Vietnam: The Land

1000 miles long80 miles wideLocated in SE AsiaTropical Climate (80/80)

Vietnam: The Land

Borders Laos and Cambodia

Truong Mts. Western Border Subsistence Agriculture is #1 Economic Activity.

Vietnam: The People

Homogeneous SocietyOwn distinct culture for over

2,000 years.Cities in the Red River Delta

since before the birth of Christ.

Long History of Conflict

Vietnam was part of China for 1,000 years.

Many rebellions and uprising required to get the Chinese out.

Long History of Conflict

1884 France controls all of French-Indo China.

French consider their colonization of Vietnam to be a Civilizing mission.

Imperialism in Vietnam

French occupation benefited Vietnam, and hindered it at the same time.

French thrown out of Vietnam by the Japanese in WWII.

Imperialism in Vietnam

1945 Japanese Surrender.French return to Vietnam.Viet Minh are fighting for

Independence against the French. (80%)

Viet Minh

Led by Ho Chi Minh.Supported with money and

weapons from China and USSR.

US supports French.

Domino Theory

If Vietnam fell to the communists the rest of SE Asia would also fall to the Communists.

US was committed to containment.

Viet Minh

Consider the war with France to be a war of Independence.

French Defeated at Dien Bien Phu 1954. (12,000)

The Geneva Accords 1954

Peace settlement between France and the Viet Minh.

Ends the War.Divided the Country at the

17th parallel.

The Geneva Accords 1954

Free election to follow in 1956 to unite the entire country under one government. (self-determination)

The Geneva Accords 1954

Provisional govt. set up in South Vietnam under Ngo Dinh Diem.

North Vietnam is ruled by Ho Chi Minh.

The Geneva Accords 1954

US influenced the Accords but did not sign them.

Ho Chi Minh never accepted the division of the country.

Ngo Dinh Diem

Christian (catholic)Born in VietnamEducated in the USCorrupt govt.Unpopular in Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh

Wants Self determination for Vietnam.

Rejected by USTurns to USSR.Communist tendencies

Election

1956 Election does not take place.

Ho Chi Minh would have won.Viet Cong start working to take

over South Vietnam.

Election 1956

Diem asks the US for help against the Communist forces.

Aid, supplies, advisors are sent. (Eisenhower)

Containment

JFK is committed to fighting Communism.

More money and advisors sent to Vietnam.

1960 – National Liberation Front

Viet Cong = Vietnamese Communists.– Want the US out of Vietnam.

War

Fighting between North and South Vietnam from 1956-1964 with the US in an advisory capacity. (war is being lost)

Gulf of Tonkin Incident

US destroyers were attacked by Torpedo boats from North Vietnam in International waters.(12)

Details are dubious.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

“take all necessary measures to protect US forces and prevent future Vietnamese aggression.”

416-0, 88-2.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Works as a declaration of war.

Expands the power of the President.

Americanization of the War.

Viet Cong = Defensive War

Can obtain their goal without defeating the Americans.

Viet Cong greatly overmatched.

Viet Cong = Defensive War

Strategy– “If we survive to fight another

day they will get tired, and their own people will demand that the war be ended.”

Tactics = Guerilla War

VC impossible to distinguish.Civilians and militants look

alike.No front lines.War of attrition.

Napalm

Jellied gasoline mixed with White Phosphorous and put into bombs.

Dropped from the air.

Agent Orange

Herbicide/defoliant sprayed on the jungles to make it easier to spot VC from the air.

Birth defects.

Tour of Duty = Americans

Amount of time spent in Vietnam.

365 days.Average age 19.5 years old.3 million serve in Vietnam.

American Advantages

Better weapons.More supplies.More Structured leadership.

Vietnamese Advantages

Familiar with Geography.Soldiers more motivated.Defensive War.Culture/Language.Chinese/Soviet support.

Support for the War

Public support of the Vietnam war was strong from 1964-1968.

Protest against the War

1966-67 A few congressmen begin to question the war.

College Students and Professors begin to question the morality of the war.

Protest against the War

Berkeley Free Speech movement 1964.– First anti war demonstration.– U of C censored student

protest of the war.

Protest against the War

US govt. assures the public that we are winning the war. That the VC are wearing down and progress is being made.

Tet Offensive 1968

Tet = Vietnamese New Year.End of JanuaryA major offensive started by

the VC, and Regular Army of North Vietnam.

Tet Offensive 1968

VC show great strength and gain an early advantage.

US military victory.The offensive was covered

in depth on TV.

Kent State

May 4, 1970Four college students shot

and killed by the National Guard. (9 wounded)

Protests greatly diminish.

Jackson State

Police and protesters clash.Two deadEleven wounded.

Credibility Gap

The difference between what the govt. said was going on in Vietnam and what was really happening.

Credibility Gap

JFKRFKMLKThese assassinations

added to the gap.

Credibility Gap

People did not believe the govt. , and public support for the war greatly diminished.

The Defensive strategy was working.

Pentagon Papers

Department of Defense Report leaked to the press by Daniel Ellsberg.

Reported unethical practices by the govt. regarding Vietnam.

Added to Credibility Gap.

My Lai Massacre

William Calley Jr.400 plus killed.Women, children, old

people.Shot down by rifle fire.

Election of 1968

LBJ chooses not to run again. (unpopular)

Richard Nixon – R- 43.4%Hubert Humphrey-D- 42.7%RFK assassinated

Richard Nixon Campaigns on

Law and OrderLess GovernmentPeace with Honor in

Vietnam.

Lottery System

A new approach to the draft.Ended college deferments.Ended economics as an

issue in the draft.

Vietnamization

US troops slowly being withdrawn.

SV must take over the burden of the fighting again.

Bombing of NV intensified.

Vietnamization

War is now being lost again.Last Americans leave in

1975.South Vietnam is overrun

shortly after.

War Powers Act 1973

Notify congress within 48 hours of sending in combat troops.

Must end combat in 60 days unless congress permits more.

Congress can over ride President with legislation.

Robert McNamera

Secretary of Defense for Kennedy and Johnson.

Reflections on the war question our strategy and presence there.

William Westmoreland

US General in charge in Vietnam.

Time Magazines man of the year 1968.

Henry Kissinger

Secretary of State, and National Security Advisor for Richard Nixon.

Nobel Peace Prize 1973 for ending Vietnam War.

Carlos Hathcock

Marine Sniper in Vietnam.

93 confirmed kills.

Longest one at over 2500 yards.

Barry Sadler

Medic for the Green Berets.Wrote the Ballad of the

Green Berets.Pro war song.