the vietnam war starts. early vietnam long history of fighting (mongols, chinese) long history of...

THE VIETNAM WAR STARTSTHE VIETNAM WAR STARTS

EARLY VIETNAMEARLY VIETNAM

Long history of Long history of fighting (Mongols, fighting (Mongols, Chinese)Chinese)

France colonizes France colonizes Vietnam 1800’sVietnam 1800’s

Vietnam’s revolt in Vietnam’s revolt in the 1900’sthe 1900’s

Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh

Rises out of French Rises out of French ColonizationColonization

Educated in FranceEducated in France Plea’s for Plea’s for

Vietnamese Vietnamese independence at independence at VersaillesVersailles

1929 establishes the 1929 establishes the Vietnamese Vietnamese Communist PartyCommunist Party

Ho Chi Minh cont.Ho Chi Minh cont.

During W.W.II. Vietminh help the U.S. During W.W.II. Vietminh help the U.S. fight the Japanesefight the Japanese

Intelligence Intelligence U.S. train Vietminh to fight JapaneseU.S. train Vietminh to fight Japanese At Potsdam we agree to let France At Potsdam we agree to let France

re-occupy Vietnamre-occupy Vietnam Starts the French Vietminh WarStarts the French Vietminh War

French Vietminh WarFrench Vietminh War

Ho Chi Minh aided by China and RussiaHo Chi Minh aided by China and Russia French is aided by the U.S.French is aided by the U.S. By 1953 US supplies 80% of the war By 1953 US supplies 80% of the war

efforteffort France falls at Dien Bien PhuFrance falls at Dien Bien Phu The peace treaty creates North and The peace treaty creates North and

South VietnamSouth Vietnam

BATTLE OF DIEN BEIN PHUBATTLE OF DIEN BEIN PHU

Ngo Dinh Diem vs. Ho Chi Ngo Dinh Diem vs. Ho Chi MinhMinh

Ngo Dinh Diem is Ngo Dinh Diem is installed as governor of installed as governor of South Vietnam in a South Vietnam in a fraud election (Bao Dai)fraud election (Bao Dai)

Ho Chi Minh controls Ho Chi Minh controls the Norththe North

Ngo is catholic (Vietnam Ngo is catholic (Vietnam is 80% Buddhist)is 80% Buddhist)

U.S. provides massive U.S. provides massive aid, spent on military aid, spent on military not economic reliefnot economic relief

Diem’s PoliciesDiem’s Policies

Ngo would only let Ngo would only let family advise himfamily advise him

Persecution of Buddhists Persecution of Buddhists (cancels the march on (cancels the march on Buddha’s birthday)Buddha’s birthday)

1957 cancels free 1957 cancels free elections in all of elections in all of VietnamVietnam

NLF formed in S. NLF formed in S. Vietnam (Vietcong)Vietnam (Vietcong)

Buddhist monks protestBuddhist monks protest

Deim cont.Deim cont.

Kennedy plans to overthrow DeimKennedy plans to overthrow Deim U.S. does not stop the military coupU.S. does not stop the military coup Diem was killed with his familyDiem was killed with his family 3 weeks later Kennedy assassinated3 weeks later Kennedy assassinated LBJ takes the presidencyLBJ takes the presidency

U.S. INVOLVEMENTU.S. INVOLVEMENT

Under Kennedy U.S. Under Kennedy U.S. involvement grows involvement grows by over 10,000by over 10,000

Over $500 million in Over $500 million in aidaid

LBJ and the Gulf of LBJ and the Gulf of Tonkin ResolutionTonkin Resolution

This allows LBJ to This allows LBJ to really widen the warreally widen the war

U.S. OPERATIONSU.S. OPERATIONS

Operation Rolling Operation Rolling ThunderThunder

Bombs N. Vietnam Bombs N. Vietnam dailydaily

Look for the Ho Chi Look for the Ho Chi Minh TrailMinh Trail

American troops in American troops in Vietnam swellVietnam swell

1965-180,000 1965-180,000 1966-360,0001966-360,000 1967-500,0001967-500,000

The WarThe War

We have a great deal We have a great deal of optimism (never of optimism (never lost a war)lost a war)

Tried bombing instead Tried bombing instead of ground combat of ground combat (lessen causalities)(lessen causalities)

These kill thousands of These kill thousands of innocents (Vietnamese innocents (Vietnamese turn against us)turn against us)

Search and destroy Search and destroy missionsmissions

The War cont.The War cont.

Jungle fighting not our Jungle fighting not our specialty (Guerrilla specialty (Guerrilla tactics)tactics)

Land mines (bouncing Land mines (bouncing bettys)bettys)

Who are we fighting?Who are we fighting? Operation HAMLETOperation HAMLET Relocation of peasants Relocation of peasants

hurts our relationshiphurts our relationship By 1968 things aren’t By 1968 things aren’t

going so wellgoing so well