vietnam war. why did we send 8 million troops? why did we drop more bombs in vietnam than germany...
TRANSCRIPT
Vietnam War
Why did we send 8 million troops?
Why did we drop more bombs in Vietnam than Germany and Japan combined in WWII?
B-52
Over 58,000 troops died
Its people have been struggling for centuries to escape control of larger, more powerful empires
Mongols—1200sChinese—Off & On for most of history
French--Mid-1800s French--Mid-1800s until WWIIuntil WWII Japan—During WWII
Uncle Ho and the Vietminh
Ho Chi Minh declared the establishment of the independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) on September 2, 1945
The French needed the rice, rubber, and tin
Vietminh were Ho’s army of non-communist nationalists and communists trained by advisors from U.S. during WWII
Ho Chi Minh won support of Communist China and Soviet Union
Vietminh French1945-1954
(Controlled North and rural South)
(Controlled urban sectors of South)
Our Support
French military forces not doing well in early 1950s
Western world thought no way the Vietminh could defeat a major European power
U.S. involved with Korean War during the French fight
French prisoners, May 7, 1954French Colonel De Castries surrenders
Ho’s top General Vo Nguyen Giap and 55,000 troops surround Dien Bien Phu
Colonel De Castries cut off from help surrender
2,000 French troops and 8,000 Vietminh died & 10,800 French captured
Signed on July 21, 1954
Communists controlled North and French the South
Vietnam separated at 17th Parallel
INDOCHINA TIMELINE1940 Japan takes over French Indochina in WWII
1941 Ho Chi Minh establishes the Vietminh, the “League for the Independence of Vietnam.”
1945 Japan surrenders. Ho Chi Minh forms the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV).
1946 French colonial troops clash with DRV forces, sparking the First Indochina War (1946-1954).
1950 French suffer defeats; U.S. sets up the Military Assistance and Advisory Group (MAAG) to further aid France.
1951 France controls cities; Vietminh control countryside
1954 Vietminh take Dien Bien Phu base and defeat French, ending First Indochina War. Treaty in Geneva,
Switzerland, temporarily divides Vietnam into North and South, calls for vote on Vietnamese future.
Elections to be held 2 years after Geneva Agreement
U.S. supports Ngo Dinh Diem, the first President of the Republic of (South) Vietnam—RVN
President Diem
North Vietnam, called the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, was led by Ho Chi Minh
Diem was Catholic and favored members of his own religion, but his nation was 80% Buddhist
The U.S. feared that if Indochina becomes communist, then so might Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and even Japan
Kennedy sends $500 million in U.S. military aid each year
From 1954-1961, U.S. sent 1 billion dollars in aid to South Vietnam
Half his cabinet members were relatives
Diem didn’t enact land reforms
He imprisoned anyone who was against his autocratic rule
Buddhists protested his persecution of Buddhists
National Liberation Front (NLF) forms in 1960 to oppose Diem
Promise economic reform
Reunification with North Vietnam
Carried out 2,000 assassinations
NLF also known as the Vietcong continued to get support from China and USSR
Protest gov’t ruling forbidding displaying Buddhist flags
Diem Taken Out As Leader of South VietnamKennedy’s Plans not working
1. Strengthen S.V. army—Technology and military advisors
2. Pressure Diem to make political and economic reforms—which allowed communism to take root
Instead of paying for new schools, health clinics, or land reform—the U.S. funds ended in pockets of Saigon officials
November 1, 1963 South Vietnamese army officials took over the government and killed Diem and some of his family members
“Dead Diem”
November 22, 1963 JFK is assassinated in Dallas
Picture of Maddox firing upon North Vietnamese torpedo boat
Maddox Jacket Patch
In August of 1964, an American Destroyer, the USS Maddox, was patrolling off coast of North Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin
Commanding officer Herbert Ogier
On August 2, the Maddox was fired upon by 2 torpedo boats
U.S. warships were supporting secret assaults on N.V. naval bases
USS Maddox hit in Gulf
U.S. defense secretary Robert S. McNamara
August 7, Congress passed Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Resolution gives president power to send American troops with no further authorization
No formal declaration of war needed
“Americanization” of war commits U.S. military to Vietnam
Operation Rolling Thunder and Marines on beaches of Da Nang
Heroism Medal in Navy