Vietnam
Background France colonized Vietnam in 19th Century Japan occupied Vietnam during WW11 Geneva Accords, 1954, set plan for Vietnam’s future French must be south of line (17th Parallel) Free and fair elections in two years USA refused to sign Geneva Accords
Conflict Building Eisenhower orders CIA to assist in South Vietnamese elections Rigged so Ngo Dinh Diem wins Ho Chi Minh leader of Vietnamese communist part (North Vietnam) Southern Vietnamese who supported Ho Chi Minh were called Vietcong US continued to support France until 1956 when France pulled out all troops US insists keeping South Vietnam free from communism is key to world security
“Official” Conflict? Gulf of Tonkin, 1964 Operation Rolling Thunder USS Maddox on August 2 Gulf of Tonkin Incident, August 4 Resolution August 7 – US will support any Asian country endangered from communist aggression Allowed US to send massive amounts of troops Operation Rolling Thunder March 1965 – November 1968 Continuous bombing, focused on Ho Chi Minh Trail
Reality of War 58,000 US soldiers died Joining early, joining National Guard 25% of US troops drafted Ways to legally avoid draft Conscientious objector student deferments medical Difficult war because: Weather Warfare tactics Lack of support and training Photos
Anti-War Movement Early 20s, college students Middle/upper class Frustrated with “failure to uphold democratic ideals” Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) Free Speech Movement (FSM) 80% of college campuses had protests Kent State “Massacre” - May 4,1970 Invasion of Cambodia April 30th 4 killed, 9 injured
Tet Offensive Vietnamese New Year- Jan 30, 1968 Agreement on ceasefire Attacked 36/44 provincial capitals Attacked US embassy
1968 Election Democratic Convention Republicans pick Nixon Protests Failure to pick candidate Humphrey and Wallace both run Republicans pick Nixon Campaigned on bombing HCM Trail Vietnamization
Vietnamization training South Vietnamese troops to replace US troops reduce US troop number Negative reaction Supporters of war see it as cutting and running Critics see it as continuing war
Wrapping up Vietnam 1970 – Repealed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Last troops returned home 1973