THE VIETNAM WAR

Part One: The Indochina War Or Baby-Steps to Disaster

Colonialism European countries controlled many nations in order to make themselves wealthy. (Late 1800’s/early 1900’s) French territory was known as French Indochina: Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Why were the French in Vietnam? (economic reasons?) rice, rubber & tin

The Japanese in Southeast Asia Before and during WWII the Japanese army kicks out the European colonial governments (French & British) Originally the nationalists in SEA welcome the Japanese. Why? Nationalists realize that Japanese domination is as bad as European domination, they fight the Japanese.

Viet Minh 1941: Vietnam’s nationalist forces – the Viet Minh – fight the Japanese. Western countries supply weapons and support. They are lead by Ho Chi Minh. They get the Japanese out of Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh

Leader of the independence movement in Vietnam. 2 Goals: Build the Communist Party Win Independence

Why Communism? Communism offered two things these people wanted MOST! –Rejection of imperialism – Establishing colonies in weaker nations for economic reasons and moral grounds. –Land reform - the communists promised to take land from the rich and give it to the poor. –If you were a poor Vietnamese, who would you support?

After World War II  Most European countries were giving their colonies independence. Not France.  When France tries to re-exert their power over Vietnam, the Viet Minh fight back. 1946: French - Indo China War begins

 French controlled the cities.  Ho Chi Minh controlled the countryside.  Both sides have their victories, but neither is able to get an edge in the war.

America gets involved While Truman and most Americans disagree with European colonialism, they are more worried about communism. China had just fell to the communists.

Domino Theory  Domino Theory: if one nation fell to communist forces, neighboring nations would also become communist.  Russia and China support Ho Chi Minh.  1950: America gives France $20 Million, followed by $2.6 Billion over the next 4 years

France loses. After 8 years of fighting, the French lose at the battle of Dien Bien Phu. Dien Bien Phu was the site of a French base that was meant to stop supplies from getting to the Viet Minh With an extra $3 Billion …

The Viet Minh were no longer just guerilla fighters, which surprised the French. They used heavy artillery to tear up the French and over two months took over the area. Retreating French forces were captured, and France knew they were done.

Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap (in black) plans the encirclement of Dien Bien Phu. Using the cover of the jungle, Giap moved men and artillery ever closer to the French outpost, holding fire to avoid alerting the defenders.

Captured French Troops

Vietnam gets Divided  People fled to either south or north Vietnam depending on their political views  After Ho Chi Minh defeats the French they draw up an agreement. Vo Nguyen Giap

 Vietnam will be divided at the 17 th parallel  North Vietnam: controlled by Communist (Ho Chi Minh)  South Vietnam: controlled by non- communist (Ngo Dinh Diem)

Geneva Accords Geneva Accords made peace after the Indochina War. Vietminh draw north of the 17th, French went south. Planned to have an election in 1956 and to reunify.

Ngo Dinh Diem

Diem is in control of the South, and was by most measures a bad leader. He fought crime in Saigon He was anti-communist He was a dictator. What made him so disliked by the people?

Nepotism: Favoring ones family in business or politics. Diem filled up high ranking government positions with his family.

Distribution of Wealth Wealthy land owners owned the land and peasants had to work the land. Early in his rule,.025% of the people owned 40% of the land. (That’s about 1 in 5000) At the end of his rule, 10% of the population owned 55% of the land.

Failed reforms. Diem passed a law saying land would be divided among people, but the rich used loopholes. Peasants were paying more in rent to rich Vietnamese than they had to the French. 370,000 acres of Catholic Church land was exempted. Only 10% of the people got land, and it cost a lot.

Favored Catholicism The church was exempt from land reform Only Catholics were promoted in the military and gov’t, Buddhists were not allowed to freely practice.

Dictatorial tactics Tortured and killed political dissidents Rigged elections Used power to make himself and his family wealthy Secret police