1. BY: MELISSA MONTES, KATE MCNALLY AND HAILEY SCHIEFELBEIN 17-3 VIETNAM

2. THE ROAD TO WAR Ho Chi Minh- A Young Nationalist, who turned to communists, especially the Soviets, for support in gaining independence from the French after World War II. Minh had control over Northern Vietnam. Fun Fact: He Admired Thomas Jefferson French controlled much of South East Asia including Vietnam. The nationalists and communist joined to fight the French.

3. NGO DINH DIEM Left Vietnam for United States Opposed communism and French colonization Appointed ruler of Vietnam by US Americas realized he was a bad ‘puppet’ ruler Became a ‘dictator’, US did not like him In 1963, President Diem was overthrown in military coup

4. UNITED STATES INVOLVEMENT US enters war when Ho Chi Minh turns to communist Soviet Union for aid and they wanted to assist their ally France. Containment Policy- policy directed at blocking soviet influence and preventing the expansion of communism. US appoints Ngo Dinh Diem as the anti-communist leader of South Vietnam. President Eisenhower meeting with Ngo Dinh Diem

5. DOMINO THEORY “Southeast Asian countries were like row of dominos”- U.S. President Eisenhower Fall of one to communism would lead to fall of neighbors

6. VIETCONG Trained soldiers from North Vietnam Communist guerrillas Haters of Diem Controlled large areas of countryside Blended into society and communicated with each other using codes and signs. Had support from the North Vietnamese as well as the government.

7. DURING THE WAR US had been helping the South Vietnamese since the 1950’s In 1964 President Johnson informed the American congress that two American Destroyers had been attacked by North Vietnamese patrol boats. In response us sent 185,000 troops to Vietnam even though war had not been declared. By 1968 half a million troops had landed on Vietnam soil. 2 main struggles US faced: Fighting in a guerrilla war in unfamiliar terrain The South Vietnamese were becoming more and more unpopular. Unable to gain victory on land they turned to air power bombing much of civilian land in hope that it would destroy enemy hide outs.

8. BACK AT HOME Many people in the US did not agree with US soldiers being in Vietnam. There was much propaganda that brought up the ideas of Love not War. It not only affected the people personally but traveled through the media, especially music.

9. KENT STATE SHOOTING On May 4, 1970 the Ohio National Guard shot into a crowd of protesters at Kent State University killing 4 and injering 9. This brought about much controversy through out the nation.

10. UN INVOLVEMENT The United Nations opposed the war effort. The war was a multilateral invasion by the US, without UN Security Council support. The United Nations was used as a point for protests On the November 9, 1965 Roger Allen LaPorte set himself on fire, in protest of the war, front of the UN Headquarters building in New York City.

11. LAST EFFORTS Last war efforts included Vietnamization- the pulling out of American troops while the South Vietnamese continued to fight the North. President Nixon wanted to maintain the South Vietnamese government so he allowed massive bombings on North Vietnamese bases and supply routes as well as surrounding nations.

13. US WITHDRAWS Due to continued protests the last American troops departed from Vietnam in 1973. After the departure of US troops the North overtook the South and renamed the capital city after their dead leader Ho Chi Minh City. They also established a communist government. 1.5 Million Vietnamese died as well as 58,000 American soldiers.

14. PRIMARY DOCUMENT

15. Discussion Questions Why do you think the first man used the term “World” when asking his parents how life was? Why do you think the second man said, “well enough of soothing my own conscience and guilt…”? What is something that the two men have in common? Do you think that all the soldiers had the same viewpoints as these men? What can one say about the men and the dates in which they entered the war and the dates on their letters? What is something from the two letters that changes your viewpoint of the war?

16. Works Cited Spartacus. Web. 5 May 2012.. Edelman, Bernard. Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam. New York: Norton, 1985. Print.