Chapter 30: Vietnam Era Section 2: War in Vietnam April 8

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Causes of the Vietnam War Vietnam was a French colony The Vietnamese wanted independence Vietnamese forces, led by Communist Ho Chi Minh, fought France for independence. The French were defeated in 1954 Ho Chi Minh

Causes of the Vietnam War Geneva Accords—temporarily divided Vietnam North Vietnam=Communist South Vietnam=non-Communists U.S. supported South Vietnam Vietnam would reunify in 1956, after national elections With U.S. support, South Vietnamese leader, Ngo Dinh Diem, refused to hold the elections

Causes of the Vietnam War Communist in South Vietnam disapproved of Diem’s policies and brutal tactics When Diem tried to destroy the forces working against him, they formed the National Liberation Front, or the VIETCONG. In 1959 the Vietcong started a war to defeat the Diem regime. Ngo Dinh Diem

U.S. Involvement The U.S. supported South Vietnam because of the Domino Theory. Eisenhower sent South Vietnam billions of dollars and military advisors.

The U.S. and Vietnam (cont.) Kennedy continued the support. He sent more military advisers and pressured the Diem regime to make reforms that would eliminate conditions that had spurred Communism—Diem refused Aid continued to flowed from North Vietnam to the South to fuel the guerrilla war against Diem. JFK

The U.S. and Vietnam (cont.) The Kennedy administration found it hard to continue to support Diem. In Nov. 1963, the South Vietnamese military overthrew the government and assassinated Diem. Kennedy supported the COUP, but not the assassination. Buddhist’s monks protested Diem’s Rule by setting themselves on fire on busy streets.

The Conflict Deepens After JFK’s death Johnson became president In 1964, the North Vietnamese navy attacked U.S. ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution The resolution allowed the president to take “all necessary measures” to repel armed attacks on U.S. forces. AKA send more troops. Johnson used the resolution to ESCALATE, or gradually increase, U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

The Conflict Deepens (cont.) The U.S. military began a bombing campaign against North Vietnam in the mid-1960s One target of the bombing was the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a network of roads, paths, and bridges connecting North and South Vietnam. Bridges, docks, factories, and military bases in the North were also bombed.

The Conflict Deepens (cont.) U.S. forces found fighting a ground war in Vietnam difficult: Dense jungles, muddy trails, and swampy areas made troop movements difficult. Vietcong blended in with the rest of the population; it was hard to tell friends and enemies apart. South Vietnamese military didn’t fight effectively.

The Conflict Deepens (cont.) Besides bombs, planes dropped napalm, an explosive that burned intensely. Agent Orange, a toxic herbicide, was used to destroy jungle vegetation Agent Orange contaminated many Americans and Vietnamese, causing severe health issues and death. The American forces conducted search-and-destroy missions—find North Vietnamese or Vietcong and destroy them

The Conflict Deepens (cont.) U.S. caused enormous Vietcong losses-wasn’t enough The Johnson administration began to believe the U.S. could not win the war. The war was taking too long—Public opposition to the war began to grow

Assignment Quadrant Cards Draw a picture representing the word Vocabulary Term Draw a picture representing the word Definition-in your own words So What?-tell me why it is important