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Published byAdelia Cross Modified over 9 years ago
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VIETNAM WAR I. Overview of the Vietnam War A. A Painful War
1. Longest War & Only War Lost 2. Show Limits = power, govt. & “exceptionalism” 3. Shape Foreign Policy for Decades B. US Participation in War 1. Enter War to Prevent Spread of Communism 2. US w/draw 1973, Communists takeover 1975 The Costs of the War 1. 57,000 Americans & 4 million Vietnamese killed 2. “Tragedy of epic dimensions”
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VIETNAM WAR II. The French in Vietnam A. French Involvement & Control
B. Establishment of the Viet Minh 1. Vietnamese Nat’lists, led by Ho Chi Minh = main goal of pushing French out C. US Support for France in Vietnam 1. Fear Communist Influence & Ally to France WWII D. French Defeat in Vietnam 1. Defeated at Dien Bien Phu (1954) 2. Geneva Accords = split country into N. & S. w/ elections in two years = elections never held
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VIETNAM WAR III. US Intervention Begins A. Eisenhower’s Domino Theory
1. Fear loss of Vietnam, then loss of all Indochina 2. Becomes basis for intervention
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VIETNAM WAR B. US Support of South Vietnam
1. US supports Diem, leader of the South 2. President Kennedy sends military “advisors” & military personnel to Vietnam 3. Diem’s rule undemocratic = losing support = US allows military coup to assassinate him
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VIETNAM WAR IV. US Presence Escalates in Vietnam
A. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident 1. US Boat clashes w/ N. Viet. Boat = US portrays as unprovoked attack B. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution 1. President given right to “take all necessary measures” 2. Gives Johnson right to send troops w/out declaration of war from Congress
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VIETNAM WAR C. Johnson Escalates War 1. 1965 = 200,000 troops
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VIETNAM WAR Vietcong A. Supported by North Vietnamese Army
B. Organized peasants in the South C. Lived amongst the South Vietnamese
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VIETNAM WAR VI. Hardships and Disillusionment on the War Fronts
A. Guerilla Warfare 1. Wet/Dense Terrain, guerilla attacks & ambushes B. Effective Vietnamese Forces 1. Purpose, hit and run, know terrain
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VIETNAM WAR C. Distinguishing Friends from Enemies
D. Growing US Disillusionment 1. Beginning – feel fighting for freedom 2. End = Disillusionment
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VIETNAM WAR VII. Vietnamese Nationalism and Determination
A. The Vietnamese “People’s War” B. The Ho Chi Minh Trail C. The Plight of Vietnamese Civilians
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VIETNAM WAR VIII. American Public Support for War Wanes
A. Unpopularity of the War B. Antiwar Demonstrations at Home C. Resistance to the Draft D. US Leaders Speak Out
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VIETNAM WAR IX. Fighting a Losing Battle A. 1968 = The Tet Offensive
1. 70,000 communist soldiers launch a surprise attack 2. Shows US is vulnerable & public turns against the war
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VIETNAM WAR B. Cost of War C. Johnson Leaves Office
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VIETNAM WAR X. Violence Escalates at Home and Abroad
A. The 1968 Presidential Election
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VIETNAM WAR B. The My Lai Massacre
, US forces massacred village of My Lai
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VIETNAM WAR C. Nixon’s Policy of “Peace with Honor”
1. Vietnamization = more responsibility to S. Vietnamese troops D. US Bombing in Cambodia 1. Nixon Secretly authorized bombing & invasion of Cambodia E. Escalating Protests and Kent State Shootings
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VIETNAM WAR XI. The US Pulls Out and the War Ends
A. Cease-Fire Declared =Jan. 1973 B. US Forces Leave Vietnam = March 1973 C. Fighting Resumes in Vietnam , Communists take over South
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VIETNAM WAR D. The Effects of the Vietnam War
1. US = 3 million serve; 58,000 died; Side Effects 2. Vietnamese = 4 million die E. Vietnam after the War
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