VietnamVietnam

Vietnam Through Vietnam Through 19451945

Had been colonized Had been colonized by the French in late by the French in late 1800s1800s

Seized by Japan at Seized by Japan at onset of WWIIonset of WWII

After Japan After Japan surrendered in 1945, surrendered in 1945, French attempted to French attempted to resume control, but resume control, but met stiff resistance met stiff resistance from the Vietnamesefrom the Vietnamese

Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh 1890 – 19691890 – 1969 Real name = Nguyen Real name = Nguyen

Tat ThanhTat Thanh Ho Chi Minh means Ho Chi Minh means

“Bringer of Light”“Bringer of Light” Former teacher who Former teacher who

became leader of became leader of Vietnam’s Communist Vietnam’s Communist PartyParty

During the Japanese During the Japanese occupation, organized occupation, organized a nationalist a nationalist resistance group resistance group known as the Vietminhknown as the Vietminh

US SupportUS Support During WWII, the US sent During WWII, the US sent

military aid to the military aid to the Vietminh, but once the Vietminh, but once the war was over, the US war was over, the US supported the French supported the French efforts to reclaim Vietnamefforts to reclaim Vietnam

US did not support US did not support colonialism, but feared colonialism, but feared communism more – picked communism more – picked what it considered to be what it considered to be the lesser of two evilsthe lesser of two evils

US policy was reinforced US policy was reinforced after China and North after China and North Korea both became Korea both became communist statescommunist states

The French The French WithdrawWithdraw

Despite extensive US Despite extensive US support, the French support, the French were defeated by the were defeated by the Vietminh, who Vietminh, who waged a campaign of waged a campaign of guerrilla warfareguerrilla warfare

In May of 1954, the In May of 1954, the French lost the battle French lost the battle of Dien Bien Phu and of Dien Bien Phu and decided to withdraw decided to withdraw from Vietnamfrom Vietnam

The Geneva The Geneva AccordsAccords

The French agreed The French agreed to leave Vietnamto leave Vietnam

Vietnam was Vietnam was divided at the 17divided at the 17thth parallel into a parallel into a communist North communist North Vietnam, led by Ho Vietnam, led by Ho Chi Minh, and a pro-Chi Minh, and a pro-western South western South Vietnam, led by Ngo Vietnam, led by Ngo Dinh DiemDinh Diem

Ngo Dinh DiemNgo Dinh Diem 1901 - 19631901 - 1963 Refused to consider Refused to consider

allowing elections allowing elections to reunite Vietnam to reunite Vietnam into a single state into a single state out of fears that out of fears that such elections such elections would not be would not be conducted conducted legitimately in the legitimately in the communist Northcommunist North

The VietcongThe Vietcong As tensions rose As tensions rose

between North and between North and South, Ho Chi Minh South, Ho Chi Minh organized a new organized a new guerrilla army to guerrilla army to conduct raids conduct raids against the Southagainst the South

The US responded The US responded by sending military by sending military advisors to train advisors to train the South’s militarythe South’s military

Kennedy Increases US Kennedy Increases US AidAid

After taking office in After taking office in 1961, John Kennedy 1961, John Kennedy made the protection of made the protection of South Vietnam a top US South Vietnam a top US prioritypriority

During his presidency, During his presidency, the number of American the number of American military personnel in military personnel in Vietnam jumped from Vietnam jumped from 2000 to 15,0002000 to 15,000

Kennedy also pressured Kennedy also pressured Diem to create a more Diem to create a more democratic government democratic government in the Southin the South

Diem’s Popularity Diem’s Popularity FadesFades

Diem did little to Diem did little to improve to help the improve to help the mostly peasant mostly peasant population of the population of the South and his South and his popularity quickly popularity quickly fadedfaded

Diem, who was Diem, who was Catholic, also tried Catholic, also tried to suppress to suppress Buddhism, which Buddhism, which was the dominant was the dominant religion of the religion of the VietnameseVietnamese

Diem’s DownfallDiem’s Downfall In Nov. 1963, the US In Nov. 1963, the US

decided to support a decided to support a coup led by Diem’s coup led by Diem’s generals against him, generals against him, believing that Diem’s believing that Diem’s regime was no longer regime was no longer viableviable

The overthrow led to a The overthrow led to a weakening of the weakening of the South’s government, South’s government, forcing the US to assume forcing the US to assume more responsibility for more responsibility for maintaining the South’s maintaining the South’s independenceindependence

The Gulf of TonkinThe Gulf of Tonkin In August 1964, US warships In August 1964, US warships

off the Vietnamese coast off the Vietnamese coast were attacked by North were attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boatsVietnamese torpedo boats

The US ships had been The US ships had been assisting the South in assisting the South in espionage against the espionage against the North, but were attacked North, but were attacked without direct provocationwithout direct provocation

Aug. 7, 1964: Congress Aug. 7, 1964: Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, authorizing Resolution, authorizing President Johnson to take President Johnson to take “all necessary measures” to “all necessary measures” to repel any threat to US repel any threat to US forces in the regionforces in the region

Operation Rolling Operation Rolling ThunderThunder

Johnson decided to Johnson decided to respond to attacks respond to attacks on US forces with a on US forces with a sustained bombing sustained bombing campaign against campaign against the North, the North, beginning in March beginning in March 19651965

The same month, The same month, Johnson ordered US Johnson ordered US combat troops into combat troops into VietnamVietnam

Vietcong TacticsVietcong Tactics Hit-and-run Hit-and-run

Guerrilla warfareGuerrilla warfare Booby traps, land Booby traps, land

mines, and suicide mines, and suicide bombingsbombings

Often wore no Often wore no military uniforms military uniforms so that they could so that they could blend in with the blend in with the local populationlocal population

The Ho Chi Minh The Ho Chi Minh TrailTrail

Network of jungle Network of jungle paths which allowed paths which allowed for arms, supplies, and for arms, supplies, and soldiers to move south soldiers to move south out of North Vietnam, out of North Vietnam, often through the often through the neighboring nations of neighboring nations of Laos or CambodiaLaos or Cambodia

US could not strike at US could not strike at the these supply lines the these supply lines because they passed because they passed through countries not through countries not involved in the warinvolved in the war

US Tactics in US Tactics in ResponseResponse

Napalm: jellied Napalm: jellied gasoline which gasoline which explodes on contact, explodes on contact, coating everything it coating everything it contacts with a contacts with a burning gelburning gel

Agent Orange: Agent Orange: chemical defoliant chemical defoliant which stripped which stripped leaves from trees, leaves from trees, destroying the destroying the Vietcong’s coverVietcong’s cover

Underestimating the Underestimating the EnemyEnemy

North had a North had a willingness to willingness to accept huge accept huge numbers of numbers of casualtiescasualties

North received North received extensive military extensive military support from both support from both the Chinese and the Chinese and the Sovietsthe Soviets

US Policy Makes the War US Policy Makes the War UnwinnableUnwinnable

President Johnson was President Johnson was unwilling to order a unwilling to order a full-scale invasion of full-scale invasion of North Vietnam due to North Vietnam due to fears that it would fears that it would provoke China into provoke China into entering the war entering the war directlydirectly

Johnson’s refusal to act Johnson’s refusal to act to cut off the Ho Chi to cut off the Ho Chi Minh Trail meant that Minh Trail meant that supplies would supplies would continue to flow continue to flow uninterrupteduninterrupted

The “Television The “Television War”War”

Public support for the Public support for the war had been high in war had been high in the mid-60s, but as the the mid-60s, but as the reality of the war was reality of the war was displayed nightly on displayed nightly on television news television news programs, American’s programs, American’s enthusiasm quickly enthusiasm quickly erodederoded

Viewers had to decide Viewers had to decide whether to believe the whether to believe the government’s claims government’s claims that we were winning, that we were winning, or trust what they saw or trust what they saw on TV – they chose on TV – they chose televisiontelevision

““Hawks” vs. Hawks” vs. “Doves”“Doves”

Hawks supported Hawks supported escalating the war as escalating the war as a noble fight against a noble fight against communism, buying communism, buying into the “domino into the “domino theory” that if Vietnam theory” that if Vietnam fell, so would all of fell, so would all of Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia

Doves opposed the Doves opposed the war and called on the war and called on the government to pull out government to pull out of Vietnam completelyof Vietnam completely

Teach-InsTeach-Ins Beginning with the Beginning with the

University of Michigan University of Michigan and spreading to and spreading to hundreds of college hundreds of college campuses nationwide, campuses nationwide, professors and students professors and students joined together in joined together in abandoning their abandoning their courses in favor of courses in favor of holding serious debates holding serious debates over whether or not the over whether or not the war in Vietnam was war in Vietnam was ethicalethical

The DraftThe Draft College students (who College students (who

tended to be from white, tended to be from white, middle or upper-class middle or upper-class families) could win draft families) could win draft deferments, while those deferments, while those who could not afford who could not afford college (many from poor college (many from poor minorities) found minorities) found themselves more at risk of themselves more at risk of being drafted and being drafted and deployed to Vietnamdeployed to Vietnam

African Americans made African Americans made up about 10% of the US up about 10% of the US population, but accounted population, but accounted for 20% of US casualties for 20% of US casualties during the warduring the war

Draft-dodgingDraft-dodging Many publicly Many publicly

burned their draft burned their draft cards or refused to cards or refused to registerregister

Some chose to leave Some chose to leave the US, fleeing to the US, fleeing to Canada or EuropeCanada or Europe

Some refused to Some refused to serve when drafted, serve when drafted, choosing to do time choosing to do time in prison over in prison over fightingfighting

High Profile High Profile ProtestsProtests

April 1965: SDS April 1965: SDS organized a march on organized a march on Washington of more Washington of more than 20,000 protestorsthan 20,000 protestors

April 1967: MLK spoke April 1967: MLK spoke out in protest of the out in protest of the war, especially its high war, especially its high toll on poor minoritiestoll on poor minorities

Oct. 1967: A second Oct. 1967: A second protest in Washington protest in Washington drew thousands more drew thousands more than the one two than the one two years beforeyears before

The 26The 26thth Amendment Amendment 19711971 Public outcry Public outcry

erupted over erupted over drafting young drafting young men at age 18 men at age 18 when they could when they could not vote until 21not vote until 21

Rather than raise Rather than raise the age for service, the age for service, the voting age was the voting age was lowered to 18 lowered to 18

The Tet OffensiveThe Tet Offensive January 1968January 1968 During the holiday During the holiday

season of Tet season of Tet (Vietnamese New (Vietnamese New Year) the Vietcong Year) the Vietcong launched a surprise launched a surprise attack, hitting attack, hitting nearly every US nearly every US base and major base and major South Vietnamese South Vietnamese city at the same city at the same timetime

Tet Attack on US Tet Attack on US EmbassyEmbassy

The Vietcong even The Vietcong even attacked the US attacked the US Embassy in the capital Embassy in the capital of Saigonof Saigon

The Tet Offensive was a The Tet Offensive was a costly failure for the costly failure for the Vietcong, costing them Vietcong, costing them huge casualties, but the huge casualties, but the American public was American public was deeply shocked that deeply shocked that such an attack could such an attack could have occurred from an have occurred from an enemy the government enemy the government claimed was nearly claimed was nearly beatenbeaten

The Media Turns Against the The Media Turns Against the WarWar

The Wall Street Journal The Wall Street Journal began to openly criticize began to openly criticize the war as a failurethe war as a failure

CBS Evening News CBS Evening News anchorman Walter anchorman Walter Cronkite declared “It is Cronkite declared “It is more certain than ever more certain than ever that the bloody that the bloody experience in Vietnam experience in Vietnam is to end in a stalemate”is to end in a stalemate”

President Johnson’s President Johnson’s approval rating approval rating plummeted to 26%plummeted to 26%

Nixon Tries to End the Nixon Tries to End the WarWar

After Richard Nixon After Richard Nixon became president in became president in 1969, he began 1969, he began gradually scaling gradually scaling back the number of back the number of US ground troops in US ground troops in Vietnam, turning the Vietnam, turning the war over to US war over to US trained South trained South Vietnamese troops in Vietnamese troops in a process he termed a process he termed “Vietnamization”“Vietnamization”

US Shifts StrategyUS Shifts Strategy At the same time, At the same time,

Nixon stepped up US Nixon stepped up US air strikes against the air strikes against the North and allowed the North and allowed the bombing of Vietcong bombing of Vietcong sanctuaries and supply sanctuaries and supply routes in Cambodiaroutes in Cambodia

Nixon wanted the US to Nixon wanted the US to be able to negotiate an be able to negotiate an end to the war with the end to the war with the North from a position of North from a position of strength, so a complete strength, so a complete US withdrawal wasn’t US withdrawal wasn’t practicalpractical

Henry KissingerHenry Kissinger Appointed by Nixon to Appointed by Nixon to

try a diplomatic try a diplomatic approach to ending the approach to ending the warwar

Kissinger tried to Kissinger tried to improve US relations improve US relations with China and the USSR with China and the USSR in an effort to undermine in an effort to undermine their material support for their material support for the Vietcongthe Vietcong

Also entered into secret Also entered into secret cease-fire talks with cease-fire talks with North Vietnam, but these North Vietnam, but these talks drug on for 4 yearstalks drug on for 4 years

My Lai MassacreMy Lai Massacre Spring 1968Spring 1968 American platoon American platoon

massacred over 200 massacred over 200 unarmed Vietnamese unarmed Vietnamese civilians, mostly children civilians, mostly children and the elderly, in the and the elderly, in the village of My Laivillage of My Lai

When the story broke in When the story broke in Nov. 1969, Americans Nov. 1969, Americans were horrified and many were horrified and many began to believe this one began to believe this one event was symptomatic event was symptomatic that all US soldiers were that all US soldiers were becoming “baby killers”becoming “baby killers”

US Invades US Invades CambodiaCambodia

In April 1970, Nixon In April 1970, Nixon announced that US announced that US troops had entered troops had entered Cambodia to destroy Cambodia to destroy Vietcong bases and Vietcong bases and supply linessupply lines

Many Americans saw Many Americans saw this as a widening of this as a widening of the war and as a the war and as a betrayal of Nixon’s betrayal of Nixon’s promise to end itpromise to end it

Violence on Violence on CampusCampus

May 4, 1970: Student May 4, 1970: Student protestors on the protestors on the campus of Kent State campus of Kent State University in Ohio were University in Ohio were fired on by soldiers of fired on by soldiers of the Ohio National the Ohio National Guard, killing 4 and Guard, killing 4 and wounding 9wounding 9

10 days later, police 10 days later, police killed 2 student killed 2 student protestors at Jackson protestors at Jackson State College in State College in MississippiMississippi

An Angry CongressAn Angry Congress Nixon had not Nixon had not

informed Congress of informed Congress of his authorization of his authorization of the invasion of the invasion of CambodiaCambodia

December 1970: December 1970: Congress repealed the Congress repealed the Gulf of Tonkin Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, removing Resolution, removing the president’s the president’s authority to solely authority to solely direct the wardirect the war

The Pentagon The Pentagon PapersPapers

1971: former Dept. of 1971: former Dept. of Defense employee Defense employee Daniel Ellsberg leaked Daniel Ellsberg leaked classified documents to classified documents to the the New York TimesNew York Times

These documents These documents revealed that the revealed that the White House and White House and military had military had deliberately acted to deliberately acted to deceive Congress, the deceive Congress, the media, and the public media, and the public about how the war was about how the war was progressingprogressing

The Christmas The Christmas BombingsBombings

After peace talks broke After peace talks broke down in December down in December 1972, Nixon ordered a 1972, Nixon ordered a relentless bombing relentless bombing campaign against the campaign against the NorthNorth

B-52 bombers hit B-52 bombers hit targets in North targets in North Vietnam for 11 straight Vietnam for 11 straight daysdays

To stop the bombing, To stop the bombing, the North agreed to the North agreed to return to the bargaining return to the bargaining tabletable

The Paris Peace The Paris Peace AccordsAccords

Signed Jan. 27, 1973Signed Jan. 27, 1973 US promised to US promised to

withdraw all troopswithdraw all troops Both sides agreed to Both sides agreed to

exchange prisonersexchange prisoners North Vietnamese North Vietnamese

troops were NOT troops were NOT required to withdraw required to withdraw from the Southfrom the South

No permanent peace No permanent peace was promised between was promised between North and SouthNorth and South

The War Powers Act of The War Powers Act of 19731973

Passed to place limits Passed to place limits on the president’s on the president’s power to engage the power to engage the military in combat military in combat operationsoperations

Requires the president Requires the president to inform Congress to inform Congress within 48 hours of within 48 hours of committing US troops committing US troops and to withdraw those and to withdraw those troops with 60 to 90 troops with 60 to 90 days unless Congress days unless Congress approves their missionapproves their mission

The South FallsThe South Falls March 1975March 1975 North launched a full-North launched a full-

scale invasion of the scale invasion of the SouthSouth

Nixon had promised US Nixon had promised US aid if the North violated aid if the North violated the treaty, but Nixon the treaty, but Nixon had been forced to had been forced to resign due to the resign due to the Watergate scandal and Watergate scandal and Congress refused to Congress refused to approve any new approve any new involvement in Vietnaminvolvement in Vietnam

By April 30, the North By April 30, the North had conquered the had conquered the SouthSouth

The Costs of The Costs of VietnamVietnam

US spent $170 billion on US spent $170 billion on the warthe war

Over 58,000 American Over 58,000 American dead and over 300,000 dead and over 300,000 woundedwounded

Over 1700 Americans Over 1700 Americans remain “Missing In remain “Missing In Action” (MIA)Action” (MIA)

Over 1 million refugees Over 1 million refugees from Southeast Asia from Southeast Asia emigrated to the USemigrated to the US

Americans had lost faith Americans had lost faith in their government’s in their government’s ability to be honest with ability to be honest with themthem

Failing Our Failing Our VeteransVeterans

Returning veterans Returning veterans were treated as pariahs were treated as pariahs rather than as heroes rather than as heroes who had served their who had served their countrycountry

Many suffered from Many suffered from Post-traumatic Stress Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from Disorder (PTSD) from the psychological the psychological stresses of fighting an stresses of fighting an enemy who was willing enemy who was willing to sacrifice human life to sacrifice human life on a scale foreign to on a scale foreign to American sensibilitiesAmerican sensibilities

The WallThe WallVietnam Veterans’ Vietnam Veterans’

MemorialMemorialDedicated in 1982Dedicated in 1982 Inscribed with the Inscribed with the

names of all US names of all US military personnel military personnel killed or missing in killed or missing in action during the action during the Vietnam WarVietnam War