Honors United States History 20.1 The Vietnam War (1954-1975) Honors United States History 20.1

Indochina

A History of Foreign Rulers China ruled Vietnam for 2,000 years Bring Buddhism, language, and rice France took over in the 1800s Catholicism, plantations, education, and infrastructure Indochina became one of France’s most lucrative possessions Rice – North; Rubber – South; Coal, Tin, and Zinc from mines Workers known as “coolies” – Asian laborers

Ho Chi Minh and the World Wars After WWI – Ho Chi Minh wanted to model a system of US system Wilson refused aid WWII – Japan’s GEACPS Ho and his VIET MINH - organization that led the struggle for Vietnamese independence from the French - spied and carried out guerilla warfare for the Allies Wants US help again but now a Communist

Stuck Between Scylla and Charybdis France wants control back after WWII US is anti-colonial but…is needs anticommunist forces in Europe

Truman has to choose… Mao’s PRC (1949) forces the US to France Pays 80% of the French bill and takes French troops to Vietnam Eisenhower comes to power Continues Truman’s policies to prevent his DOMINO THEORY – if Vietnam falls to Communism all its closest allies would follow

War Continues Indochina French victory Initial military success Gained control of Saigon Viet Minh heavily outnumbered the French but could not get weapons or munitions Placed Bao Dai as ruler Catholic, seen as puppet Tried to seem pro-Vietnamese, anti-communist, anti-colonial Ho is gaining support throughout Vietnam Created Vietnamese National Army (VNA)

Dien Bien Phu and the Geneva Accords 1954 – French lose at Dien Bien Phu garrison to the Viet Minh US sends no soldiers, just money Geneva Accords Granted independence for Indochina Peace treaty divided Vietnam at 17th parallel Ho’s Communists in the North and anticommunist gov’t in South 1956 – election to reunite Vietnam

Chaos Followed the Accords Refugees 900,000 Catholics move to South Vietnam 80,000 Communists move North Eisenhower sends 900 army trainers to help the VNA (Vietnamese National Army) S. Vietnam now under Ngo Dihn Diem

US and S. Vietnam Rethink Geneva 1954 – SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) formed to stop Asian Communism US funds S. Vietnam Diem losing support Catholic, persecuted Buddhists Ho winning more supporters in S. Vietnam… CIA recognizes Diem will lose to Ho in 1956 election Diem pulled out

Civil War Breaks Out! 1957 – National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) form in S. Vietnam Assassinated South officials, blow up infrastruction, guerilla style warfare Undermined Diem’s gov’t Supplied by the North Vietnamese Army (Viet Minh)

JFK Intervenes After Bay of Pigs in 1961 Sent in 16,000 special forces troop “advisors” and 675 trainers for Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)

Dissatisfaction with Diem Repressive, torturous dictator Diem’s family holds all power, elites hold the wealth STRATEGIC HAMLET PROGRAM – contain potential communists in walled towns Buddhist peasants angry as removed from ancestral lands US keeps him in power

Early Protests of Diem’s Government

US Offs Diem JFK plots with anti-Diem generals in coup 2 Nov 1963 – Diem is killed Succession of leaders Nguyen Cao Ki (ran with Thieu) Then Nguyen Van Thieu took over when Ki retires

LBJ Amps Up JFK’s Approach Vows not to lose Vietnam in the same we we “lost” China, N. Korea, and Cuba

The Gulf of Tonkin Incident Aug 1964 – N. Vietnamese ship attacked USS Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin Gulf of Tonkin Resolution A Blank Check Gives LBJ the power to send troops into combat without Congress

LBJ Sends in Ground Forces China is still on LBJ’s mind “I’m not going to be the president who saw Southeast Asia go the way China went.” – Lyndon Johnson Advised to make the move by SoS Robert McNamara

Air Strikes Begin Against N. Vietnam Broadens US involvement – the war begins for the US US troops now directly engaged against North Vietnamese troops and the Viet Cong (VC)