Why Would the USA Assist France in Re- Acquiring Colonies Following World War 2?
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Transcript of Why Would the USA Assist France in Re- Acquiring Colonies Following World War 2?
Why did the U.S.
go to Vietnam?
Why Would the USA Assist France in Re-Acquiring Colonies Following World War
2?
In 1957, Viet Cong (Communist guerillas) attacked villages in the South.
Cold War
Or
Civil War?
Military Assistance Advisory Group- 1956-1961
U.S. forces training and “assisting” South Vietnamese Army (ARVN)
# of advisors went from 327 to 685 in 1960
By 1963 over 16,000 “advisors” …
President Kennedy increases economic and military aid to the Diem government,
increasing military advisors to 16,000.
What was fighting like for
soldiers on the ground?
“You will kill ten of our men, and we will kill one of yours, and in the end it will be you who tires of this war.”Ho Chi Minh,1965
Who’s Fighting?
United States & S. Vietnamese Army (ARVN)
Vs.
North Vietnamese Army (NVA) & National Liberation Front (Vietcong- S. Vietnamese
nationalists)
Air Cavalry
Military Strategy in Vietnam
“winning their hearts and minds” ...
Pacification Programs
Strategic hamlet
Obstacles to US Strategy: Guerrilla Warfare in Vietnam
Venus Fly Trap: Consists of a rectangular frame work with overlapping barbs emplaced in a pit, on trails or a rice padi. Can be made from a metal container which is sunk into the ground until the top is flush and then covered with grass or leaf camouflage. The barbs inflict injury especially when the victim attempts to withdraw his leg out of the trap.
Grenade Trap: These are placed along likely paths of travel with a two stakes embedded on both sides of the creek or stream with the grenade tied to one and the safety pin partially removed from the striker lever and tied by trip wire to the other stake.
Grenade Trap: Two cans are tied to trees either side of the track with the delay train and safety pins are removed and slide into the cans holding the striker levers in position. A trip wire is tied to both grenades. when the victim's foot pulls the trip wire the grenades are pulled from the cans causing instant detonation.
Cartridge Trap: A section of pipe, bamboo barrel or hole in timber with a tack nailed through the base upon which sits the cartridge with the round slightly above ground level.
SO HOW WAS THE VIETNAM WAR DIFFERENT?
Why was the war so
controversial?
SPLIT IN THE USAHAWKS VS. DOVES
Split Over Vietnam• Hawks vs. Doves----
–Hawks—• John Birch Society (1958)—• Containment policy
–Doves---• Civil war in which USA should not be involved
• Tet Offensive (1968) changes Americans attitudes overnight
Nixon and Vietnam War
• Vietnamization---
• Nixon Doctrine---
• Negotiations in Paris--- •Sec. of State Henry Kissinger
•“peace with honor”
VIETNAMIZATION
The Nixon Paradox:
He widens the war & brings troops home
simultaneously
Nixon and Vietnam War
• Pentagon Papers leaked 1971-–Daniel Ellsberg
•Significance-
Ending the War• “Peace with Honor”---• Christmas Bombings (1972)• War Powers Act (1973)• “New Isolationism”---• Paris Accords---
• Agreed to release US POWs• US withdraws its forces• N. Vietnam retains control over parts of S. Vietnam• USA promises S. Vietnam to return if there’s trouble• Same agreement that was in place 4 years before!!• Combat troops leave by March, 1973
• 1973- Nixon abolishes draft- all volunteer army
• 1995- Pres. Clinton recognizes Vietnam
What are some of
legacies of the
Vietnam Conflict?
Reflections on the war• How did it impact the US
home front?– Race riots– Student protests– Generation Gap Widens
• Challenges long-held belief in “American Exceptionalism” (Manifest Destiny)– Are we in “the right?”– Waste of human life
• Long Term implications of Vietnam War– Lost faith in government- rise of
conservatism– Questioned “American
Exceptionalism”– Destroyed the Democratic Party
until 1990s
Administration Republicans Democrats Independents
Barack Obama (D) 13% 33% 18%
George W. Bush (R) 50% 26% 28%
Bill Clinton (D) 25% 34% 24%
George H.W. Bush (R) 44% 29% 30%
Ronald Reagan (R) 53% 34% 38%
Jimmy Carter (D) 27% 33% 27%
Nixon/Ford (R) 51% 41% 43%
Kennedy/Johnson (D) 62% 72% 65%
Trust in Government?
Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 2010
Vietnam Conflict in Film
Vietnam Conflict in Film
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