1. Was US involvement in Vietnam inevitable?

2. Vietnam - Background Controlled by France until WWII Seized by Japan Pushed for independence after the war

3. Ho Chi Minh Leader of a nationalist movement in Vietnam Founded the Vietminh

4. Domino Theory The belief that if Vietnam fell to communism, all of southeast Asia would follow

5. Truman Aids French Feared Communism’s spread in Asia Contributed $2 billion to French war effort 80% of cost

6. Eisenhower and Vietnam Continued funding Sent 200 American “technicians” to assist Refused to intervene with air support at Dien Bien Phu Aided S. Vietnam as independent nation

7. Division of Vietnam According to the Geneva Accords Divided at the 17 th parallel Elections to be held in 1956 to unite the country

8. North Vietnam Ho Chi Minh and the Vietminh controlled the north Communist supporters

9. South Vietnam Pro-western regime Led by Ngo Dinh Diem Supported by the U.S.

10. Diem’s Government Diem regime became corrupt and repressive Repressed Buddhist peasants Refused to hold promised elections

11. Vietnam Ho Chi Minh formed the National Liberation Front (NLF) to reunite the country Guerrilla terrorist forces known as the Vietcong

12. Vietnam November 1, 1963 Diem overthrown and assassinated w/ US help https://www.you tube.com/watch ?v=OqyklafeXp Y

13. Vietnam Johnson followed idea of global containment “I am not going to lose Vietnam” Intended to increase troops

14. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution August 2, 1964 North Vietnamese fired on U.S. destroyer Maddox Congress gave Johnson a mandate to conduct operations in Vietnam

15. War Escalates March 8, 1965 Marines landed at Da Nang By 1968, over 500,000 troops were stationed in Vietnam

16. Vietnam Warfare Vietcong used ambushes, booby traps and guerilla warfare in the thick Asian jungles

18. Realities of War “Three quarters of the way through the tangle, a trooper brushed against a two- inch vine, and a grenade slung chest high went off, shattering the right side of his head and body... Nearby troopers took hold of the unconscious soldier and, half carrying, half dragging him, pulled him the rest of the way through the tangle.”

19. Vietnam Warfare U.S. carried out search and destroy missions Get rid of thick jungle hiding places by using napalm and Agent Orange (kills foliage)

20. Ho Chi Minh Trail Main supply line for the North Vietnamese Passed through Cambodia and Laos Received military support from China and USSR

21. Tet Offensive January 1968 Vietcong launched assaults on South Vietnam, nearly overran Saigon Americans viewed war as unwinnable

24. Antiwar Movement By 1967 – U.S. public discontent with the war Television coverage, body counts, carnage

25. Counterculture Movements Youth attack on mainstream America Student protests Revolution against middle class respectability

26. Election of 1968 Democrat – Hubert Humphrey Republican – Richard Nixon Independent – George Wallace

27. Troop Withdrawal June 1969 Nixon announced the withdrawal of 25,000 troops

28. My Lai Massacre Nov. 1969 Slaughter of 350 Vietnamese villagers by U.S. troops Sinking morale among troops

29. Mobilization Day November 16, 1969 ½ million protestors of the war in Washington Anger over news of Cambodia invasion

30. Kent State May 4, 1970 National Guard fired into an anti-war rally 4 students killed, 11 wounded

31. Kent State

33. Cambodian Offensive Nixon bombed Cambodia in effort to cut supply line on Ho Chi Minh Trail Meant to show strength in advance of peace talks Seen as illegal widening of the war by many

34. Vietnamization Reduce American presence by building up ARVN (S. Vietnam’s army) ARVN elite troops were good, but suffered defeats in Cambodia due to small numbers and Vietcong intel

35. Linkage Effort to link American concessions to aid from USSR and China in ending the war Nixon wanted war to go past 1972 election Continued bombing North to show strength

36. Paris Peace Accords January 27, 1973 Ceasefire agreement that accepted North Vietnamese troops in South Vietnam Troop withdrawal began

37. Vietnam Reunification March 1975 – final offensive of North Vietnamese against the South April 29, 1975 – Vietnam was reunited Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City

38. Fall of Saigon