The Vietnam War

I. Background A. In 1954 Vietnam, once a colony of France, was divided into separate countries at the 17th parallel Ho Chi Minh was the leader of communist North Vietnam The U.S. supported South Vietnam - Ngo Dinh Diem- Anti-communist leader of South Vietnam B. The “Viet Cong” were communist rebels in South Vietnam opposed to the corrupt, anti-Buddhist, U.S. supported leader Diem who wanted to unite Vietnam

II. The War Escalates Kennedy – sent 5,000 military advisors to help Diem suppress the Viet Cong Johnson 1. Committed to containment policy (stopping the spread of communism) 2. Gulf of Tonkin (1964) U.S. destroyers attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats Gulf of Tonkin Resolution – Congress authorizes Johnson to use military forces (but did not declare war!!) 3. U.S. began bombing North Vietnam and sent 500,000 ground troops to fight the Viet Cong alongside the South Vietnamese army in South Vietnam