The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War

The Vietnam WarColonial VietnamIn 1883 France gained control of Vietnam, making it part of French IndochinaOne of the leaders of the nationalist movement in Vietnam that wanted to regain independence was Ho Chi Minh, who eventually became a follower of communismDuring WWII Japan took control of Vietnam.In 1941 Ho Chi Minh and others created a group called the Vietminh to resist Japanese occupationWhen the Japanese surrendered in WWII the Vietnamese declared independence, but the French retook control.

Vietnam After WWIIHo Chi Minh believed that the US would support the Vietnamese independence movement, but President Truman supported the French control, believing that the French would stop the spread of communism.In 1953 President Eisenhower pledged continued support to the French, believing in the domino theory that communism would continue to spread throughout Southeast Asia like dominoes falling in a row

In 1954 the French surrendered to the Vietminh at Dien Bien Phu and Vietnam was divided into 2 parts: North Vietnam controlled by Ho Chi Minh, and South Vietnam led by Ngo Dinh Diem.

Growing Conflict in VietnamIn 1955 there was an election in South Vietnam and Diem supposedly won more than 98% of the vote, leading American officials to become disappointed in his corrupt and brutal leadership.However, American leaders still preferred Diems corrupt government over a communist takeoverBy 1959 the Vietminh was providing weapons to rebels in the South, a group that became known as the Vietcong a group united in overthrowing Diem

Increasing US InvolvementIn 1955 President Eisenhower began supplying South Vietnam with money, weapons, and military advisors in their fight against the NorthIn December 1961 President Kennedy sent 3000 advisors to Vietnam, and by 1963 that number was up to 16,000.Meanwhile Buddhists in South Vietnam were protesting against the Diem government, many by setting themselves on fire. These photos led to public opinion around the world turning against Diem.In November 1963 US leaders supported the overthrow of Diem, and later that month he was assassinated (not something the US supported).

Increasing US InvolvementBy 1964 President Johnson was convinced that only expanded US military involvement would keep Vietnam from becoming completely communistOn August 2, 1964 the USS Maddox was attacked by North Vietnamese forces in the Gulf of TonkinThe President claimed that the Maddox had been attacked unprovoked and that other American ships had been targeted, but the Maddox had been on a spying mission and had fired first, and there was no evidence of additional attacks by North Vietnam.Gulf of Tonkin Resolution enabled the President to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against forces of the United StatesSHEG Gulf of Tonkin

The Air WarOperation Rolling Thunder a bombing campaign over North Vietnam in March 1965, designed to take out military bases, airfields, and even bridges, roads, and power plantsOne of the main targets was the Ho Chi Minh trail a network of paths that the North Vietnamese used to send weapons, soldiers, and food to the Vietcong in South VietnamMuch of the Ho Chi Minh trail was jungle so the American forces began using chemicals like Agent Orange and Napalm to clear the jungles.However, Operation Rolling Thunder did not weaken the North VietnameseThe Vietcong made quick repairs, used underground bunkersThe North Vietnamese received massive support from the Chinese and the Soviet Union

The Ground WarBy 1967 there were 486,000 American troops in VietnamGeneral William Westmoreland ordered thousands of search and destroy missions to drive the enemy forces out of their hideouts.Search and DestroyAmerican soldiers faced constant danger of ambush, mines, and booby traps, and the terrible conditions of the jungles of Vietnam

US Forces MobilizeThe US military began drafting soldiers early on, but increased the draft in 1969A lottery system was created and men were chosen based on birth dates chosen at random.Many American men escaped the draft by refusing to register (under threat of jail time) or by fleeing to Canada.Many Americans, including women, served in non-combat roles in Vietnam

US Force MobilizeAs the war dragged on many Americans began to question American involvement in Vietnam, thanks in part to the television coverage of the war.Vietnam War FootageDoves people opposed to the war for many reasonsVietnam was not crucial to national securityPeople believed that the majority of people in Vietnam wanted to unite under a communist governmentAfrican-Americans who found it unfair to fight for freedom in a foreign country when their own freedom was being deniedConcern that the war was draining resources from the Great SocietyHawks people who supported the wars goals

Protest Music ProjectThe Tet OffensiveOn January 31, 1968 several Vietcong fighters attacked the US Embassy in Saigon (South Vietnam)This attack marked the beginning of the Tet Offensive a series of massive attacks by the Vietcong in South Vietnam, named for the Vietnamese New YearThe Tet Offensive was a failure for the Communists because the cities and bases captured were quickly recaptured by American troops.However, the Tet Offensive shattered the belief held by many Americans that the war was nearing an end and that the Communist forces were weakening.Walter Cronkite on VietnamPublic criticism of the war and of LBJ grew louder and more intenseEven Johnsons Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara began openly looking for ways to begin peace negotiations to end the war

Johnson Seeks a SolutionIn 1968 General Westmoreland asked LBJ for 206,000 more troops, which outraged many AmericansLBJ knew that more troops would not end the war so he called for peace talks between the US and North Vietnam.However, the talks fell apart over 2 issues1) The US wanted all NV troops out of SV2) NV would not accept a temporary SV government that included a leader hand picked by the US

Election of 1968Even though he was eligible to run again for president, LBJ decided not to run.Several Democrats emerged to run including Robert Kennedy, the brother of JFK.Kennedy was the favorite to win the nomination and won the California primary.RFK AssassinatedAt the Democratic Convention in Chicago the delegates chose LBJs Vice President Hubert Humphrey as their candidate, but outside protestors from across the country gathered to demand an immediate end to the Vietnam War1968 Chicago RiotsElection of 1968Democrat: Hubert Humphrey defended LBJ and his policies in VietnamRepublican: Richard Nixon (again) promised law and order and claimed to have a secret plan to end the war that he could not share because he didnt want to interfere with Johnsons efforts.Independent: George Wallace opposed to the Civil rights movement and against war protestors.While the popular vote was close, Nixon won the electoral college, despite Wallace becoming one of the most successful third party candidates ever, getting 14% of the vote.

Widening the WarAfter winning election, Nixon set out to end the war in VietnamVietnamization Nixons hope to turn over more of the fighting to the South Vietnamese soldiers while gradually bringing American troops home.When Nixon took office in 1969 there were 540,000 US troops in Vietnam. By 1972 the number was 24,000.Antiwar activists opposed Vietnamization and demanded an immediate end to the warWhile decreasing troop involvement in Vietnam Nixon actually expanded the war into Cambodia in 1969, and Laos in 1970 to try to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh trail.

Increasing ProtestsWhen the public discovered Nixon had expanded the war into Cambodia protests intensified throughout the nationIn May 1970 students set fire to the campus ROTC building at Kent State University in Ohio. Two days later students gathered for an antiwar rally and federal troops intervened after students threw rocks at the soldiers. The soldiers fired, killing four students.These and other protests on college campuses shocked Americans and caused temporary shut downs of schools across the nation.Other more violent protestors included the Weathermen, a group that set off more than 5000 bombs in places like the Pentagon, the Capitol, and the NYPD

Troubling RevelationsIn 1969 Americans learned about the My Lai massacre US troops entered the village of My Lai on a search and destroy mission and soldiers killed at least 450 women, children, and elderly men.The government had worked to keep My Lai a secret but when Americans found out public opinion of the war continued to plummet.In 1971 the NY Times released the Pentagon Papers documents that revealed that the government had been misleading the American people about the war. The documents were leaked by Daniel Ellsberg, a former official at the Department of Defense who had come to be against the war.

Election of 1972Republican Richard Nixon, who argued that he was close to achieving peace in VietnamDemocrat George McGovern, insisted that the Vietnam War end immediately. 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18. McGovern thought this would increase his chances of winning since many young people supported the end of the warA few weeks before the election, Nixons National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger announced that the US and NV had come to an agreement on peace terms, propelling Nixon to a huge win.Peace AgreementDespite Kissingers announcement, peace talks stalled until January 1973 when the US agreed to withdraw all troops from Vietnam and help rebuild VietnamBoth sides agreed to release all prisoners of war (POWs)Missing from the agreement: the political future of South Vietnam.

Legacy of Vietnam1) North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam in April 1975The US government rushed Americans that were still working in Saigon out of the cityOn April 30, 1975, South Vietnam surrendered and a communist government was set up for all of Vietnam2) Cambodia erupts in violenceIn 1975 commuinst forces known as the Khmer Rouge took control. The Khmer Rouge killed over 1.5 million Cambodians to subdue the government and ruled until a 1979 invasion by Vietnam.

Legacy of Vietnam3) Lives lost185,000 SV soldiers450,000 SV civilains1 million Vietcong and NV soldiers58,000 American soldiers4) Effects on American veteransThousands of paralyzed and disabled veteransCancer and birth defects from exposure to Agent OrangeWelcomed back to the US with protests, abuse, and angerPost-traumatic stress disorder

Legacy of Vietnam5) Damage to the American economy$150 billion spent on the war, which led to an increase in the national debt and inflation6) War Powers Act of 1973Reaffirmed right of Congress to declare war and sets a 60 day limit on the presidential commitment of US troops7) Increased distrust of the American government8) Changed the way Americans view conflicts in foreign nations