The Vietnam War 1 The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War 1

The Vietnam War v. America’s most unpopular war v. America’s longest and most expensive war v. A war America did not 2

Vietnamese Resistance v Ho Chi Minh (1890 to 1969) v Vietnamese Nationalist v Communist v Leader of N. Vietnam

Did you know that my name means “He who enlightens” ?

WWII Era v Japanese occupied Vietnam v 1941 -Ho fights the Japanese. v 1945 - independent under Ho “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal…” 5

When the Japanese lost the war, guess who wanted their colony back?

Stage One: French and Vietnamese War 1946 - France reclaims its colony. The Untied States supported the French with weapons and supplies. Why do we support the French?

Reasons why to U. S. went to war in Vietnam Remember… Ho was a communist #1 Committed to stopping the spread of Communism v Domino Theory-If you allow one of the small nations in Southeast Asia to fall to communism then all of them would fall like dominos. (Eisenhower) v France is an economic partner, NATO ally, UN veto, etc.

SO…The French backed by the U. S. fought the Vietnamese people (led by Ho) VS.

The French Era comes to an end… France was defeated at Dien Bien Phu -Peace -temporarily divide Vietnam: -17 th parallel -until elections in 1956 -North Communist -South-France and the U. S.

Stage Two: Indirect U. S. Involvement In the South the U. S. set up a anti. Communist government under Diem Hi! I am Ngo Dinh Diem.

All about Diem. . v v v Dictator-ANTI COMMUNIST Catholic (In a almost all Buddhist Country) Supported by the wealthy No free elections! We had to support him because Ho would win free elections (send advisors, CIA, $$$$) Many Vietnamese opposed Diem

Vietcong is formed (1960) v South Vietnamese Rebels v Hated Diem! v Gained control of the countryside

1963—No more Diem! Pres. Eisenhower Diem

Stage Three: Direct U. S. involvement Gulf of Tonkin Incident (August 1964)

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Aug ‘ 64 v President Johnson may: “Take all necessary steps to repel armed attack against US forces” What do you think this implies? 10

US Build-up -1965 to 1968 March 1965 --US Marines and Army arrive (185, 000) v CIA assassinated 60, 000 Vietcong leaders v By 1969, US troop strength reached 543, 000 v Ho continues to supply the Vietcong v 11

At home… v On the television. Innocent Civilians killed v Villages are burned v My Lai – US Shot to death 200 women/ children v Average old age: 19 years

The enemy is everywhere but nowhere! Which one is the enemy? ? ?

Why haven’t we won the war yet? -Guerrilla warfare -S. Vietnamese gov. unpopular. -Dissent at home -can’t invade N. Vietnam because of China Agent Orange

Agent Orange v appeared about 3 to 4 years after its use v Caused malformations on about 75, 000 v 25 years after the war, 3, 600 children come to life each year with severe deformities

v North and Vietcong attacked 12 US bases and Embassy – US wins militarily but. . – American confidence in war effort plummeted – Opposition to the war increased significantly ***If all of America’s air power, dollars, and ½ a million troops could not defeat the Vietcong, could anything do so? *** Tet Offensive of 1968 12

President LBJ VC Killed & US Killed The Military American Public VC Body VC Killed Count ? US Body Count US Killed

Stage Four: Vietnamization v gradual withdrawal of US forces increase in S. Vietnamese forces v 1969 -1973 v 13

Stage Five: The Fall of South Vietnam v 1975, North attacks the South v South easily defeated Laos and Cambodia fell quickly thereafter v Genocide in Cambodia (Pol Pot-1/4 killed) 16

Cost of Vietnam 58, 000 Americans killed v 300, 000 wounded v 2, 500 missing in action v 1 -3 million Vietnamese dead! v $170 billion spent v 8 million tons of bombs dropped v – 12 x Korea, 2 x WW II 17

Results of Vietnam v Lessened public opinion of the government and the military v By 1990, 60, 000 Vietnam Vets had committed suicide (more than died in the war). 18