1. Vietnam – a French Colony no more
France, after ruling Vietnam or over 100 years was defeated by Gen. Giap at battle of Dien Bien Phu-forced to leave Vietnam.
The Vietminh take over and declare Vietnam Independent
France & Vietnam signed Geneva Peace Accords of 1954-split Vietnam along 17th parallel.

2. The United States Steps in
Geneva Accords stated that in 1956 Vietnam would hold elections to reunify country.
US worried Ho Chi Minh was too popular and would win so the US doesn’t allow elections to take place
Why? Domino Theory

3. North vs South The North led by Ho Chi Minh Communist Vietminh
Supported by the Viet Cong in the South later called the National Liberation Front
South led by Ngo Dinh Diem
Supported by US
US supported creation of counter-revolutionary group in S. Vietnam

4. Pros of GW in Vietnam Cons of GW in Vietnam
Easy to slip into a village; look like civilians
More cooperation from other Vietnamese
Easy supply system
Territory and topography already known
Used rainy season as cover
Easy to attain civilian help in ambushes and information
Cons of GW in Vietnam
Un-organization easily occurs
Renegade or untrained troops confuse strategy
High rates of civilian casualties
Can ruin economic development
It is a long drawn out process; low moral
Can kill own civilians with unremembered booby traps and mines

5. The Ho Chi Minh Trail Extended from N Vietnam to S Vietnam
Est and used by N. Vietnamese troops for a major military supply route
Goes through Laos and Cambodia on its way to S. Vietnam
main route for invasion of S. Vietnam in 1975

6. The Underground Tunnels
built in the time of the French
joined village to village and often passed beneath American bases
not only fortifications for Viet Cong guerillas, but also center of community life
several stories deep and housed up to 10,000 people, supplies and weapons
connected isolated pockets of Viet Cong territory enabled the guerrillas to mount surprise attacks and vanish without trace

7. Anti-Personnel Weapons
Punji sticks were sharpened sticks of bamboo concealed and designed to pierce the enemy’s feet; many times they were contaminated to cause disease
Bamboo maces swung down onto soldiers who triggered tripwires; also used crossbows
Land mines were a favorite of guerilla forces and they were taken from the U.S.S.R., the French, and even U.S. troops

8. Kennedy & Johnson Kennedy increased aid to Diem
Sent military advisors to help train S. Vietnamese troops
Expands conflict
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964 gave Johnson broad military powers

9. Troop Build Up
180,000 troops by 1965
500,000 troops by 1967

10. US Tactics -copy slide
Agent Orange – a leaf killing toxic chemical devastated landscape and ruined villages
Napalm – a gasoline based bomb stuck to leaves and skin
Search and destroy – uprooting villagers by day and evacuating at night

11. War at Home - copy
Great Society Suffers – money spent on war and not on helping poor at home
Living- room war – media heightens American concern
Manipulatable Draft – different qualifications, if in college could put off service or join National Guard or Coast Guard
African Americans were disproportionately drafted

12. Tet Offensive
This offensive by the Viet Cong in S. Vietnam shows Americans at home that “We are not winning this war”
Turning point in public opinion
LBJ decides not to seek reelection

13. Protests at Home
New Left organization SDS – Students for a Democratic Society demanded participatory democracy & Free Speech
20,000 Marched on the White House in 1965
Resistance – “Hell No We Won’t Go!”
Doves vs. Hawks

14. Kent State Tragedy
Students in Ohio protest the secret bombings in Cambodia
Governor sends in National Guard
Shooting erupts
4 students are killed
Colleges across country are shut down

15. American Policy changes
Martin Luther King Jr. & RFK are assassinated
Nixon wins Presidential election
Pull out begins 500,000 troops to 25,000 over 3 years - Vietnamization
Secret bombings of Cambodia and Laos

16. Atrocities My Lai Massacre
Massacre of 100 innocent civilians by American troops
“Kill anything that breathed”
Court martial - Lt. Calley

17. The War America Lost
American forces are not able to defeat the North Vietnamese
1973 US pulls out
1975 North Vietnamese invade and capture Saigon.

18. The War’s Painful Legacy
Longest War
58,000 US soldiers died
2,212 solders MIA/POWs
Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial
US questions role as police officer of world