1. VIETNAM: A LOOK BACK

2. 1890’s  Indochina part of French Empire  Ho Chi Minh begins to rebel

3. 1930  Ho Chi Minh forms the Indochinese Communist Party  Don’t forget, he had been shut out at Versailles

4. 1941  Japan takes over Vietnam  Ho Chi Minh and others form Vietminh –Dedicated to the independence of Vietnam –U.S. quietly supports Ho with money and arms  WHY?

5. 1945  Japan is defeated and Ho Chi Minh declares independence  Vietnamese Declaration of Independence is based on the United States’ Declaration

6. 1946  French want colony back  Regain control of south of Vietnam  Ho Chi Minh wages war from North

7. 1947  The Truman Doctrine

8. 1950  Truman sends $15 million to French  1950-1954:$2 billion  WHY IS U.S. SUPPORTING FRENCH?

9. FEAR  What is U.S. afraid of?  CONTAINMENT of Soviet expansionism  China, Eastern Europe are already communist. Korean War is about to begin-Korea will go communist  Think about Cold War Mind Maps  WHAT ARE BENEFITS OF SUPPORTING FRANCE?  How does Ho Chi Minh view this?

10. 1953  Eisenhower continues aid  Domino Theory  “You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over quickly.”  Take a look at map-Why is region important geographically?

11. 1954  Vietminh beat French at Dien Bien Phu  So what happens next?

12. 1954 Contd.  Major players meet in Geneva, Switzerland to try to create a peace  Create Geneva Accords –Vietnam divided along 17 th parallel  North=Ho Chi Minh, South=Ngo Dinh Diem –Election for unification to be held 1956

13. 1956  Diem refuses to take part in elections  U.S. supports cancellation  Diem agrees to reform but does not

14. 1957-1959  Communist opposition group is formed in South=Viet Cong (National Liberation Front)  Ho Chi Minh Trail to supply-  See Tunnels  Guerrilla attacks begin against South and ARVN (South Vietnamese Army)  “Sink or Swim with Ngo Dinh Diem”

15. The Viet Cong Tunnel Complex: Rule s of War

16. 1961  Kennedy takes office, also decides to sink or swim.  “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty. We will do this and more.”-John F. Kennedy

17. 1963  16,000 U.S. mililtary in Vietnam  Diem creates “strategic hamlet program”  Diem attacks Buddhists

18. November, 1963  Nov. 1: U.S. supports coup against Diem, he is assassinated  Vietnam in chaos, VC takes more influence in South  Nov. 22: Kennedy is killed.  SO WHAT?

19. Lyndon Baines Johnson  LBJ takes over.  “If I…let the Communists take over South Vietnam, then…my nation would be seen as an appeaser, and we would find it impossible to accomplish anything…anywhere on the globe.”

20. The Tonkin Gulf Incident See EBOOK!