Vietnam War

Vietnam History France controlled Vietnam until WWII when Japan took it over After WWII, Vietnam declared themselves independent France, however, wanted their former colony back

Ho Chi Minh Ho Chi Minh was committed to Vietnamese independence and created the Vietminh to ensure that independence

France vs. Vietnam War broke out between France and Vietnam in 1946 France controlled all major cities Vietminh controlled countryside and gathered peasant support

US Support Truman gave France monetary support He wanted to ensure France was an ally against the Soviet Union and to uphold containment policy US believed in the Domino Theory: “If one country fell to communism, other countries would also fall like a row of dominoes”

France Loses The French were overrun at Dien Bien Phu France surrendered and made a peace agreement at Geneva

Geneva Accords Agreement Vietnam was divided on the 17th Parallel Vietminh controlled North Vietnam France controlled South Vietnam National elections were to be held in 1956

Domino Theory Eisenhower did not sign agreement for fear of Domino Theory

US Involvement US gave Ngo Dinh Diem (leader of South Vietnam) money Diem had a corrupt dictatorship and would not make land reforms He showed favoritism towards wealthy and Catholics Rigged elections in his favor

Ngo Dinh Diem Diem cancelled national elections to reunify Vietnam Feared Ho Chi Minh would win Vietminh created National Liberation Front in South Vietnam to overthrow Diem Kennedy tripled aid and # of US advisors to Vietnam

Diem’s Overthrow South Vietnamese government fired on Buddhist monks protesting against Diem Monks set themselves on fire to protest Diem World opinion of Diem changed after seeing pictures of this

US planned overthrow of Diem by assassination (early November) 3 Weeks later Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald

Johnson Takes Office Johnson announced that North Vietnam fired on U.S. destroyers in Gulf of Tonkin He urged Congress to give him authority to ‘take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the US to prevent further aggression’

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution In response Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Years later it was discovered that US ships were helping South Vietnamese commandos raid and spy on North Vietnamese islands…basically provoking them

Operation Rolling Thunder Feb 1965 – Vietcong attack U.S. base in South Vietnam killing 8 Americans Retaliation: Johnson ordered first bombing of North Vietnam called Operation Rolling Thunder

Ho Chi Minh Trail Primary Target: Ho Chi Minh trail Supply route from North Vietnam to South Vietnam 1st combat troops sent 1 month later led by General Westmoreland

Fighting the War US led air war on military bases, roads, factories, and homes in North and South Vietnam

Search and Destroy US tried to wipe out Vietcong through ‘search and destroy missions’ Waded through mud, mosquitos, jungle grasses, leeches, heat, mines The Problem: Who were Vietcong and who were friendly peasants?

Search and Destroy

Pacification Try to win over South Vietnamese civilians Moved civilians out of villages and into ‘safe camps’ and burned village Vietnamese resented moving and having their village destroyed Some ended up becoming Vietcong

Guerilla War Vietcong tactic: ambushes, surprise, hit and run attacks Had tunnels for shelter and protection from air raids 2 Vietcong advantages: knew the terrain and had support from peasants

Khe Sanh 1967 US noticed increased traffic along Ho Chi Minh Trail US suspected an assault by Vietcong Attack came in January 1968 at base in Khe Sanh

Khe Sanh 77 Day siege ended with US still holding base However, Khe Sanh was diversion for real attack on cities in South Vietnam

Tet Offensive Vietcong led a massive surprise attack on South Vietnamese cities the 1st day of the Vietnamese New Year (Tet) January 30, 1968

Tet Offensive US recaptured cities taken but many lives lost 1,100 – US soldiers 2,300 – South Vietnamese soldiers 12,500 civilians 35,000 enemy troops

Tet = Turning Point of War Showed no place was safe causing Americans to lose confidence in the war Showed horrifying images and hopelessness of the war Vietnam was the first Televised War in US history Protests began to grow at home