The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War:1959-1975

VocabularyIndigenousPartitionedAlienatedGuerrillaInsurgencyDtenteCessationWatch for italicized names, terms, and events.BackgroundVietnam was a French colony until Japan took over during World War II. France tried to take Vietnam backOpposed by indigenous nationalist force, the Viet Minh, headed by Ho Chi Minh, who had spent time in MoscowU.S. was neutral at first, but the Korean War changed their position.

U.S. began aiding France in 1950 with money and weaponsFR. was an ally against the USSRVietnam was a new environment for containment.Viet Minh victory could lead to Soviet dominance of Southeast Asia (The Domino Theory) *video

#!French DefeatViet Minh (with Soviet and Chinese artillery) expelled the French in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954Geneva Conference of 1954- Vietnam was partitioned into a socialist North, and Republican SouthGeneva Accords promised free elections in 1956 to establish a united Vietnam. Ngo Dinh Diemleader of South Vietnam from 1955-1963 following a rigged election. Roman Catholic and authoritarian, Diem alienated the Buddhists, who were 90% of the population. Secret Police headed by younger brother Ngo Dinh NhuHarsh policies led to formation of Viet Cong. guerrilla fighters that became one of the major sources of insurgency

U.S. EntanglementMiddle Ground Policy- Pres.Johnson supported SV financially but avoided military involvement. Gulf of Tonkin Incident- 1964- U.S. destroyer was involved in an engagement with three NV ships- maybe.Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed granting the president authority to use military force, despite no formal declaration of war. Sen. Ernest Gruening of Alaska saw no threat to our national security...Vietnam is not worth the life of a single American boy. We have been supporting corrupt and unpopular dictatorships which owe their temporary sojourn in power to our massive support, picking up the burden abandoned by France instead of embracing anti-imperialism.

EscalationCommitment of U.S. troops and wholesale bombing engagements beganVery destructive, but did not break the Viet Cong, who relied on the Ho Chi Minh Trail to relay supplies. Johnson still favored increased bombings over raising U.S. troop levels (and therefore potential for casualties). More Middle Ground

Tet Offensive and low moraleTet Offensive of 1968-major cities of South Vietnam were assaulted. US technically won these battles, but attacks hurt morale and public opinion. People thought the war was almost over.Peace talks did not progress until an exhausted Johnson, who refused to run for a second term, was succeeded by Richard Nixon in 1969.QuagmireNixon faced domestic opposition over the war and practices like wiretaps.Vietnamization, the gradual reduction in U.S. forces. Just more Middle GroundSecret Wars- bombing Cambodia in April 1970 U.S. military assistance to LaosLed to Repeal of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1971, Passage of the War Powers Act of 1973, which limited the ability of the President to wage war.

A Slow EndNixons foreign policy success -pursuing dtente with the Soviet Union and opening relations with ChinaBecause of this, as well as reduced U.S. troop levels and a cessation of the draft, Nixon won re-electionin 1972. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on January 23, 1973, putting an official end to the conflict. Often ignored by both sides.

AmericanPOWswere returned and forces withdrew. Complete withdrawal of U.S. troops led to rapid collapse of the SV govt, with Saigon falling on April 30, 1975.It was the first conclusive defeat in American military history.Aftermath-Lessons learnedNeighboring countries did not fall to communism, disproving the Domino Theory. The war proved that even the worlds greatest superpower has its limitsCongress and the American people publicly opposed the war effort, the superiority of the U.S. army and air force did not lead to victory, and the financial cost of the war led to a great deficit.