Cold War Roots of the Conflict The Vietnam War Years: (1954-1975) Chapter 30, Section 1
Essential Question: What justifies a country going to war?
Edward Lansdale U.S. Military Officer in South Vietnam in June 1954 Mission: Stop the Spread of Communism into South Vietnam (from North Vietnam) Believed U.S. Could Stop the Spread of Communism by: “Winning the Hearts and Minds of the People” Giving Generous Economic and Military Aid
Ngo Dinh Diem Leader of South Vietnam Opposed Communism U.S. Supported Ngo Dinh Diem The South Vietnamese Citizens HATED Ngo Dinh Diem
Where is Vietnam?
French Indo-China France Owned French Indo-China Since the Late 1800’s: Vietnam Laos Cambodia (Imperialism) (Colonies) France Wanted Vietnam for Rice and Rubber (Economic) The Vietnamese People Hated the French
Ho Chi Minh Leader of North Vietnam In 1930, Ho Chi Minh Formed the Indochinese Communist Party Wanted Freedom from France: Wanted Communism Wanted the Peasants and Workers to Run the Country (Majority of the People)
France’s Reaction Ho Chi Minh & the Indochinese Communist Party (ICP) Organized Protests for Independence France Reacted by Arresting Leaders of the ICP & Executions Ho Chi Minh was Sentenced to Death (Escaped Out of the Country) What is this Very Similar Too?
World War II During WWII, France Got it’s Butt Kicked by Germany Japan Took Over French Indo-China Ho Chi Minh Returned to Vietnam During WWII: Formed the Viet Minh Fought for Independence from Japan U.S. Supported Ho Chi Minh Against Japan (U.S. Enemy)
Japan’s Empire 1942
World War II Ends Japan Loses WWII Ho Chi Minh Declares Independence for French Indo-China France was Angry: France Wants Their Colonies Back! France & Vietnam Go to War in Vietnam (1946-1954)
France Struggles to Win France Struggled to Win the War in Vietnam – Asks the U.S. for Help U.S. Agreed to Help France: Cold War was Going On (Containment) Fear of the Spread of Communism in Asia (China & North Korea Turned) Wanted France to Help U.S. Against the Soviet Union in Europe Did NOT Want Vietnam to Become Communist Gave France $10 Million Dollars in Military Aid (Weapons) to Help France
The Domino Theory U.S. Belief That if a Country Became Communist, Nearby Neighboring Countries Would Then Also Become Communist Cold War Theory U.S. Feared if Vietnam Became Communist, So Would Other South Eastern Asian Countries
The Geneva Accords (1954) France Could NOT Defeat the Viet Minh Both France & Vietnam Agreed to a Peace Agreement to End the War in 1954 Geneva Accords: Vietnam Would Be Divided into North & South Vietnam by the 17th North Parallel Line TEMPORARILY Both Sides Agreed to Hold an Election in 1956 to Reunify the Country North Vietnam: Communism South Vietnam: Democracy
Ngo Dinh Diem Leader of South Vietnam Refused to Have an Election in 1956 (Violation of the Geneva Accords) U.S. Supported Diem Diem Would Have Lost to Ho Chi Minh South Vietnamese People Hated Diem: Did Not Establish a Democracy in S. Vietnam Ran a Corrupt Government Jailed, Tortured & Killed Opponents Against Him
Viet Cong South Vietnamese Who Believed in Communism & Hated Diem Fought to Overthrow Diem’s Government in South Vietnam and Reunite Vietnam to be Communist North Vietnam Supported the Viet Cong with War Supplies and Soldiers U.S. Would Struggle Fighting the Viet Cong
The Ho Chi Minh Trail Secret Underground Tunnel System Used by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese to Attack South Vietnam Used to Move Supplies and Troops Secretly Built Through Laos & Cambodia Why?
Fidel Castro Leader of Cuba Story of Cuban Revolution U.S. Supported Castro to Overthrow Cuban Government Castro Betrayed U.S. by Making Cuba Communist
Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961) U.S. Trained Cuban Exiles Who Fled Cuba to Invade Cuba & Overthrow Castro Why Doesn’t the U.S. Just Attack Cuba with it’s Own Army? There was a Spy! Cuba Was Waiting for the Invasion Attack Failed! U.S. Looks Really Bad!
The Berlin Wall The Soviets Built the Berlin Wall in 1961 East Germans (Berlin) Were Escaping into West Germany Soviets Built the Berlin Wall to Prevent East Germans Living in East Berlin Escaping West Cold War Tensions Increased Between the U.S. & the U.S.S.R.
The Berlin Wall
Hypothesize Why Do YOU Think the Berlin Wall Symbolized Communist Oppression?
Fidel Castro’s Fears After the Bay of Pigs Invasion, Fidel Castro Feared a U.S. Invasion Asked the Soviet Union for Military Aid The Soviet Union Secretly Placed Nuclear Missiles in Cuba Could Attack the U.S. in Minutes
The Cuban Missile Crisis U.S. Found Out About the Soviet Missiles in Cuba: Cuba is Located 90 Miles Away From Florida Could Strike the U.S. in Minutes Could Start WWIII JFK Told Cuba They Must Remove the Missiles or Else Cuba Refused “The Greatest Danger of All Would be to do Nothing” If YOU Were JFK, What Would YOU Have Done?
JFK Orders a Naval Blockade John F. Kennedy Decides to Order a Naval Blockade of Cuba No Soviet Ships Allowed In or Out of Cuba Until Cuba Agrees to Remove the Missiles Peaceful Tactic/ Avoids War for Now YouTube JFK Speaking to the Country!
Thirteen Days For 13 Days, the U.S. & the Soviet Union Waited for the Other Side to Blink The World Waited for World War III to Break Out Nuclear War! Thirteen Days is a Great Movie About the Cuban Missile Crisis
World War III? Ask Your Grandparents What Schools Did in Case of a Nuclear Attack I Call it the, “Bend Over and Kiss Your Butt Good-Bye” Policy
The 13th Day On the 13th Day, After the U.N. Meeting, the Soviet Union Turned Their Ships Around Soviet Union Agreed to Remove Missiles From Cuba U.S. Agreed to Remove Nuclear Missiles from Turkey (Close to the U.S.S.R.) 6 Months Later WWIII Was Avoided
Back to Vietnam… In South Vietnam, More and More Citizens Hated Diem U.S. Told Diem to Make Political, Economic & Political Changes Diem Refused U.S. Supported a Military Coup to Overthrew Diem
JFK Assassinated Diem Was Assassinated Despite JFK’s Wishes 3 Weeks Later, JFK Was Assassinated LBJ Took Over as President LBJ Wished to Fight in Vietnam to Stop the Spread of Communism
Hypothesize Why do YOU think many Americans disagreed with the United States’ involvement in Vietnam?
Essential Question: What justifies a country going to war?