1. Warm Up 4.1
What do you know about the Vietnam War? Do you have any family stories about the Vietnam era?

2. Moving towards conflict
The Vietnam War Years
Moving towards conflict

3. I. French Rule in Vietnam
From the late 1800s until WWII France ruled over Vietnam
French encountered growing unrest from Vietnamese peasants

4. Many Vietnamese nationalists fled to China under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh

5. II. Japanese take control
A) In 1940 the Japanese take control of Vietnam.
B) The next year, Ho Chi Minh returns and forms the Vietminh, to win independence from foreign rule.
C) When Japan is forced to leave in 1945 Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam an independent nation.

6. III. The French Return
A) French troops move back in to the country regaining control of the southern half
B) Ho Chi Minh vowed to fight from the North and rid the South of French control
C)The U.S. sends $15 million in aide to France

7. 1954: Eisenhower explained the domino theory in which he compared the countries on the brink of communism to a row of dominoes waiting.

8. Warm-Up 4.3 President Years in Office
What was his relationship to Vietnam? How did he deal with the Vietnam conflict? How did he contribute?
President Truman
President Eisenhower
John F. Kennedy

9. Moving towards conflict
The Vietnam War Years
Moving towards conflict

10. IV. Geneva Accords
1954: French surrender and Vietnam is temporarily divided at the 17th parallel.
The Communist and leader Ho Chi Minh controlled North Vietnam from Hanoi.
The anti-communist controlled South Vietnam from Saigon.

11. V. Elections and Instability in the South
1956: Recognizing Ho Chi Minh’s popularity, S. Vietnam President Diem refused to take part in country wide elections
Diem did not support land reform and restricted Buddhist religious practices
A communist opposition group in the south, known as the Vietcong begins attacks on the Diem government

13. D. Ho Chi Minh supported the Vietcong via a network of paths that became known as the Ho Chi Minh trail

14. VI. US Involvement and Tonkin Gulf Resolution
Diem could not maintain stability, the US supported a military coup to take down Diem’s regime
A North Vietnamese patrol boat fired a torpedo at an American destroyer.
President Johnson asked congress to adopt the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, gave power to “take all necessary measures” against any attack.

16. Do you think congress was justified in passing the Tonkin Gulf resolution?
Use details from your text and notes to support your response