The Vietnam War

1954 - 1975

Background to the War:

Why did the US become involved?

z Southeast Asiaz Vietnam, Cambodia, Laosz Slightly larger than Texasz 27 million people

z France controlled “Indochina” since the late 19th century

z Ruled with an iron fist

z High taxes, French law, etc

Why did the US become involved?

z Vietnamese rebelled against France (Ho Chi Minh:Communist)

z WWII strengthened Nationalism and weakened France

z Japan took control of Vietnam during World War II

z With U.S. aid, France attempted re-colonization in the postwar period

z US wanted French support against Soviets in Cold War

Domino Theory

You have a row of dominos set up, you knock over the 1st one , and what will happen to the last one is the certinaity that it will go over very quickly. So you could have a beginning of a disintegration that would have the most profound influences.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1954

If Vietnam falls to communism then Japan, the Philippines, and Australia might fall as well.

Why did the US become involved?

z The French lost control to Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh (League for the Independence of Vietnam) forces in 1954 at Dien Bien Phuz NW Vietnam military base

Why did the US become

involved?z International Conference at Geneva granted to VietnamP Vietnam was divided at

17th parallelO Ho Chi Minh’s nationalist

forces controlled the North (communist)

O Ngo Dinh Diem, a French-educated, Roman Catholic claimed control of the South (US support)

O Treaty also called free election in 1965 to unify

Vietnam

Why did the US become involved?

z A date was set for democratic elections to reunify Vietnam in 1965z Analysits predicted that Diem

would lose to Ho Chi Mihnz Diem backed out of the

elections, leading to military conflict between North and South

U.S. Military Involvement

Beginsz The U.S. aided Diem b/c he was anticommunistP SEATO (Financial and military aid)

z Repressive rule by Diem weakened his popularityP Wealth is hoarded by the eliteP Buddhist majority persecutedP Torture, lack of political freedom

z Vietcong: weaken Diem’s power in S. Vietnamz Undermine Diem’s government & unite Vietnan under

communismz Destroy bridges, roads, and assassinated politcal officals

P Diem is removed from power & assassinated

Self-Emolation by a Buddhist Monk

U.S. Military Involvement

Begins

z Remembers Truman’s “loss” of China Domino Theory

I’m not going to be the president who saw Southeast Asia go the way China went.

U.S. Military Involvement Begins

z Tonkin Gulf Incident 1964z USS Maddox fired on by by

N.Vietnam torpedo shipsz (according to Johnson, the attacks were

unprovoked)

z Tonkin Gulf ResolutionP “The Blank Check” *

P “To take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against forces of US and to prevent further agression.

U.S. Military Involvement

Begins