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France has controlled Indochina since 1887. In the mid-20th century, the Vietnamese
want to be independent. Ho Chi Minh led communist troops. The US backed the French, while the
Chinese and Russians backed communist Vietnamese.
When it became clear the French were not in a position to win, the Geneva Conference was held.
What happened?
1954 Geneva Agreement1954 Geneva Agreement
1954 Geneva Agreement1954 Geneva Agreement
1)Cease-fire
1954 Geneva Agreement1954 Geneva Agreement
1) Cease-fire2) French troops to withdraw.
1954 Geneva Agreement1954 Geneva Agreement
1) Cease-fire2) French troops to withdraw. 3) Vietnam divided into North and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel (demilitarized zone between the two).
1954 Geneva Agreement1954 Geneva Agreement
1) Cease-fire2) French troops to withdraw. 3) Vietnam divided into North and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel (demilitarized zone between the two).4) Laos and Cambodia = independent states.
1954 Geneva Agreement1954 Geneva Agreement
1) Cease-fire2) French troops to withdraw. 3) Vietnam divided into North and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel (demilitarised zone between the two).4) Laos and Cambodia = independent states.
5) National elections to be held in two years (by July 1956) throughout Indochina.
1954 Geneva Agreement1954 Geneva Agreement
1) Cease-fire2) French troops to withdraw. 3) Vietnam divided into North and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel (demilitarised zone between the two).4) Laos and Cambodia = independent states.
5) National elections to be held in two years (by July 1956) throughout Indochina. 6) No foreign bases.
1954 Geneva Agreement1954 Geneva Agreement
1) Cease-fire2) French troops to withdraw. 3) Vietnam divided into North and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel (demilitarised zone between the two).4) Laos and Cambodia = independent states.
5) National elections to be held in two years (by July 1956) throughout Indochina. 6) No foreign bases. 7) Freedom of movement between the North and South Vietnam for 300 days.
Go through each of the agreements and decide which country’s aim it met.
Who’s interests did the Conference seem to consider the most when putting together the agreement?
Is this surprising? Do you think the terms of the agreement were met?
Ho Chi Minh Ngô Dình Diệm
North Vietnam South Vietnam
While the agreement said “no foreign bases”, the Eisenhower administration did not follow it.
Instead, the Americans filled in when the French forces left.
The goal: ensure the success of the Nationalist gov’t in South Vietnam.
But problems within Vietnam would make this impossible.
Canceled the election.› The US supported this since the
Communist leader Minh more than likely would have won.
Headed a corrupt government.› Suppressed any kind of
opposition. Was a devout Catholic when
most of the country was Buddhist.
Between 1961 and 1963, President Kennedy launched a full-scale counterinsurgency program in Vietnam, part of which would become the “pacification” program.
Major goals› Strengthen the South Vietnamese
government’s hold on the peasantry› Cut into the heart of the Viet Cong
political and military organization Designed to “win the hearts and minds”
of the South Vietnamese
Intensified his attack on Buddhism. › Destroyed temples and imprisoned or killed Buddhists
priests. Led to protests that horrified the American
public. The Kennedy administration decided the best
way to handle the decision would be to get rid of Diem.
Part 1 of pacification: overthrow and assassinate Diem.› Kennedy himself would be assassinated a few weeks
later and Johnson would take over the Vietnam problem.
Part 2: Strategic Hamlet Program. South Vietnamese peasants from
scattered villages were brought together in defended and organized hamlets.
Goal: to protect, isolate the Viet Cong, and show the superiority of what the South Vietnamese government could offer.
The villagers were not pleased.› Meant moving from a place they
lived for generations and where their ancestors were buried.
Part 3: Combined Action Program: Placed selected Marine squads within the village militia
to eliminate local guerrillas. Very successful at the local level but required a
degree of American-Vietnamese cooperation unable to be replicated on a wider scale.› Drew American troops away from the “big war”.
It was decided this was not the best use of troops and pacification was left to the South Vietnamese who did not show an abundance of commitment to the task.
Part 4: Chieu hoi (opens arms) amnesty program. › designed to persuade Vietcong to
change sides. When the Vietcong saw the program
might bear fruit they unleashed a terrorist campaign that reduced defections from 5,000 to 500 a month.
The US responded with Operation Phoenix, a direct action plan to kill, capture, or co-opt the “provincial reconnaissance units”.
These former VC who took advantage of the chieu hoi amnesty receive training in
automotive repair to help them in their new lives
Commonly considered a missed strategic opportunity.
Suffered from being “too little, too late”
Perceived as competition with the “big war” and many military officers favored a “military solution”
In August, 1964 a North Vietnamese patrol boat fired a torpedo at the USS Maddox which was patrolling the Gulf of Tonkin off the North Vietnamese coast.
2 days later the crew reported enemy torpedoes again.› It was later discovered there
was no hostile gunfire.
In response, President Johnson asked Congress for powers to take “all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the US and to prevent further aggression”.
Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, granting Johnson military powers in Vietnam.
In response to a Vietcong attack that killed 8 Americans, Johnson unleashed “Operation Rolling Thunder”.› First sustained bombing of
North Vietnam. But what about ground
troops?
In a ~6 sentence paragraph, answer the question above.
Consider:› Pacification attempts.› The role of the assassination of Diem.› Gulf of Tonkin Incident.› Johnson’s actions after the Tonkin Gulf Resolution.
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