The Vietnam War

Early Years Cambodia & Vietnam ruled by France as French Indochina During WWII when France feel to the Germans it became part of Vichy France & run by the Japanese Fell into famine When Japan is defeated in 1945, Ho Chi Minh & the Viet Minh declare Vietnam free With the help of the British however, Vietnam is returned to the French A guerilla war begins

Battle of Dien Bien Phu March-May 1954 French fight Viet Minh & lose Vietnam becomes divided by 17 th Parallel at Geneva Conference Eisenhower sends 675 as military advisors North communist & South looked over by French Capital North: Hanoi Capital South: Saigon Elections to be held 1956

Ngo Dinh Diem Put in power as Prime Minister in South In 1955 in rigged the elections to become president of South His brother Nhu becomes his 2 nd in command and Madame Nhu is stand in 1 st lady Vietnam against the Emperor Catholic He cancels the elections in 1956 knowing Ho Chi Minh would win

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Problems Under Diem  Hamlets: US helps Diem relocate citizens to protective hamlet communities -Failed Religious Tension: -Places Catholic minority in power -Restricts practice of Buddhism -June 1963 Monk burns himself in protest -US begins to question Diem as leader

Diem’s Death November 2, 1963 Diem and his brother are assassinated by a coup JFK assures the coup the US will not stop the assassination JFK increases # of troops to 16,000 (JFK killed a few weeks later)

War Intensifies By the end of Eisenhower’s term 900 advisors JFK increases troops to 16,000 by 1963 Gulf Of Tonkin Incident August 1964: Claim that US destroyer Maddox had been attacked by NVA torpedoes off coast N. Vietnam Gulf of Tonkin resolution: Congress gave the president ability to “take any measures necessary repel any armed attacks against US”

Escalation ,000 End , , , ,000 *Tet

Key Leaders General Westmoreland (Until 1968) Robert McNamara Sec. of Defense

The Draft December 1, 1969 Lottery by Birth date yr olds born between Jan. 1, 1944 & Dec. 31, 1950 Where would you have fallen? t/draft.htm t/draft.htm *The Average age of a soldier will be 19