The Vietnam War “The War Nobody Won”

Who Wins This War? Country A Country B 255,570,000 Population 69,212,000 98% Literacy Rate 88% $22,000yr Per Capita Income $220 4.2% Infant Mortality Rate 30% Modern Industrial Agricultural Why?

Then How Does Country A Lose A War To Country B? In order to understand this war, one must look at: People and History of Vietnam The French Involvement The Cause of US Escalation The Styles of War The Turning Points of US Support The End of US Involvement

Geography of SEA SEA has10 nations and a population of about 325 million people 2. Great Diversity: Cultural, Racial, Religious, and Languages 3. SEA 3,000 miles east to west& 2,000 miles North to South- ½ water

Geography Continued……. SEA has many important Rivers Himalayan Mountains source Climate: Tropical Rainy season Long Country- different geography

Vietnam: History of Resistance List of Invaders: 1. Chinese (839-939) 2. Cambodians (939-1800’s) 3. Colonized by the French(1800’s) Renamed: French-Indochina 4. 1940’s Conquered by Japanese 5. French Again (1945)

Vietnam: People, Gods, and Money People- 60 ethnic minorities, 90% Vietnamese, overpopulation Religion- Buddhism, Confucianism- 3 million Catholics? Economy: Agricultural, Slash and Burn: Rice paddies Primitive tech., few goods to export, inexperienced managers, lack of foreign investment, energy shortages, few raw materials

Why did the U.S. become involved in Vietnam? 1- The French 2- Containment-Domino Theory 3- Gulf of Tonkin

The French: Why Colonize Vietnam? A. Gold- wealth, silk, spices: preserve food B. God- spread Christianity (Catholicism) C. Glory- Curiosity, fame and adventure D. “White Man’s Burden” The white nations have an obligation to Civilize the backward cultures of the world. Ethnocentrism- a very strong belief that the French culture was superior to the Vietnamese.

French Indochina

Light At The End of The Tunnel? 1945- French try to regain control after WWII Battle- Viet Minh- Led by Ho Chi Min 1953: French General Serving in Vietnam, “We can see victory at the end of the tunnel.”

Why The French Were Unsuccessful in Regaining Control in Vietnam….. Viet minh won’t fight big battles Viet minh are excellent soldiers French are arrogant Losing public support in France Guerilla warfare

Dien Bien Phu French defeated at Dien Bien Phu- French outpost Outnumbered 3 to 1 May 7, 1954 Dien Bien Phu falls to Vietminh French Leave Vietnam

Temporary Split of Vietnam July 1954 Geneva Accords divide Vietnam/ 17th parallel Ho Chi Minh leader of North Vietnam/ with Communist Backing US supported South Named Diem(Catholic) leader After 7 years Diem was assassinated

Containment/Domino Theory Domino Theory- Vietnam falls =rest of SEA will fall to Communism

Gulf of Tonkin USS Maddox was attacked in Gulf of Tonkin President Johnson was given power to repel any attacks against US forces Leads to war level escalation.

How did the U.S. become involved in Vietnam? The French Containment/Domino Theory Gulf of Tonkin

North South North Vietnam Army (NVA)   North South Army North Vietnam Army (NVA) Viet Cong- Communist guerilla fighters in South Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Leaders Ho Chi Minh Ngo Dinh Diem Goals Re-unite Vietnam Lengthen War Force North to Stop fighting  

Military Escalation (1964-1968) 1964- Gulf of Tonkin 1964- Johnson won election/ gradual military escalation 1965- General Westmoreland asked for increase in troops 1965 25,000 - 184,000 1966- 385,000 1967- 485,000 1968- 536,000

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Who Fought In Vietnam Early Years: Volunteer, Professional Soldiers Moral was good 5 to 1 kill ratio Need more men How do you get more men?

DRAFT

Draft 1966: 40,000 men were drafted each month Draft Boards Caused Moral and confidence to decline Draft Boards Volunteers, white, male, middle class, vets What potential problems could occur with this type of draft board?

Deferments To defer from military duty Poor Boy’s Don’t…. Most common: family, health, religious, education, and in the “national interest” Poor Boy’s Don’t…. Go to college, afford doctors, have careers; As a result they go to WAR! That makes Vietnam who’s war?

Who doesn’t go to War? Affluent children Children of politicians 234 Sons of Congress eligible for the draft 118 deferments 28 sent to Vietnam 19 saw combat How do you think the majority of Americans felt about this?

The Resistance The resistance was beginning in America Why? Not many understood the war Not many Cared The Draft America was on the verge of dividing!

Tet Offensive Jan. 31, 1968- Tet, Vietnamese New Year Surprise attacks on New Year, major cities and towns including Saigon-American Embassy Results: Military Failure- NVA lost over 40,000 men Propaganda Victory Cronkite and U.S. loses support for war Johnson does not run for re-election Initiated Paris Peace Talks http://youtube.com/watch?v=zDNJL0mTHWI http://youtube.com/watch?v=i214f5-w19w&feature=related

My Lai Massacre March 16, 1968 My Lai Hamlet Lt. William Calley Killed 300+ unarmed civilians Symbolized American Brutality Story leaked to U.S. Press Caused loss of U.S. Support