Vietnam War

I. Early Conflicts in Vietnam

A. Early Control of Vietnam

1. French Take Over 1883 France takes over

Vietnam Combined Vietnam, Lao, &

Cambodia into French Indo-China

2. Ho Chi Minh A Vietnamese Nationalist Name means “He Who

Enlightens” Believed the way to fight

the French was through communist revolution

3. Japan in Vietnam Take over the country

during WWII Ho Chi Minh starts the

League for the Independence of Vietnam (Vietminh)

B. War Breaks Out1. After WWII

Japan out of Vietnam French want Indo-China back Fighting between Vietminh

and French

2. Domino Theory Pres Eisenhower supports the

French Does not want Vietnam to

become communist Feared if it falls it will cause

other countries to fall to communism “like dominos”

3. French Lose 1954 Vietminh surround

French troops French surrender (May

7th)

4. Geneva Accords July 1954: Vietnam split

in 2

North Vietnam: Communist led by Ho Chi Minh South Vietnam: Pro Western led by Ngo Dinh

Diem Free election in July 1956 would reunite N. & S.

under one government

American Involvement

Presidents

U.S. involvement started with Eisenhower when he sent “advisors” to help the South Vietnamese as they fought the communists.

Kennedy inherited the war. He continued the practice of sending advisors.

Johnson picked up after Kennedy. He thought the only way to end the war was to increase U.S. involvement.

Congress wouldn’t allow him to send more troops over there.

In 1964 a U.S. navy ship was fired on in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Johnson used this to send in more troops.

By 1965 the U.S. had sent about 500,000 soldiers over to Vietnam.

Vietnam was the first televised war

In 1968 the Vietnamese started on offensive movement called the “Tet Offensive”.

By now the country was split over the war and Johnson’s political career was done.

Consequences of the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

A. Southeast Asia1. Casualties

1 million North Vietnamese and Vietcong soldier

185,000 South Vietnamese soldiers

500,000 civilians Almost 1 million

Vietnamese children orphaned

2. Damages Cities and Villages destroyed Forests and Farmlands destroyed

3. Laos and Cambodia Both countries fall to communist dictatorships Khmer Rouge kill around 2 million people in

Cambodia 1979 Vietnam invaded Cambodia and drove out

Khmer Rouge Ongoing conflicts continue in Cambodia

B. The United States

1. Casualties 58,000 Americans died in fighting More than 2,000 remain MIA (missing in action)

2. War Powers Act (1973) Requires president to get congressional approval

before putting troops into armed conflict Nixon vetoes this bill Congress overrode his veto to pass act Gives congress increased responsibility over war

policy Forces presidents to be more cautious when

sending troops to war

1968 Election

A. Democratic Party Nominee

Hubert Humphrey (Presidential Candidate) Johnson’s Vice President Johnson put his support behind Humphrey

Edmund Muskie (Vice Presidential Candidate) Senator from Maine

B. Republican Party Nominee

Richard Nixon Former Vice president under Eisenhower Said he would restore order to American Society Said he had a “secret plan” to end the Vietnam War

C. American Independent Party

George Wallace Alabama Governor Conservative Candidate Wanted to overturn civil rights

legislation Wanted to eliminate most

federal social programs

D. Outcome of Election

Close election

Nixon wins with 301 electoral votes

Humphrey received 191 electoral votes

Wallace received 46 electoral votes