Vietnam

French Indochina War France controlled “Indochina” France controlled “Indochina” –1800-WWII Plantation colony Plantation colony –Rice, rubber Peasant unrest, uprisings Peasant unrest, uprisings French crush French crush –Free speech, jail

Indochinese Communist Party Founded 1930 Founded 1930 Ho Chi Minh Ho Chi Minh Ran away from Vietnam to USSR and China Ran away from Vietnam to USSR and China –French want dead Returns 1941 Returns 1941 Form Vietminh Form Vietminh –Pro-Independence

Events of WWII/post-WWII Japanese control Vietnam Japanese control Vietnam Forced to leave in 1945 Forced to leave in 1945 Minh declares independence in Hanoi Minh declares independence in Hanoi French send troops in 1946, take control of southern half--war French send troops in 1946, take control of southern half--war Truman sends $15 mill. In 1950 for French effort Truman sends $15 mill. In 1950 for French effort $2.6 billion $2.6 billion

Eisenhower continues support of French Eisenhower continues support of French Domino Theory Domino Theory May ’54 Dien Bien Phu May ’54 Dien Bien Phu –Vietnimh beat French France surrenders, begins to pull out France surrenders, begins to pull out May-July ’54-Peace treaty in Geneva May-July ’54-Peace treaty in Geneva Geneva Accords Geneva Accords –Divide according to 17 th parallel –1956 election to unify country

Problems Minh brutal, but gives peasants land. Minh brutal, but gives peasants land. National hero for beating Japanese and French National hero for beating Japanese and French U.S. supplies military and economic aid to S. Vietnam U.S. supplies military and economic aid to S. Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem opposes elections 1956 Ngo Dinh Diem opposes elections 1956

Eisenhower promises aid to Diem if reforms gov’t Eisenhower promises aid to Diem if reforms gov’t S. Vietnamese corruption, anti-Buddhist S. Vietnamese corruption, anti-Buddhist opposition group, Viet-cong forms opposition group, Viet-cong forms –Assassinates thousands of Vietnamese officials National Liberation Front National Liberation Front –Support of Ho Chi Minh U.S. “sink or swim with Ngo Dinh Diem” U.S. “sink or swim with Ngo Dinh Diem”

Kennedy and Diem Sends military advisors to train S. Vietnamese troops Sends military advisors to train S. Vietnamese troops ,000 American soldiers in Vietnam ,000 American soldiers in Vietnam Diem starts moving peasants for their protection, more upsets Diem starts moving peasants for their protection, more upsets Attacks on Buddhism Attacks on Buddhism Buddhist Protest Buddhist Protest

Coup Nov 1, 1963 Nov 1, 1963 Coup on Diem Coup on Diem –Executed Leads to instability in gov’t Leads to instability in gov’t North Vietnamese push harder for Communist unification North Vietnamese push harder for Communist unification

Escalation Kennedy planning on withdrawing? Kennedy planning on withdrawing? Johnson afraid of looking “soft on communism” Johnson afraid of looking “soft on communism”

Tonkin Gulf Aug 2, 1964 Aug 2, 1964 North Vietnamese fired on USS Maddox North Vietnamese fired on USS Maddox Aug 4, N. Vietnamese fire two torpedoes Aug 4, N. Vietnamese fire two torpedoes Johnson orders Bombing raids and asks Congress for help Johnson orders Bombing raids and asks Congress for help Aug 7, Tonkin Gulf Resolution Aug 7, Tonkin Gulf Resolution –Military powers to Johnson

The Problem Maddox was a spy boat Maddox was a spy boat The two torpedoes never happened The two torpedoes never happened Maddox fired on Vietnamese Maddox fired on Vietnamese Johnson had Tonkin resolution prepared for months Johnson had Tonkin resolution prepared for months

War By end ,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam By end ,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam General Westmoreland General Westmoreland Little confidence in S. Vietnamese Army Little confidence in S. Vietnamese Army ,000 U.S. troops ,000 U.S. troops

Agent Orange