Aim: How did the United States become involved in the Vietnam conflict?

Background of the War  Vietnam was a French colony that was invaded by Japan during WWII  Ho Chi Minh fought against the Japanese and against France when they returned after the war  Ho was communist and a nationalist  His army was called the Vietminh  Vietnam was a French colony that was invaded by Japan during WWII  Ho Chi Minh fought against the Japanese and against France when they returned after the war  Ho was communist and a nationalist  His army was called the Vietminh

Domino Theory  Introduced by Eisenhower in 1954  Based on the belief that if one country accepted communism, all those around would as well  Goal: Protect Japan  Introduced by Eisenhower in 1954  Based on the belief that if one country accepted communism, all those around would as well  Goal: Protect Japan

Dienbienphu: Exit France  The French spent billions to fight the Vietminh and keep Vietnam as a colony  The French welcomed a conflict with the Vietminh at Dienbienphu and lost  This loss triggered French surrender  The French spent billions to fight the Vietminh and keep Vietnam as a colony  The French welcomed a conflict with the Vietminh at Dienbienphu and lost  This loss triggered French surrender

A Divided Vietnam  Negotiated Settlement: The Geneva Accords divided Vietnam into a Communist North and a Non-communist South  Ho Chi Minh controlled the North, Ngo Dihn Diem controlled the South  The U.S. supported Diem  Negotiated Settlement: The Geneva Accords divided Vietnam into a Communist North and a Non-communist South  Ho Chi Minh controlled the North, Ngo Dihn Diem controlled the South  The U.S. supported Diem

A Fateful Commitment  The Geneva Accords called for elections in 1956 to unify the country under Ho or Diem  Diem knew he would lose and cancelled the election  Ike chose to continue funding Diem’s government.  The Geneva Accords called for elections in 1956 to unify the country under Ho or Diem  Diem knew he would lose and cancelled the election  Ike chose to continue funding Diem’s government.

Ike supports Diem

An Unpopular Diem  Most Vietnamese were Buddhist; Diem was Catholic.  Diem oppressed the Buddhists and was never popular in the South.  His government was corrupt.  South Vietnam was never stable.  Most Vietnamese were Buddhist; Diem was Catholic.  Diem oppressed the Buddhists and was never popular in the South.  His government was corrupt.  South Vietnam was never stable.

JFK’S Decision: Diem is Out  JFK supports a military take-over of South Vietnam  Diem is assassinated  The U.S. becomes materially involved in the South Vietnam’s government  U.S. military assistance to South Vietnam increases  JFK supports a military take-over of South Vietnam  Diem is assassinated  The U.S. becomes materially involved in the South Vietnam’s government  U.S. military assistance to South Vietnam increases

LBJ & Escalation  President Johnson honored JFK’s commitment to South Vietnam  He did not want to lose any territory to Communism  8/2/64: The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: The USS Maddox reported that North Vietnamese forces fired on it  President Johnson honored JFK’s commitment to South Vietnam  He did not want to lose any territory to Communism  8/2/64: The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: The USS Maddox reported that North Vietnamese forces fired on it

The Tonkin Gulf Resolution  Congress granted LBJ the right to use force in Vietnam without any further Congressional supervision or approval.  Passed the House of Reps:  Passed the Senate: 88-2  Congress granted LBJ the right to use force in Vietnam without any further Congressional supervision or approval.  Passed the House of Reps:  Passed the Senate: 88-2

New War Leaders Ho Chi Minh Lyndon B. Johnson

New Generals Westmoreland Giap

Johnson’s Escalation and Beyond:US Troop levels in Vietnam

The Enemy Within: The National Liberation Front  The NLF comprised South Vietnamese who supported a communist government  Their efforts were coordinated with the North Vietnamese Army (NVA)  Americans called them “Vietcong” or “Charlie”  The NLF comprised South Vietnamese who supported a communist government  Their efforts were coordinated with the North Vietnamese Army (NVA)  Americans called them “Vietcong” or “Charlie”

A Working-class War 70% of the men sent to Vietnam were lower-class or middle-class families. The average soldier was 19 years old Most soldiers were drafted--few enlisted Soldiers served a tour of duty: approximately one year 70% of the men sent to Vietnam were lower-class or middle-class families. The average soldier was 19 years old Most soldiers were drafted--few enlisted Soldiers served a tour of duty: approximately one year

Difficult Conditions

Opposing strategies and weapons Versus Bikes B-52s

Opposing strategies and weapons  How do these images symbolize how each side fought the Vietnam War?  What were the strengths and weaknesses of each strategy?

The Ho Chi Minh Trail

Vietcong Underground tunnels

Fighting the Enemy

Finding the Enemy: Search & Destroy

The Air War  More tonnage of bombs was dropped on Vietnam than had been dropped during WWI, WWII, and in Korea  It had little effect: The Vietnamese did not have large and vulnerable urban centers

Napalm and Agent Orange  Napalm: jelly-like gasoline that clung to flesh and burned  Agent Orange: a defoliant designed to kill plant life and uncover the enemy  Agent Orange later caused cancer and birth defects.  Napalm: jelly-like gasoline that clung to flesh and burned  Agent Orange: a defoliant designed to kill plant life and uncover the enemy  Agent Orange later caused cancer and birth defects.

Iconic Victim of Napalm bombing 9 year old Kim Phuc Phan

Iconic Napalm victim today Kim Phuc Phan in adulthood

Tet Offensive: Jan. ‘68

Tet Offensive

South Vietnamese Colonel executes a Vietcong suspect

The Effects of Tet  The NLF initially overtook hundreds of towns and threatened non-communist governments across the South  The NLF suffered terrible losses when it directly confronted the U.S. military  A “Credibility Gap” developed: Americans stopped believing that the U.S. could win the war in Vietnam.  People distrusted government reports about the war.  The NLF initially overtook hundreds of towns and threatened non-communist governments across the South  The NLF suffered terrible losses when it directly confronted the U.S. military  A “Credibility Gap” developed: Americans stopped believing that the U.S. could win the war in Vietnam.  People distrusted government reports about the war.

1968: Exit LBJ  Due to the war’s unpopularity, Johnson decided not to run for re- election and to purse peace talks with the North Vietnamese.

The Election of Richard Nixon

Nixon’s Promises  Nixon claimed to have a “secret plan” to end the war in Vietnam  He promised to represent America’s “Silent Majority”: patriotic Americans who did not protest the war and valued Law and Order

Nixon’s War Policies  Nixon began “Vietnamization”: pulling U.S. troops from Vietnam and relying on South Vietnamese soldiers  He increased U.S. bombing of North Vietnam  He secretly invaded Cambodia to attack part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail

From Cambodia to Kent State  More than 1 million student’s protested Nixon’s invasion of Cambodia  May 4, 1970: Protestors at Kent State burned the ROTC building.  The Ohio National Guard later shot & killed 4 protestors  More than 1 million student’s protested Nixon’s invasion of Cambodia  May 4, 1970: Protestors at Kent State burned the ROTC building.  The Ohio National Guard later shot & killed 4 protestors

Nixon ends the War in 1973  America ended combat operations in support of South Vietnam  Nixon believed America had preserved its image as a super-power  The US could have had this type of peace years before 1973  America ended combat operations in support of South Vietnam  Nixon believed America had preserved its image as a super-power  The US could have had this type of peace years before 1973

Panic in South Vietnam  Many South Vietnamese wanted to leave with the Americans. They did not expect their country to survive.  April 1975: Saigon falls to communist forces. The nation unites under communist rule.  Many South Vietnamese wanted to leave with the Americans. They did not expect their country to survive.  April 1975: Saigon falls to communist forces. The nation unites under communist rule.

Congress learns a Lesson  The War Powers Act of 1973: a limit on presidential power.  An example of checks and balances  The president must inform Congress within 48 hours if US troops are sent abroad  Troops can only stay abroad 90 days without Congressional approval.  The War Powers Act of 1973: a limit on presidential power.  An example of checks and balances  The president must inform Congress within 48 hours if US troops are sent abroad  Troops can only stay abroad 90 days without Congressional approval.

A Terrible Price  More than 58,000 American dead  365,000 Americans wounded  1.5 million Vietnamese killed  Southeast Asia was destabilized: Radical Communists in Cambodia (The Khmer Rouge) came to power and killed 2 million Cambodians  More than 58,000 American dead  365,000 Americans wounded  1.5 million Vietnamese killed  Southeast Asia was destabilized: Radical Communists in Cambodia (The Khmer Rouge) came to power and killed 2 million Cambodians

The Vietnam War Memorial Maya Lin, 1981

Vietnam is a country, not a war!