Vietnam War Years Timeline 1969 U.S. troops begin their withdrawal from Vietnam 1964 LBJ becomes President 1968 M.L.King and Robert Kennedy are assassinated 1972 U.S. signs cease-fire with North Vietnam and Vietcong 1965 First major combat units arrive in Vietnam 1968 Nixon is elected President 1972 Nixon is re-elected 1970 Ohio National Guard kills 4 students at Kent State U. 1966 Mao Zedong begins Cultural Revolution in China 1975 Communists capture Saigon; South Vietnam surrenders

The Vietnam Legacy Bridge to government mistrust Contradiction of core American values Skepticism of foreign involvement What actions led to government mistrust? Did we actually win in Vietnam? How do we know when we are being sucked into another Vietnam?

France’s Colony Ho Chi Minh From the 1800’s until WWII, Vietnam was under French Control It was valuable for rubber and rice Trading post for the French in China Vietnamese fought against Japan during WWII Led by U.S. ally Ho Chi Minh Ho Chi Minh establishes the Indochinese Communist Party Created the Vietminh to expel foreign powers Post-WWII Vietnam declared its Independence Created the Vietminh, whose goal was to expel foreign powers France returned to reclaim colony after WWII Ho Chi Minh

US Aides France President Truman sends nearly $15 million to aid France. Over the course of the 4 year struggle, US spent $1 Billion to help What political theory is Truman using to justify the financial support for fighting Communism in Vietnam? Domino Theory If one country in the region falls to communism all eventually will. 1954: France surrenders at Dien Bien Phu

France surrenders 1954: France surrenders at Dien Bien Phu In 2004 (50th aniversery of N. Vietnam’s independece) Vietnam's ruling Communist Party made much of the anniversary in Dien Bien Phu itself, with parades involving thousands of troops and members of ethnic groups. These citizens are reenacting the surrender

Geneva Accords July 1954 US, GB, France, Soviet Union, China, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam Hammer out a peace agreement between the anticommunists and Ho Chi Minh Split Vietnam along the 17th Parallel An election will be held in 1956 to reunite the country Sound familiar? The Soviets declared they would hold free elections in the countries they controlled after WWII How did that work out?

U.S. Military Involvement Begins Repressive dictatorial rule by Diem Diem’s family holds all power Wealth is hoarded by the elite Buddhist majority persecuted Torture, lack of political freedom prevail Realizing he would Diem backs out of elections.

U.S. Military Involvement Begins The U.S. aided Diem’s government Ike sent financial and military aid 675 U.S. Army advisors sent by 1960 The conflict in Korea had ended the previous summer, with an armistice that gave victory to no one. That divisive war, fought at a cost of nearly thirty thousand American lives and more than eighty thousand wounded, left Ike and most Americans with no appetite for a return engagement Realizing he would Diem backs out of elections.

Cancelled Elections South Vietnamese president, Ngo Dinh Diem, cancels elections Ho Chi Minh became Nat’l Hero Fought against French & Japanese imperialists Divided land amongst the peasants in the North Diem refused to take part in the elections. US supported the cancellation Promised Diem military training if he created a stable South Vietnam

PREPARE A DEBATE SENATORS! You will be assigned one of 5 positions about Vietnam and the U.S. involvement. You will have 5 minutes to prepare a presentation, using logic, your knowledge of history, and common sense. May the best plan win! Number yourselves 1 thru 5…

Pull out of Vietnam support Diem with money. 1963--What should the U.S. do at this juncture with the information that they have. Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Pull out of Vietnam support Diem with money. Stay in Vietnam support Diem with money & troops. Stay in Vietnam with troops & money but get rid of Diem. Get out of Vietnam & get rid of Diem, replace him. Send many American troops to destroy communism

JFK Escalates the War! U.S. supported military coup toppled Diem’s regime Diem was assassinated 1963 against Kennedy’s wishes!?!? 16,000 American Troops Kennedy was soon assassinated

Gulf of Tonkin Determine what happened What happened at the Gulf of Tonkin? What does LBJ want congress to do? What does LBJ believe the U.S. is fighting for in SE Asia? What is the final mission?

The Tonkin Gulf “Resolution” August 2, 1964 North Vietnamese patrol boat fired a torpedo at American destroyer USS Maddox Maddox returned fire and destroyed the patrol boat LBJ asks for “all necessary measures to repel any armed attacks against the U.S.” August 7, 1964 – Congress approves LBJ’s request Gives full control over military powers in Vietnam NOT a declaration of War – Unlimited funding to support our troops