Mr. Ermer U.S. History Honors Miami Beach Senior High

French Indochina

During WWII, France loses control of it’s colonies in Indochina to Japan, attempts to reestablish control after the war U.S. supports French control of Indochina as a stable source of natural resources for rebuilding Japanese economy as strong U.S. ally U.S. also supports French claim to protect French economy U.S. pays 80% of French military budget in First Indochina War French fighting communists nationalists in their colony of Vietnam, led by Ho Chi Minh Ho Chi Mihn’s nationalist party called the Vietminh 1941: Vietminh declare Vietnam’s independence, est. capital in Hanoi Dien Bien Phu (1953) French troops surrounded by Vietminh forces, Eisenhower refuses to intervene, French begin losing control of Vietnam The Geneva Conference Ceasefire called, Vietnam divided in two at 17 th parallel Vietminh control areas north of the line, with capital at Hanoi Pro-Western government control areas south of the line, capital in Saigon Elections planned for 1956

Ngo Dinh Diem named president of South Vietnam, U.S. support A catholic from central Vietnam, Diem was outsider in South Vietnam Uses brutal tactics to suppress rebellion, again with U.S. support Diem suspends 1956 elections, U.S. supports fearing Ho Chi Minh win South Vietnam = second largest recipient of U.S. aid, after South Korea Diem targets Vietminh who stayed in south after partition Ho Chi Minh renews armed struggle for unification Southern Vietminh start new organization National Liberation Front (NLF) Americans refer to NLF as “Vietcong” 1961: Vietcong destabilizes Diem regime, controls most of countryside Vietcong kills 4,000 government officials in a year Diem begins losing control over South Vietnamese military 1963: Diem targets Vietnamese Buddhists Buddhist monks practice self-immolation in protest 1963: Kennedy administration supports military coup South Vietnamese generals overthrow, kill Diem and brother

LBJ takes over presidency weeks after Diem is overthrown LBJ escalates American involvement in Vietnam LBJ retains intensely anti-communist Kennedy advisors Dean Rusk, Robert McNamara, McGeorge Bundy, Robert Kennedy LBJ also wants to appear as strong leader Way of boosting anti-communist credentials LBJ sends 5,000 military advisors to South Vietnam August 1964: U.S. navy patrols attacked in Gulf of Tonkin Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Congress authorizes President Johnson to “take all necessary measures” to “prevent further aggression” and protect Americans and their interests in Vietnam February 1965: Vietcong attack on marines causes LBJ to order bombing of North Vietnam, continues until 1972 March 1965: 100,000 American troops fighting in Vietnam 1966: 360,00 troops, 1967: 500,000 troops—deaths mounting

The Tet Offensive January 31, 1968: Communist forces launch huge attack on American and South Vietnamese forced during holiday January 31 was first day of Tet (Vietnamese New Year) Images of Tet Offensive seen by Americans on nightly news Tet Offensive ended up as a failure by Viet Cong, U.S. forces retake cities Tet Offensive also a loss for the Johnson administration Brutality of images cause many Americans to favor de-escalation Election of 1968 LBJ decides not to run for reelection with 35% popularity rating Democrats begin to support anti-war candidate Eugene McCarthy Robert Kennedy soon joins the Democratic Primary campaign Robert Kennedy assassinated Vice President Hubert Humphrey enters race Riots break out at Democratic National Convention in Chicago

Republican Richard Nixon wins election in 1968 Nixon seeks a solution to stalemate in Vietnam Institutes Military Draft Lottery to quell domestic dissent, then volunteer army Vows reduction of U.S. troops by training and equipping Vietnamese troops, policy known as “Vietnamization” 1971: Vietnamization fails, Nixon escalates war effort, secretly enter Cambodia, renewed bombings in North Vietnam Students at Kent State University protest war, shot at/killed Congress repeals the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution The Pentagon Papers Leaked Defense Department report proving government lied about war My Lai Massacre Easter Offensive: Large scale Vietminh Offensive in 1972 Nixon orders massive retaliation

During 1972 presidential campaign, peace talks between North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and U.S. begin in Paris After election announcement that talks breaking down The Christmas Bombings December 17 U.S. begins largest, most destructive bombing campaign of the entire war January 1973: North and South Vietnam restart peace talks North Vietnam agrees to release U.S. P.O.W.s and stop fighting U.S. agrees to pull out of Vietnam March 1975: North Vietnamese forces launch full attack on South April: North Vietnamese take control of Saigon, rename Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam becomes fully communist country Cambodia also falls to Khmer Rouge communist forces

On page 414, write and answer questions 1-11