1. Vietnam
US History II

3. Communism in Indo-China
Ho Chi Minh & the NVA
Led communists against Japanese, French & Americans
North Vietnamese Army (NVA) – Vietcong, VC

4. Domino Theory
If one country falls to communism in South East Asia, then all will fall to communism.

5. <1954> Dien Bien Phu
French forces are defeated by Ho Chi Minh’s forces
Geneva Accords – Divides Vietnam:
North Communism / South Democracy
Ngo Dinh Diem – Pres. of South – canceled elections of 1956 w/ US support (corrupt)

6. Strategic Hamlet Program
Attempts to protect South Vietnam from Vietcong (VC)
JFK sent 16,000 military advisors for President Diem
Move villages, uproot families, treat Buddhists poorly
Bad information – US believed it was working but it was not
US approved a coup d'état and assassinated President Diem

7. Strategic Hamlet Program

8. <Aug. 1964> Gulf of Tonkin incident
North Vietnam “fired” torpedoes at USS Maddox
USA is angry! We must defend ourselves!
President Johnson asks congress to pass Tonkin Resolution
LBJ given the power to do whatever was necessary to win in Vietnam and defeat communism

9. US Escalates War General William Westmoreland
US General in charge of all forces in South Vietnam
ARVN
Army Republic of Vietnam (South)

10. Fighting in Vietnam Guerrilla Warfare Ambushes Hide and seek
Extensive tunnel systems

11. US Tactics (Strategies)
Agent Orange
- chemical sprayed to kill vegetation

12. US Tactics (Strategies)
Napalm
firebombing, jelly gasoline, burn the jungle

13. US Tactics (Strategies)
Search and destroy missions
Target homes, villages, and farms suspected to be occupied by VC

14. Vietcong Tactics VC tunnel system Guerrilla Warfare – ambush!
Difficult to find and fight against
No front lines

16. Vietcong (VC) Tactics Ho Chi Minh Trail
Vietcong supply and attack route to South Vietnam

17. Living Room War Credibility gap:
What Americans were being told by the government was not the same as what they were seeing on TV
Walter Cronkite:
Influential broadcaster CBS Evening News
Most “trusted” man in America

18. Most Trusted Man in America
Cronkite went to Vietnam and reported that he had seen the lies, corruption, and stalemate in that war and that it was time for us to go.
President Lyndon Johnson listened to Cronkite’s verdict with dismay and real sadness. As he famously remarked to an aide, “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost America.”