • Allied Powers Agree that Vietnam belongs to France and restores the colony • Ho Chi Minh was removed from Capitol City of Hanoi • Ho Chi Minh begins Guerilla War against French beginning in 1946 • May 1954 French surrender at Dien Bien Phu • Vietnam split at 17th Parallel

  3. Who is Who Viet Minh= Original communist troops that overthrew the French NVA= North Vietnamese Army VietCong= Communists in the south fighting Guerilla Style US Troops ARVN= Army of the Republic of Vietnam

  4. Cold War Connection • Communism V Capitalism • Domino Theory

  5. Initial involvment • President Kennedy • Agreed to send 2,000 Military “Advisors” to help the South Vietnamese government prevent an overthrow of democracy • Would send an additional 16,000 Troops by 1963 • Kennedy needed to be successful • Berlin • Cuba

  6. escalation • Johnson becomes President after Kennedy assassination • August 1964, USS Maddox fires on suspected enemy vessels • Two days later, same thing, this time those vessels strike back. • US retaliates and Congress passes the gulf of “Tonkin Resolution” • 2000 US troops in Vietnam in 1961 under Kennedy • 16000 Troops in Vietnam in 1963 under Johnson • Operation Rolling Thunder • 3 years of constant bombing by US forces on North Vietname designed to weaken the infrastructure and morale of the NVA

  7. Social Factors at home • Baby Boom • Consumerism • Civil Rights Era • Youth are idealistic, motivated, and organized

  8. War on TV • WWII, Most of the war was captured in five minute newsreels played at movies • Korea had a mix of Newsreels and television newscasts, but very little war footage made in on air • Vietnam-Almost nightly images of the US engaged in fighting. • Some newscasts showed the dead and dying. Some showed the horrors of war. Most all showed tired • US servicemen far from home

  9. Draft • Been Used in many times before in US • Last Used in 1942 during WWII • First used in Vietnam in 1969 • Last Lottery numbers pulled in 1972, but the draft continued until July of 1976 • By the end of the War more than 2,000,000 Men were drafted

  10. Avoiding the Draft • Legitimate ways to avoid the draft were to get deferments • Some were permanent, others temporary • “4-F” was permanent “Unacceptable for Military Service” • Working in the War industry • Working a farm • Religious deferment • Last remaining child deferment • Physical deferment • Psychological deferment • Educational deferment • Fleeing to Canada, Mexico, or Joining National Guard

  11. Protests • Widespread • Young • Idealistic • Music and Drugs • Equality • Peace, Love, and Music

  12. Song Analysis • Take the songs I have given you and analyze their message. What is the artist trying to convey. What imagery does s/he use? • Is the message only Anti-war or is it Pro-Peace…Maybe both? • Take fifteen minutes and write your own protest song about The Vietnam War. • At least Two verses- One can be a chorus • What is your message?

  13. Tet • Vietnamese New Year • Cease-Fire Agreement • On January 31st 1968 Vietnamese forces broke their cease-fire agreements and attacked US forces across the country in a massive organized assault • Massive Failure on part of the Vietcong and NVA militarily, however… • Showed US the resolve of the communists • Emboldened further attackers • Demoralized US Troops • Turning point in the War

  14. Fall • Johnson refuses to seek new term • Nixon Elected • Vietnamization • Begins withdrawal after implementing new strategy of building up ARVN forces • Never does fully remove troops • Ford Assumes Presidency on August 8th, 1974

  15. Pull out • NVA and Vietcong push to the south towards Saigon • Embassy evacuated as well as 110,000 Refugees over one month time frame • Saigon falls to communist forces on April 30th, 1975

  16. Lasting effects • Vietnam is still a communist nation today • US suffered First Major military defeat • Veterans who returned home were treated apathetically at best, as villains at worst • Many died as a result of exposure to Agent orange • Vietnam in conjunction with Watergate begins to demystify the aura and trust of government

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