Vietnam War

French Vietnam Vietnam colonized by French in 1700’s…French Indochina Imposed harsh taxes & limited political freedoms –No taxation without representation! Wanted to fight for their independence from France

Ho Chi Minh Vietnamese nationalist/patriot & leader wanted a communist revolution to combat French colonial imperialism he organized the Vietminh – the League for the Independence of Vietnam during WWII, the Japanese fought the French out of Indochina  Japanese lose WWII  Vietnam becomes independent in 1945 (but French insist its still theirs)

Causes of Vietnam War fear of communism & the Cold War domino theory –if Vietnam fell to communism, who would be next containment –contain communism to this single country internationalism –communism would broaden to neighboring countries because they share common cultures

Geneva Accords Geneva Accords – agreement to temporarily divide Vietnam in 2 parts (North & South) North = communist; South = western culture (but not democratic) Does this work??? President Eisenhower supported S. Vietnam (even though very unjust leader)

Vietcong communist guerilla forces supported the National Liberation Front in South Vietnam NLF – organization dedicated to end S. Vietnam’s leader (Diem) rule Inevitably… CIVIL WAR! President Kennedy sent more troops over to Vietnam to fight communism & Vietcong Diem killed by military takeover  S. Vietnam got worse

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution U.S. ships reported a torpedo attack from a N. Vietnam naval ship in the Gulf of Tonkin (on N. Vietnam coast) President Johnson declared this attack an act of war & increased U.S. involvement in Vietnam the resolution gave President Johnson the authority to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against U.S. forces

U.S. Military Operation Rolling Thunder –air strikes to destroy war industries in N. Vietnam –the Ho Chi Minh Trail (a network of paths that supplied the Vietcong with weapons) –goal: crush N. Vietnam’s ability to supply Vietcong  war would end –dropped napalm & chemical poisons to burn the trail, which went through the jungle forest tactic: More bombs, more napalm, more air raids Search & Destroy Missions –find enemy camps & demolish them

Vietnamese Military tactic: guerilla warfare & knowledge of geography moving secretly, they set traps & land mines to kill & injure Americans surprise attacks How do Americans find the “enemy?”

American War Effort TV & media shaped public opinion –s–saw images of the war & casualties –c–changed people’s minds from pro war to anti- war –M–Martin Luther King Jr. = antiwar (focus on home problems) College kids voice their opinion & protest the draft

Tet Offensive Tet – Vietnamese New Year; N. Vietnamese & Vietcong attacked American forces this surprise attack shocked Americans & weakened public confidence in the government’s conduct of the war; however, more troops were sent … we were losing the war this event resulted in the increase of American opposition to the war

Vietnamization President Nixon’s plan to gradually turn over all of the fighting to the South Vietnamese Army & pull out U.S. would continue to provide supplies & training to S. Vietnam Nixon threatened nuclear war, but it did nothing N. Vietnamese determined to unite all of Vietnam

Consequences of War 1 million N. Vietnamese soldiers dead 185,000 S Vietnamese soldiers dead 500,000 Vietnamese civilians dead Laos & Cambodia became communist countries (neighbors to Vietnam) 60,000 American soldiers dead Led to American’s eyes being opened to govt. deception –War Powers Act

Legislation passed because of Vietnam 26 th amendment War Powers Act of 1973

26 th Amendment lowered the federal voting age from 21 to 18 if you’re old enough to fight, you’re old enough to vote

War Powers Act of 1973 required U.S. President to get congressional approval before committing U.S. troops to an armed struggle (i.e. Iraq); limits President’s power this gave Congress increased responsibility for setting U.S. war policy