 France has controlled Indochina since  In the mid-20 th century, the Vietnamese want to be independent.  Ho Chi Minh led communist troops.  The US backed the French, while the Chinese and Russians backed communist Vietnamese.  When it became clear the French were not in a position to win, the Geneva Conference was held.  What happened?

1954 Geneva Agreement

 1)Cease-fire

1954 Geneva Agreement  1) Cease-fire  2) French troops to withdraw.

1954 Geneva Agreement  1) Cease-fire  2) French troops to withdraw.  3) Vietnam divided into North and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel (demilitarized zone between the two).

1954 Geneva Agreement  1) Cease-fire  2) French troops to withdraw.  3) Vietnam divided into North and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel (demilitarized zone between the two).  4) Laos and Cambodia = independent states.

1954 Geneva Agreement  1) Cease-fire  2) French troops to withdraw.  3) Vietnam divided into North and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel (demilitarised zone between the two).  4) Laos and Cambodia = independent states.  5) National elections to be held in two years (by July 1956) throughout Indochina.

1954 Geneva Agreement  1) Cease-fire  2) French troops to withdraw.  3) Vietnam divided into North and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel (demilitarised zone between the two).  4) Laos and Cambodia = independent states.  5) National elections to be held in two years (by July 1956) throughout Indochina.  6) No foreign bases.

1954 Geneva Agreement  1) Cease-fire  2) French troops to withdraw.  3) Vietnam divided into North and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel (demilitarised zone between the two).  4) Laos and Cambodia = independent states.  5) National elections to be held in two years (by July 1956) throughout Indochina.  6) No foreign bases.  7) Freedom of movement between the North and South Vietnam for 300 days.

 Go through each of the agreements and decide which country’s aim it met.

 Who’s interests did the Conference seem to consider the most when putting together the agreement?  Is this surprising?  Do you think the terms of the agreement were met?

Ho Chi Minh Ngô Dình Diệm North VietnamSouth Vietnam

 While the agreement said “no foreign bases”, the Eisenhower administration did not follow it.  Instead, the Americans filled in when the French forces left.  The goal: ensure the success of the Nationalist gov’t in South Vietnam.  But problems within Vietnam would make this impossible.

 Canceled the election. › The US supported this since the Communist leader Minh more than likely would have won.  Headed a corrupt government. › Suppressed any kind of opposition.  Was a devout Catholic when most of the country was Buddhist.

 Between 1961 and 1963, President Kennedy launched a full-scale counterinsurgency program in Vietnam, part of which would become the “ pacification ” program.  Major goals › Strengthen the South Vietnamese government’s hold on the peasantry › Cut into the heart of the Viet Cong political and military organization  Designed to “win the hearts and minds” of the South Vietnamese

 Intensified his attack on Buddhism. › Destroyed temples and imprisoned or killed Buddhists priests.  Led to protests that horrified the American public.  The Kennedy administration decided the best way to handle the decision would be to get rid of Diem.  Part 1 of pacification: overthrow and assassinate Diem. › Kennedy himself would be assassinated a few weeks later and Johnson would take over the Vietnam problem.

 Part 2: Strategic Hamlet Program.  South Vietnamese peasants from scattered villages were brought together in defended and organized hamlets.  Goal: to protect, isolate the Viet Cong, and show the superiority of what the South Vietnamese government could offer.  The villagers were not pleased. › Meant moving from a place they lived for generations and where their ancestors were buried.

 Part 3: Combined Action Program :  Placed selected Marine squads within the village militia to eliminate local guerrillas.  Very successful at the local level but required a degree of American-Vietnamese cooperation unable to be replicated on a wider scale. › Drew American troops away from the “big war”.  It was decided this was not the best use of troops and pacification was left to the South Vietnamese who did not show an abundance of commitment to the task.

 Part 4: Chieu hoi (opens arms) amnesty program. › designed to persuade Vietcong to change sides.  When the Vietcong saw the program might bear fruit they unleashed a terrorist campaign that reduced defections from 5,000 to 500 a month.  The US responded with Operation Phoenix, a direct action plan to kill, capture, or co-opt the “provincial reconnaissance units”. These former VC who took advantage of the chieu hoi amnesty receive training in automotive repair to help them in their new lives

 Commonly considered a missed strategic opportunity.  Suffered from being “too little, too late”  Perceived as competition with the “big war” and many military officers favored a “military solution”

 In August, 1964 a North Vietnamese patrol boat fired a torpedo at the USS Maddox which was patrolling the Gulf of Tonkin off the North Vietnamese coast.  2 days later the crew reported enemy torpedoes again. › It was later discovered there was no hostile gunfire.

 In response, President Johnson asked Congress for powers to take “all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the US and to prevent further aggression”.  Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, granting Johnson military powers in Vietnam.

 In response to a Vietcong attack that killed 8 Americans, Johnson unleashed “ Operation Rolling Thunder ”. › First sustained bombing of North Vietnam.  But what about ground troops?

 In a ~6 sentence paragraph, answer the question above.  Consider: › Pacification attempts. › The role of the assassination of Diem. › Gulf of Tonkin Incident. › Johnson’s actions after the Tonkin Gulf Resolution.