Moving Toward Conflict in Vietnam Chapter 30 Section 1

French Rule In Vietnam French ruled most of Indochina from late 1800s to World War II. Much Vietnamese opposition to French rule.

Ho Chi Minh Vietnamese revolutionaries organize in China under Ho Chi Minh (1924) Forms Indochinese Communist Party Ho Chi Minh returns in 1940 and forms Vietminh

Vietminh Organization who worked for Vietnam’s independence from foreign rule These fought against the Americans

US aid to France French troops tried to take Vietnam again U.S. gave $15 million in aid to France in 1950 – year that it entered the struggle

Continued Support Eisenhower kept policy of supporting French war effort. 1954 – domino theory – countries all falling to Communism French finally overran at Dien Bien Phu

US Presidents None wanted the label of having “lost Vietnam” LBJ 1964 “another Korea…don’t think it’s worth fighting for…don’t think we can get out…just the biggest damned mess that I ever saw”

By last troops leaving in ‘73 Cost taxpayers $150 billion 58,000 US deaths, 300,000 wounded 570,000 “draft dodgers” 563,000 less-than-honorable discharges Most divisive American issue since Civil War

Geneva Accords Temporarily divided Vietnam along 17th parallel

Ngo Dinh Diem South Vietnam’s president Cancelled elections (w/ US support) Sets up corrupt gov’t. Restricted Buddhism Eventually assassinated (with US knowledge)

Vietcong Communist opposition group in the South Fought against the US Supported by Ho Chi Minh Fought guerrilla warfare Used network of paths called Ho Chi Minh trail

Kennedy increases aid President Kennedy increased financial aid to Ngo Dinh Diem By end of 1963, 16,000 US troops in S. Vietnam

Buddhism Diem attacked Buddhism, imprisoning and killing Buddhist clerics Many protested

Withdrawal? Kennedy had announced plans to withdraw from Vietnam Johnson increases involvement

Gulf of Tonkin (N. Vietnamese Coast) North Vietnamese patrol boat fires torpedo at American destroyer (missed) USS Maddox fires back and inflicts heavy damage USS Maddox allegedly fired on again Johnson launches bombing strikes on N. Vietnam

Tonkin Gulf (continued) Also C. Turner Joy Destroyers had been monitoring S. Vietnamese attacking 2 N Vietnamese islands LBJ asked Congress for more military powers in Vietnam

Tonkin Gulf Resolution Congress approves and passes Tonkin Gulf Resolution only 2 Senators voted against By Feb 1965, LBJ orders sustained bombing of N. Vietnam By June 1965, 50,000 US soldiers in Vietnam

Operation Rolling Thunder Feb 1965 – VC kill 8 and wound 126 Americans at Pleiku More attacks later in week LBJ orders first sustained bombing of N. Vietnam

General William Westmoreland

1988 – Charleston, SC’s most famous resident And Gen. Westmoreland