The Sixties: “The Times They are a-Changin” Unit 10 chapters 20, 22, and 23 Gateway Chapter 15 Part 2

Background to the Vietnam War: the Struggle over Indochina Indochina was a French colony in the 19th century; it was then seized by Japan in 1940. Communist Ho Chi Minh led a nationalist resistance movement. After the war, he declared Vietnam to be independent. France refused to accept the new nation, leading to armed conflict for nine years.

B. In 1954, France surrendered. In the Geneva Accords, Laos and Cambodia became independent. Vietnam was divided between Communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam under the Vietnamese Emperor. Elections and reunification were supposed to occur in 1956.

The Vietnam War: Early American Involvement In the South, Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem deposed the Emperor. Diem refused to hold elections in 1956, and established an oppressive regime in the South.

South Vietnamese Communists formed a revolutionary army, the Vietcong, and began guerrilla warfare.

The U.S. supported South Vietnam for a number of reasons. It feared the “domino theory” had obligations under SEATO believed the Vietnam would benefit from democracy wanted to assure the “Free World” of its protection thought it could win the war easily.

American involvement began when President Kennedy sent military advisers to Diem. When both leaders were assassinated in 1963, President Johnson escalated involvement. After a supposed attack on American ships, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution giving Johnson extraordinary power of intervention. He sent the first troops to Vietnam in 1965.

VI. The Vietnam War: Escalation Johnson hoped to win the war with American technological superiority. Bombs including napalm which burned skin and everything else. Agent Orange – environmentally destructive Helicopters

B. Americans faced problems. not used to the environment Vietcong and guerilla attacks enemy hid among civilians , so American “search and destroy” missions destroyed whole villages. Many civilians fled to cities like Saigon, which became overcrowded and corrupt. The U.S. became increasingly unpopular

In 1968, the Vietcong launched the “Tet Offensive.” Although eventually driven out, the attack showed their strength. Johnson announced he would not run for another term as President.

The war dragged on because America did not want to surrender and seem weak to the world, but the Communists were committed to their cause and were aided by China and Russia. Nixon was elected President in 1968. His policy of “Vietnamization” replaced American troops with South Vietnamese. He also increased bombing in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.

In 1973, Dr. Henry Kissinger signed the Paris Peace Accords with North Vietnam. The US withdrew all troops but continued to send aid. South Vietnam fell to the Communists in 1975.