26.1 – GOING TO WAR IN VIETNAM French Indochina – French colonial area including Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia Ho Chi Minh – leader of the Vietnamese nationalist movement Presented a petition of independence at the 1919 Versailles Peace Conference; it was ignored Ho Chi Minh

26.1 – GOING TO WAR IN VIETNAM 1930s – HCM founded the Indochinese Communist Party Worked to overthrow French rule 1940s: -HCM organized the Vietminh to expel the Japanese -French returned to claim control after WWII; fought the Vietminh -U.S. (Truman) decided to aid French forces against the Vietminh (why?)

26.1 – DIEN BIEN PHU Vietminh used guerilla tactics to frustrate the French 1954 – VM forces surrounded the French at DBP and eventually the French were forced to withdraw from Indochina

26.1 – GENEVA ACCORDS The agreement to end the conflict: Divided Vietnam along the 17 th parallel North Vietnam – controlled by Ho Chi Minh and the Vietminh South Vietnam – pro-Western regime (led by Ngo Dinh Diem; allied with the U.S.) 1956 – election to be held to reunite the country; Diem refused to allow them to take place Ngo Dinh Diem

26.1 – AMERICA GETS MORE INVOLVED Ho Chi Minh reacted by starting an armed struggle to reunited the country he created the Vietcong (guerrilla army of South Vietnamese communists) Ike sent hundreds of U.S. military advisers to train South Vietnam’s army Diem continued to look to the U.S. for more aid

26.1 – JFK TAKES OVER JFK continued Truman/Ike’s policy of supporting South Vietnam He increased the # of American military personnel in South Vietnam by almost 15,000 He also urged Diem to: a. create a more democratic gov’t in the South b. Help the peasants c. Use strategic hamlets (failure)

26.1 – OVERTHROW OF DIEM Diem discriminated against Buddhists; further increased his unpopularity Nov. 1, 1963 – a coup overthrew and executed Diem Actually made things worse; chaotic situation U.S. became more involved in an effort to prop up the South Vietnamese gov’t

26.1 – LBJ & VIETNAM Initially wanted a “limited” war to prevent the spread of communism Gulf of Tonkin Resolution LBJ announced that the N. Vietnamese attacked U.S. ships (Aug. 1964) Aug. 7 – Congress passed the resolution, which gave LBJ the authority to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression” LBJ basically had war powers

26.1 – LBJ & VIETNAM Reacting to increased attacks by the VC, LBJ authorized the bombing of N. Vietnam (1965) March 1965 LBJ launches Operation Rolling Thunder against North Vietnam LBJ sends in the first combat troops into South Vietnam

26.1 – WAR BECOMES A STALEMATE By the end of 1966 there were almost 400,000 American troops in Vietnam VC fought back with ambushes, booby traps, mixed in with the locals, used tunnels….guerrilla tactics U.S. countered with “search and destroy” missions, napalm, Agent Orange

26.1 – HO CHI MINH TRAIL N. Vietnam sent supplies and troops to the VC in the South by way of the Ho Chi Minh TrailHo Chi Minh Trail Wound through Laos and Cambodia LBJ did not attack the trail or North Vietnam(why not?) Failed war of attrition as a result? By the end of 1966 more than 6,700 Americans were dead and citizens seriously questioned the war