The Vietnam Conflict:The Vietnam Conflict:

A HistoryA History

Map of VietnamMap of Vietnam

History of VietnamHistory of Vietnam

• Fought to remain independent of foreign conquerors

• Ruled by China for centuries

• France made Vietnam a colony in the mid 1800’s

• Fought to remain independent of foreign conquerors

• Ruled by China for centuries

• France made Vietnam a colony in the mid 1800’s

French ColonialismFrench Colonialism• Used raw materials: rubber, rice, and

lumber• Exploited the population for cheap

labor• People suffered under French rule• 1920: Vietnamese Communist Party

under Ho Chi Minh is assembled…called the Viet Minh

• Used raw materials: rubber, rice, and lumber

• Exploited the population for cheap labor

• People suffered under French rule• 1920: Vietnamese Communist Party

under Ho Chi Minh is assembled…called the Viet Minh

World War IIWorld War II• 1940-1944 Vietnam was occupied by

Japan• Viet Minh fought guerilla war against

the Japanese• 1945 End of WWII- French regain

control of Vietnam from the British• French control is weak because of

the war in Europe

• 1940-1944 Vietnam was occupied by Japan

• Viet Minh fought guerilla war against the Japanese

• 1945 End of WWII- French regain control of Vietnam from the British

• French control is weak because of the war in Europe

Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh

• Revolt against French led by Minh

• Studied Communism in China and USSR

• “Barefoot Army”• French controlled

cities, Minh controlled countryside (85% of population)

• French defeated at Dienbienphu in May of 1954.

• 16,500 French, only 3,000 survive

• Revolt against French led by Minh

• Studied Communism in China and USSR

• “Barefoot Army”• French controlled

cities, Minh controlled countryside (85% of population)

• French defeated at Dienbienphu in May of 1954.

• 16,500 French, only 3,000 survive

American InfluenceAmerican Influence

• US financed 80% of war• US takes France’s place in Southeast

Asia• US afraid of Communist

Vietnam-“Domino Effect”• Cease fire agreement called for by

international conference

• US financed 80% of war• US takes France’s place in Southeast

Asia• US afraid of Communist

Vietnam-“Domino Effect”• Cease fire agreement called for by

international conference

Vietnam DividedVietnam Divided

• Divided in half at 17th Parallel

• North - Communist rule (Ho Chi Minh)

• Capital - Hanoi

• South - Government supported by US

• Ngo Dinh Diem -President

• More emperor than president

• Capital - Saigon

• Divided in half at 17th Parallel

• North - Communist rule (Ho Chi Minh)

• Capital - Hanoi

• South - Government supported by US

• Ngo Dinh Diem -President

• More emperor than president

• Capital - Saigon

US PresenceUS Presence

• 1961 – 700 -12,000 military advisors in country

• Special Forces -Green Berets

• Aerial spraying of herbicides over rural Vietnam

• By 1963, 17,000 US troops

• 1961 – 700 -12,000 military advisors in country

• Special Forces -Green Berets

• Aerial spraying of herbicides over rural Vietnam

• By 1963, 17,000 US troops

South Vietnamese GovernmentSouth Vietnamese Government

• Nov. 1, 1963 - Coup in SV, Diem killed

• Nov. 22, 1963 -President Kennedy assassinated - Johnson becomes President

• SV government extremely unstable

• Changes leaders 8 times in 2 years

• Nov. 1, 1963 - Coup in SV, Diem killed

• Nov. 22, 1963 -President Kennedy assassinated - Johnson becomes President

• SV government extremely unstable

• Changes leaders 8 times in 2 years

VietcongVietcong• 1964 - Communist

soldiers in South Vietnam

• Terrorists• Supplied by NV through

the Ho Chi Minh Trail• Bombed public places

where Americans congregated

• Charlie, Cong, VC, Mr. Charles, Victor Charlie

• 1964 - Communist soldiers in South Vietnam

• Terrorists• Supplied by NV through

the Ho Chi Minh Trail• Bombed public places

where Americans congregated

• Charlie, Cong, VC, Mr. Charles, Victor Charlie

Gulf of Tonkin IncidentGulf of Tonkin Incident

• President Johnson wanted to bomb Hanoi• Congress had to approve bombing• Aug. 2, 1964 - Gulf of Tonkin (off NV

coast)• Destroyer USS Maddox attacked by NV

gun-boats• Sank 1, crippled other 2• Maddox hit by 1 bullet• Fact or hoax? reason to bomb

• President Johnson wanted to bomb Hanoi• Congress had to approve bombing• Aug. 2, 1964 - Gulf of Tonkin (off NV

coast)• Destroyer USS Maddox attacked by NV

gun-boats• Sank 1, crippled other 2• Maddox hit by 1 bullet• Fact or hoax? reason to bomb

Operation Rolling ThunderOperation Rolling Thunder

• Air war begins over North Vietnam

• Public backs President

• Intimidate NV people and leaders

• Bombing was not the answer

• Air war begins over North Vietnam

• Public backs President

• Intimidate NV people and leaders

• Bombing was not the answer

Combat TroopsCombat Troops

Combat Troops Cont.Combat Troops Cont.

• March 8, 1965 - 3,500 Marines land at DaNang

• 1966 - 250,000 troops in country

• 1967- 463,000 troops in country

• Tour of duty - 1 year

• Domestic opposition: Win the “hearts and minds” of the South Vietnamese people

• March 8, 1965 - 3,500 Marines land at DaNang

• 1966 - 250,000 troops in country

• 1967- 463,000 troops in country

• Tour of duty - 1 year

• Domestic opposition: Win the “hearts and minds” of the South Vietnamese people

The Vietnamese The Vietnamese

• ARVN - Army of the Republic of South Vietnam - Not very dependable, over-matched by North

• NVA - North Vietnamese Army - Battle-hardened troops, fighting Chinese, French, and Japanese.

• VietCong - South Vietnamese Communists- ally to NVA

• ARVN - Army of the Republic of South Vietnam - Not very dependable, over-matched by North

• NVA - North Vietnamese Army - Battle-hardened troops, fighting Chinese, French, and Japanese.

• VietCong - South Vietnamese Communists- ally to NVA

How War Was FoughtHow War Was Fought

Cont.Cont.

Booby TrapsBooby Traps

Tet Offensive: The Beginning of the End

Tet Offensive: The Beginning of the End

• 1968-Tet New Year- cease fire

• US public thought war was going our way

• NV and VC launch attacks against 100 towns and cities in SV and most military installations

• Overrun the US Embassy in Saigon

• Pictures shown on TV• Public learns that war

is not as they thought• VC mostly destroyed as

a fighting force.

• 1968-Tet New Year- cease fire

• US public thought war was going our way

• NV and VC launch attacks against 100 towns and cities in SV and most military installations

• Overrun the US Embassy in Saigon

• Pictures shown on TV• Public learns that war

is not as they thought• VC mostly destroyed as

a fighting force.

Final YearsFinal Years

• 1972 - Most US troops withdraw

• 1973 - Peace agreement signed in Paris

• 1974 - Fighting erupts between North and South

• 1975 Saigon is overrun and falls

• US personnel evacuated

• Saigon becomes Ho Chi Minh City

• 1972 - Most US troops withdraw

• 1973 - Peace agreement signed in Paris

• 1974 - Fighting erupts between North and South

• 1975 Saigon is overrun and falls

• US personnel evacuated

• Saigon becomes Ho Chi Minh City

CasualtiesCasualties

- U.S. MILITARY CASUALTIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA -- DEATHS BY CASUALTY TYPE AND SERVICE -

- AS OF MARCH 31, 1997 -Since 1997 78 names have been added to the memorial

that are not show in the stats below.

CASUALTY TYPE USA USN USAF USMC USCG TOTAL

HOSTILEKILLED

25,358 1,115 537 11,491 4 38,505

HOSTILEDIED OF WOUNDS

3,566 150 49 1,476 1 5,242

HOSTILEDIED WHILE MISSING

1,960 325 1,130 108 0 3,523

HOSTILEDIED WHILE CAPTURED/INTERNED

45 36 25 10 0 116

NONHOSTILEDIED OF OTHER CAUSES

4,907 579 531 1,436 2 7,455

NONHOSTILEDIED OF ILLNESS/INJURIES

1,437 69 170 314 0 1,990

NONHOSTILEDIED WHILE MISSING

928 281 141 3 0 1,353

TOTAL 38,196 2,555 2,583 14,837 7 58,178

Final NumbersFinal Numbers

• 10 million Vietnamese-1/2 population homeless

• US cost of war- around $150 billion dollars

• 10 million Vietnamese-1/2 population homeless

• US cost of war- around $150 billion dollars