1. Vietnam War

2. Why did the United States become involved in Vietnam?
Essential Question

3. Indochina

4. French Indochina Interest in Rubber Plantations
Converted minority to Catholic faith: gave them positions of privilege
Forced labor system for peasants
Export rice crop in times of starvation
1930’s rebellion against French

5. Japanese Occupation of Indochina 1940-45
After fall of France in June 1940, Japan invaded Indochina
French Colonial Gov’t Cooperated with Japanese (Vichy France)
Ho Chi Minh led Nationalist forces against Japanese
U.S. provided him with aid
At end of War, France took back Indochina
Vietnamese resistance to French rule

6. French Defeated in Indochina Dien Bien Phu 1954

7. Geneva Conference, 1954
Vietnam divided along 17th parallel, pending nationwide elections in ‘55

8. U.S. Involvement Began
Ngo Dinh Diem , South Vietnam, rejected nationwide elections
Eisenhower provided military aid to Diem
Ho Chi Minh accepted Soviet aid

9. Viet Cong National Liberation Front South Vietnamese Communist rebels
Fought in armed forces and guerrilla groups

10. Buddhist Revolt, 1961 JFK sent military advisors to Vietnam
Diem repression of Buddhism
Buddhist anti-government demonstrations

11. Assassination of Diem, 1963
JFK approved S.V. generals plan to stage coup
Generals Assassinate Diem & his brother Nhu

12. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
USS Maddox fired on by North Vietnamese in Gulf of Tonkin
Congress authorized use of American troops in Vietnam

13. Our Troops: the Infantry
53% blue collar families
Median Age 19
By 1968
54% drafted
58% of dead drafted

14. Controversies of the Vietnam War

15. Why were we going to war in Vietnam?
Our Government: Containment of Communism
Vietnamese People: Why did we want their country?

16. The Draft Old enough to die, but not to vote.
Deferments for marriage & college.
Fortunate Sons serve in the Reserve>Don’t go to the War

17. What would Kennedy have done?

18. Search & Destroy
How do you find and defeat the enemy?

19. Who is the enemy?

20. Agent Orange & Napalm

21. Operation Rolling Thunder
7 million tons of bombs dropped on Indochina
24.6 tons per square mile
8.8 tons of bombs per person

22. Tet Offensive, 1968 Turning Point In Vietnam War
Surprise attack on Vietnamese New Year on 41 S. V. cities
Proved war far from over
Johnson Decided not to run for re-election

23. Kent State
1970
Nixon bombed Cambodia
Student Protests Increase

24. Government Secrets & Lies
Special Forces sent in 1958
Bombing of Laos from
Lies about Gulf of Tonkin
The Spin on the War
Pentagon Papers

25. U.S. Negotiations with North Vietnam, 1969-72
Henry Kissinger began secret talks with Vietnam
Nixon bombed Hanoi & Haiphong
My Lai Massacre

26. End of Vietnam War 73 - U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam

27. What lessons can we learn from Vietnam?