2. Vietnam Conflict

3. Geography Long, narrow, hilly nation Comparable size to California Anamite Mountains South China Sea, Gulf of Tonkin Mekong Delta

4. Chinese Rule 2,000 years ago China wanted Vietnamese rice fields Vietnamese adopted many Chinese traditions Freed themselves in the 900’s from China

5. French Rule 1500’s: Catholic missionaries Vietnamese were Buddhists Some missionaries were murdered French military took over Indochina Bringing “civilization” to Vietnam

6. Turned farmers into share- croppers Rice, alcohol, opium Many small rebellions against France failed

7. Battle for Independence

8. Ho Chi Minh Revolutionary leader, Communist 1941: Japan took over “Vietminh” organized resistance groups Americans aided Ho Chi Minh Guerilla tactics defeated the Japanese

9. Vietnam declared independence Minh expected the U.S. to recognize his government (Communist) Truman instead supported French efforts to re-take Vietnam

10. French-Indochina War 1946-1954 China armed the Vietminh Americans armed France Battle of Dienbienphu –French sent in 13,000 –Vietminh had 50,000 –May 7, 1954: France surrendered here

11. Dividing Vietnam

12. Ho Chi Minh compromised with the Geneva Conference Division was supposed to be temporary North: Ho Chi Minh (Communist) South: Ngo Dinh Diem (U.S. supported)

13. American Policy

14. U.S. opposed a nation-wide election fearing a Ho Chi Minh victory Domino theory: if one nation in Southeast Asia fell to Communism, others would fall as well Diem’s S. Vietnamese gov’t was corrupt & dictatorial

15. Vietcong “Vietnamese Commie” National Liberation Front: Communist & Non-Communist Southern revolutionaries Killed hundreds of Diem’s officials & attacked his bases

16. American Involvement Eisenhower gave billions in aid & sent military advisers & CIA Kennedy gradually increased personnel from 1,500 to 16,000 –He had been strongly advised against an all-out war

17. Ngo Dinh Diem Buddhists monks burned themselves in public protest to Diem Diem killed dozens of monks, imprisoned others, & destroyed 2,000 temples Diem was assassinated & government were overthrown

18. War Escalates

19. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: President may all necessary force to repel attacks against U.S. troops Operation Rolling Thunder: U.S. bombing campaign along the Ho Chi Minh Trail and into North Vietnam Ho Chi Minh Trail: NVA & Vietcong supply route that went through parts of Cambodia & Laos

20. Defoliants, “search & destroy”, pacification dove: people opposed to war hawk: those in support of the war Incorrect & misleading numbers

21. Tet Offensive: coordinated attack on 100 cities & 12 U.S. bases in South Vietnam by the Vietcong

22. Election of 1968 1968: Robert Kennedy assassinated Dem.: Hubert Humphrey Repub.: Richard Nixon Amer. Indep.: George Wallace Nixon won easily

23. Nixon: Vietnam & Cambodia “Vietnamization”: gradually turning over fighting the war to South Vietnamese while withdrawing U.S. troops Nixon invaded Cambodia to cut off NVA supply lines

24. Kent State University May 4, 1970 National Guard troops fired randomly at student anti-war demonstrators 4 killed, 9 injured Similar occurrence at Jackson State College in Miss.

25. End of the War Jan. 1973: cease-fire signed April 30, 1975: South Vietnam surrendered unconditionally 26th Amend.: lowered voting age from 21 to 18 War Powers Act: limits President’s ability to send troops out indefinitely