Vietnam War The Beginnings

Prelude to U.S. Involvement The French colonized Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia in the mid-1800s and organized the three nations as Indochina. There was a lot of resistance to French rule: The people of Indochina were resentful of the exploitation by the French. Ho Chi Minh organized the Vietminh to fight against colonial rule.

Prelude to U.S. Involvement During WWII the French were driven out of Indochina by the Japanese. The Vietminh continued to fight against Japanese rule. Following the Japanese surrender in WWII, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam independent. France refused to accept Vietnamese independent and fought retain Vietnam as a colony. This fight is known as the First Indochina War.

Prelude to U.S. Involvement During the First Indochina War the French were aided by the United States due to President Eisenhower’s belief in the Domino Theory. The Vietminh used guerilla tactics to eventually defeat the French in 1954.

The Geneva Accords Following the French defeat there was an international conference in Geneva. The Geneva accords ended the fighting between the French and the Vietnamese and temporarily divided Vietnam along the 17th parallel. North Vietnam was a communist state led by Ho Chi Minh. South Vietnam was a democracy led by Ngo Dinh Diem. The Geneva Accords also called for free elections in 1956 to determine the reunification of Vietnam.

Problems in Vietnam The government in South Vietnam was brutal and dishonest. President Diem put friends and family members in top positions and was aggressive in silencing his enemies. Despite these problems and President Diem’s poor leadership, the United States continued to support him. The U.S. still thought he was a better alternative to communism.

Problems in Vietnam In the North, Ho Chi Minh was very popular. Many of his policies were helping the everyday lives of many of his supporters. However, not everyone in the North was happy with Ho’s policies. Landlords were searched for and imprisoned or killed.

The 1956 Reunification Vote As the elections drew near, Diem refused to allow the South to take part and was supported by the U.S. Both sides feared that the northern government would win. Diem tried to assert his authority by arresting thousands of South Vietnamese citizens. Many in the South joined the National Liberation Front (NLF) to fight Diem’s government.

The 1956 Reunification Vote The NLF’s guerrilla force, the Vietcong, served as its army to fight against Diem. The North Vietnamese supported the Vietcong in its fight against Diem. A civil war began in the late 1950s.

U.S. Becomes Involved As the fighting between the Vietcong and Diem’s government grew worse the U.S. sent more aid and advisers help Diem. 1960- 900 U.S. advisers in Vietnam 1963- 16,000 U.S. military personnel in Vietnam Despite U.S. support Diem was losing power.

U.S. Becomes Involved In 1963 there was a military coup that took control of the South Vietnamese government and killed Diem. The military takeover complicated the political situation even further. Some of the new South Vietnamese leaders wanted to work out an agreement with the communist North. President Johnson refused to accept the possibility of a communist South Vietnam.

Tonkin Gulf In August 1964 a U.S. navy vessel exchanged fire with North Vietnamese ships. Even though none of the ships were damaged, President Johnson considered the attack an act of war and responded by ordering air strikes against the North Vietnamese. Tonkin Gulf Resolution: Congress gave President Johnson the power to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States.” Soon after, the first U.S. combat troops arrived in South Vietnam.

U.S. Fights Back Operation Rolling Thunder: A series of airstrikes meant to destroy war industries in North Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh Trail: Network of paths, small roads, and tunnels leading from North Vietnam through neighboring Laos and Cambodia into South Vietnam which served as a major supply route for the Vietcong.