1. Warmup
When you think of the “Vietnam War”, what gets called to mind? (phrases, images, music, etc.)

2. Where is Vietnam?
Vietnam is a small country in Southeast Asia

3. Vietnam as a Colony
Vietnam controlled by Chinese (until 1800s), French (1800s), and then Japanese (WWII)
Vietnamese began independence movements in early 1900s
Ho Chi Minh became leader of Vietnamese independence movement (Vietminh) in 1930
Minh adopted communism as unifying force
US supported Ho Chi Minh against the Japanese in WWII

4. Ho Chi Minh

5. Vietnam Independence Japan surrendered in 1945
Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam an independent nation and wrote a “Declaration of Independence” for Vietnam
Written with help of American army officer
France refused to give up Vietnam
What should the US do?
We liked helping colonies get independence…
But France was our ally and we liked France…

6. =

7. France and Vietnam US supported France against Vietminh
Loss of China to communism
Containment and the Domino Theory
France defeated by Vietminh in 1954
Geneva Accords divided Vietnam into two
North Vietnam controlled by Ho Chi Minh
South Vietnam controlled by Ngo Dinh Diem (pro-west)
Elections to be held to reunify in 1956, but Diem refused to participate
Civil war broke out in Vietnam
US sided with South Vietnam and Diem

8. Early US Involvement in Vietnam War
Vietminh became Vietcong
Vietcong used terror and violence to reunify country
At first President Eisenhower and then President Kennedy promised to help stabilize region
Military advisors helped train South Vietnam army
2,000 under Eisenhower
15,000 under Kennedy
Diem overthrown by military and killed in 1963
South Vietnam now chaotic

9. Buddhist monks lit themselves on fire to protest the war

10. South Vietnam’s Chief of Police
Viet Cong prisoner

12. LBJ and Vietnam
In 1964, President Johnson announced Vietcong fired on two American ships in the Gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed by Congress giving president authority to “take all necessary measures” to fight Vietcong
Essentially a declaration of war
LBJ ordered airstrikes of North Vietnam
More bombs dropped on Vietnam than in all of WWII
About 180,000 American soldiers sent to Vietnam

14. LBJ Escalates War
By 1966, more than 360,000 American soldiers in Vietnam; 536,100 soldiers in 1968
Vietcong used guerilla warfare to fight Americans
Inflicted heavy casualties
US responded with napalm and a chemical called Agent Orange
Turned jungles into wasteland
Vietcong refused to surrender
Received support from Soviets and China

15. Phan Thi Kim Phuc removing her clothes after being covered in napalm

16. Media and the War Credibility Gap: lack of trust or believability
US military declared victory in Vietnam within reach
Media reports showed different story
Vietnam was the first “television war”
Draft became unpopular
18-year olds going to fight
African-Americans drafted at larger rate than population
“Draft-dodgers” refused to fight, so they ran to Canada or other nations

19. Tet Offensive
January 30, 1968, Vietcong launched surprise attack on all American airbases and major cities in South Vietnam
American forces caught off guard
After weeks of fighting, Vietcong repelled with heavy losses
US claimed victory, but Americans shocked by large-scale attack and close defeat
Public opinion of war drops
LBJ didn’t run for re-election

21. Vietnam and Nixon President Nixon promised to end the war “with honor”
Sec of State Henry Kissinger began peace talks with North Vietnam
Vietnamization: gradual withdrawal of US troops to force South Vietnamese to assume more of the fighting
Nixon lowered number of troops but increased bombing rates

22. War Turns Ugly
My Lai massacre: American troops killed 200 unarmed Vietnamese
Kent State shootings: four student protesters killed by Ohio State National Guard at Kent State University
Pentagon Papers: documents leaked that showed government officials privately doubted war’s success while publically supporting it
US invaded Cambodia to fight Vietcong
Led to Cambodian Civil War

25. End of the War
January, 1973: America accepted peace deal that leaves North Vietnamese troops in South Vietnam
Basically, giving South Vietnam to North
US pulled troops out of Vietnam
March 1975: North Vietnam re-invaded South
April 1975: Vietnam fell to Vietcong, reunited as one communist country

27. War’s Cost and Legacy Cost $170 billion dollars (probably more)
58,220 Americans killed and 303,644 Americans wounded
Many returning soldiers suffered PTSD
Also hated by Americans at home
No parades; called “baby-killers”
POWs/MIA shattered families
War Powers Act limited President’s war making powers