The Vietnam War

Vietnam War Why we fought?

America supports France in Vietnam 1950s Late 1800s Vietnam colony of France Occupied by Japan during WWII France wanted to regain control Vietnamese wanted independence U.S. supported France French dropping Napalm on N. Vietnam

Vietnamese Independence Movement Ho Chi Minh Communist leader Trained in China and Soviet Union Helped fight off Japanese National Hero Declared Independence from France Not so fast...

Vietminh drive out French 1954 Goal win independence from foreign rule Split in North and South/ 17 th Parallel North Communist/Ho Chi Minh South controlled by France/ Dien Bien Phu French surrender

Domino Theory 1954 President Eisenhower supports South Fear if one south east Asian country “Fall” to communism all would France gone U.S. aided South

Viet Cong/ Ho Chi Minh Trail 1957 Communist supporters in South Vietnam Supplied by Ho Chi Minh Trail Trail crossed through Cambodia and Laos

President Kennedy and Vietnam ( ) Stop spread of communism Sent aid and supplies ,000 U.S. “personnel” “In the final analysis, it’s their war” Support of South Problem- Southern leader corrupt/unpopular U.S. supports a coup and Diem was overthrown and assassinated Nov 1, 1963 JFK assassinated only weeks later

A small number of U.S. soldiers were stationed in South Vietnam A small number of U.S. soldiers were stationed in South Vietnam President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) wanted to “contain” N. Vietnam President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) wanted to “contain” N. Vietnam August 2, 1964August 2, 1964 –A U.S. spy ship was fired at by N. Vietnam –This happened in the Gulf of Tonkin –Another alleged attack on August 4, 1964 As a result of the attack (s)…

President Johnson/ Tonkin Gulf Resolution 1964 Feared being “soft” on communism Wanted to avoid appeasement Wanted to keep America’s credibility Aug 2- USS Maddox attacked Aug 4- Another alleged attack that turned out to be fake (never happened) Johnson bombed N. Vietnam No declaration of War Broad military powers

Tonkin Gulf Resolution Gave the president (LBJ) the power to go to war without having to ask Congress Gave the president (LBJ) the power to go to war without having to ask Congress Authorized him to use full military force without an official declaration of war Authorized him to use full military force without an official declaration of war Just over 2 million Americans would fight in VietnamJust over 2 million Americans would fight in Vietnam He soon called for an escalationHe soon called for an escalation –13,700 Americans were drafted in 1965

Operation Rolling Thunder 1965 Major bombing of North Vietnam 500,000 American troops Fighting Vietcong in South Problem no credible Vietnamese leader to hold together South’s government

Most Americans supported the War in the beginning Most Americans supported the War in the beginning Most soldiers thought the War would be over quicklyMost soldiers thought the War would be over quickly

War for Independence The Vietnamese felt it was a war against U.S. occupiers. Most didn’t care about communism... Wanted an independent country free from foreign rule.

Survival For the soldiers Vietnam was survival against Guerrilla forces. A Different kind of enemy and different kind of war from the generation before.