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Vietnam Top 10

Vietnam Top 10. Honors American History Mrs. Cavell. 1. Why are we there?. French Indochina War of 1950 (US helping the French keep Vietnam as a colony and stop the spread of communism)

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Vietnam Top 10

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  1. Vietnam Top 10 Honors American History Mrs. Cavell

  2. 1. Why are we there? • French Indochina War of 1950 (US helping the French keep Vietnam as a colony and stop the spread of communism) • DOMINO THEORY: (President Eisenhower’s term) Countries on the brink of communism will fall like dominoes and we must prevent that!

  3. 2. Leaders • Ho Chi Minh: Leader of Communist North Vietnam and a popular hero among peasants for redistributing land to them

  4. 2. Leaders Continued • Ngo Dinh Diem: Leader of Non-communist South Vietnam. Unpopular and corrupt, BUT NOT COMMUNIST. (US assists him in trying to contain communism in the North!)

  5. Vietcong: The name given to the communist opposition group in South Vietnam Ho Chi Minh Trail: A trail that went through Laos and Cambodia in order to get weapons/supplies to the VC in South Vietnam 3. The VC

  6. August 2, 1964, a North Vietnamese patrol boat fired a torpedo at a US destroyer (USS Maddox) (Missed target) August 7, 1964: Tonkin Gulf Resolution: Gave President Johnson broad military powers in Vietnam (Not a declaration of war) President Johnson 4. Tonkin Gulf Resolution

  7. By 1965, US had more than 180,000 troops to Vietnam. General William Westmoreland did not have faith in the S. Vietnamese Army and by 1967, the number of troops rose to 500,000 General Westmoreland 5. US Involvement Increases

  8. The Vietcong lacked advanced weaponry, so they used ambush attacks and their knowledge of the jungle to their advantage They made booby traps and strategically placed land mines They had an intricate tunnel system that allowed for them to stay hidden from advancing US troops Tunnel System 6. Fighting in the JUNGLE

  9. War of Attrition: General Westmoreland’s strategy of wearing down the VC through constant harassment (underestimated their resolve) Napalm: A gasoline-based bomb that set fire to the jungle (used to expose VC hideouts) Agent Orange: A chemical defoliant that was used to kill jungle forestation again to expose the enemy Search and Destroy: US strategy to go into villages and search for VC and burn the entire village in the process Napalm 6. US Fighting in the JUNGLE

  10. Young Girl Running After being Burned Man’s Scars after Napalm Attack Napalm’s Devastating Effects

  11. Doves v. Hawks: By 1967, the nation was divided about US involvement in Vietnam (doves=withdraw and hawks=war) College campuses were active with protests demanding free speech and a withdrawal of troops Kent State Shootings: May 4, 1970: National Guard was called into Kent State when protestors burned the ROTC building. Gunfire erupted when protestors threw rocks at the National Guard and they returned fire. 4 people were killed and 9 wounded. Kent State: 7. Opposition to the War

  12. January 30, 1968: TET (Vietnamese equivalent of New Year) Weeklong truce so that villagers could celebrate and bury the dead. The VC hid weapons in coffins and launched a massive attack in more than 100 S. Vietnamese towns. It took nearly a month for US forces to regain control. Turning point in the war: US public opinion was less favorable with mainstream media openly criticizing it. “If I’ve lost Walter (Cronkite) then it’s over. I’ve lost Mr. Average Citizen.” Lyndon B. Johnson TET Offensive 8. 1968

  13. April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King assassinated by James Earl Ray June 4, 1968: Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated by SirHan SirHan Nixon: Richard Nixon is elected the 37th President of the United States Three Influential Men 8. 1968 Continued

  14. 9. Nixon and Vietnamization • Vietnamization: The policy of a gradual withdrawal of US troops from S. Vietnam so that the S. Vietnamese Army could take over combat role (part of Nixon’s “peace with honor” plan) • In April of 1970-US invaded Cambodia to flush out communist strongholds-college campuses exploded in protest! • Pentagon Papers: (1971) Secret documents that were leaked that showed the US never had any intention of leaving Vietnam

  15. 10. The War’s End and Legacy • 1972-With the upcoming re-election campaign, Nixon decides he should begin ending the war (Nixon wins re-election on that platform) • Peace talks were at a stand still and Nixon ordered the “Christmas Bombings” which dropped 100,000 bombs over 11 days pausing only at Christmas

  16. January 1973-US signed an agreement ending the war but allowed for N. Vietnamese military presence After US departure the fragile peace collapsed and Saigon (S. Vietnam capital) fell in 1975 END RESULTS: Soldiers returned home to NO fanfare or appreciation and War Powers Act enacted: Congress must have 48 hours notice before a President sends troops to a hostile area and must either remove troops or declare war within 90 days The Wall 10. Final Days continued

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