The Vietnam War Was it the right decision for the US to fight in Vietnam?

War in Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Republic of Vietnam North Vietnam Common Name South Vietnam Hanoi Capital City Saigon Ho Chi Minh (until 69) Le Duan (after 69)LeadersNgo Dinh Diem (until 63), various Generals Vietcong Direct Ally United States Soviet Union, People’s Republic of China Indirect Ally None

: Ho Chi Minh vs. Imperialism 1919:Ho Chi Minh travels to Versailles to meet Pres. Wilson HCM rejected by Wilson, joins the Communist Party 1941: Japan invades French Indochina, HCM forms the Vietminh to fight Japan 1945: Vietminh drive Japanese out, HCM declares an independent Vietnam French want their colony back, go to war w/ Vietminh, French lose in 1954

Eisenhower Years ( ) 1954: Geneva Accords ends war but Vietnam is split at 17th parallel Diem & US fearful HCM will win election, cancel elections & declare independent South Vietnam HCM forms North Vietnam, declares war on SV Afraid SV will fall to Communists (Domino Theory) US sends Military Advisors to SV Ho Chi Minh controls north, Ngo Dinh Diem controls south until nationwide elections are held in 1956

Southeast Asia Map Label all 5 countries in key (Thailand is west of Laos/North of Cambodia) North Vietnam & Laos are influenced by Soviet Union South Vietnam & Thailand are influenced by the United States Cambodia is influenced by the United States & Communist Rebels Label Saigon, Da Nang, Hue, Haiphong, Hanoi, Gulf of Tonkin, Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh Trail Color all countries for homework Turn to page 545 add this info to your map

Kennedy Years ( ) 1960: southern communists form a guerilla army called the Vietcong 1962: Pres. Kennedy encourages Flexible Response, send more advisors, but Diem is very unpopular with S. Vietnamese people 1963: JFK okays removal of Diem in a coup de tat. Diem killed. After JFK is assassinated two ships allegedly fired upon in Tonkin Gulf

Johnson Years ( ) LBJ asks Congress to pass Tonkin Gulf Resolution LBJ sends Gen Westmoreland to S. Vietnam, will find & destroy VC, while winning “hearts & minds” of villagers (Search & Destroy) 1966: LBJ asks Congress for draft and $12.8 billion Anti-war protests begin, boxing champ Muhammad Ali refuses the draft and is sent to prison “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Vietcong” Dec 67: LBJ & Westmoreland assure US public that enemy is nearly defeated even though 500K troops are now in Vietnam N. Vietnamese Army & Vietcong launch Tet Offensive, reach Saigon, proves LBJ was lying – LBJ won’t run for reelection

Vietnam Protest Movement 1.What do you think the group mean by “There’s something happening here…what it is ain’t exactly clear”? 2.How does the group describe youth & the protest movement? 3.What does the group say about the government? 4.What does the group want young people to do? For What its Worth by Buffalo Springfield

Nixon/Ford Years ( ) Former VP Richard Nixon wins election, promising “Peace /w Honor” Nixon’s Vietnamization plan will turn over ground fighting to S. Vietnam, bring home troops but expand bombing campaign 1973: Paris Peace Accords - US, North Vietnam and South Vietnam sign a peace treaty ending the war (Kissinger negotiates treaty) : N. Vietnam invades S. Vietnam. President Ford asks Congress to help, Congress refuses. Saigon falls in April1975

Containment Policy US Cold War Foreign Policy Arms Race Domino Theory/ Flexible Response Search & Destroy - Vietnam Advisors in Vietnam