The Vietnam War 1954 - 1975

The Vietnam War 1954 - 1975

Background to the WarBackground to the War

z The French lost control to Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh forces in 1954 at battle of Dien Bien Phu

z Peace Conference :GenevaP Vietnam was divided at 17th

parallelO Ho Chi Minh: leader of nationalist

forces controlled the NorthO Ngo Dinh Diem: French-educated,

Catholic. Claimed control of the South

Background to the WarBackground to the War

z A date was set for democratic elections to reunify Vietnam

z Diem backed out of the elections, leading to military conflict between North and South

U.S. Military Involvement BeginsU.S. Military Involvement Begins

z Dictatorial rule by DiemP Diem’s family holds all powerP Wealth is hoarded by the eliteP Buddhist majority persecutedP Torture, lack of political freedom prevail

P The U.S. aided Diem’s governmentP 675 U.S. Army advisors sent by 1960.

Early Protests of Diem’s Government

Early Protests of Diem’s Government

Self-immolation by a Buddhist Monk

U.S. Military Involvement BeginsU.S. Military Involvement Begins

z Kennedy increases military “advisors” to 16,000

z 1963: zDiem’s unpopularity worries JFK

zUS supports military coup d’etatzARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam)

zARVN overthrew the government on November 1, 1963.

z Diem and his brother are murdered (Nov. 2)

Johnson Sends Ground ForcesJohnson Sends Ground Forces

z Remembers Truman’s “loss” of China Domino Theory revived

I’m not going to be the president who saw Southeast Asia go the way China went.

Johnson Sends Ground ForcesJohnson Sends Ground Forces

z Advised to rout the communists by Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara

z Tonkin Gulf Incident 1964(acc. to Johnson, the attacks were unprovoked)

z Tonkin Gulf ResolutionP “The Blank Check” *P A joint resolution of Congress P What is a Joint Resolution?

P Gave Johnson authorization for war - without a formal declaration of war

U.S. Troop Deployments in Vietnam

U.S. Troop Deployments in Vietnam

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

1961 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968

U.S. Troops

The Ground War 1965-1968The Ground War 1965-1968

z No clear territorial goals for the US. z Body counts on TV every night (first

“living room” war)z Viet Cong supplies war via the Ho Chi

Minh Traila path from North Vietnam to South Vietnam via Laos & Cambodia .

The Air War1965-1968The Air War1965-1968

z 1965: Sustained bombing of North Vietnam

z Operation Rolling Thunder (March 2, 1965)

z 1966-68: Ongoing bombing of Hanoi nonstop for 3 years.

z targets the Ho Chi Minh Trail.z Carpet Bombing – napalm

The Air War:A Napalm Attack

The Air War:A Napalm Attack

Who Is the Enemy?Who Is the Enemy?

z Vietcong:P Farmers by day; guerillas at

night.P Willing to accept many

casualties.P US underestimated resolve

and resourcefulness.The guerilla wins if he does not lose, the conventional army loses if it does not win. -- Mao Zedong

The Tet Offensive, January 1968The Tet Offensive, January 1968

z N. Vietnamese Army + Viet Cong attack South simultaneously

z (67,000 attack 100 cities, bases, and the US embassy in Saigon)

z Take every major southern cityz U.S. + ARVN beat back the offensive

z Viet Cong all but destroyedz N. Vietnamese army debilitated

z BUT the IMPACT….

The Tet Offensive, January

1968

The Tet Offensive, January

1968

Impact of the Tet OffensiveImpact of the Tet Offensive

z Domestic U.S. Reaction: Disbelief, Anger, Distrust of Johnson Administration

z Johnson’s popularity dropped in 1968 from 48% to 36%.

z ‘Hey, Hey LBJ! How many kids did you kill today?’

Are We Becoming the Enemy?Are We Becoming the Enemy?

z Lt. William Calley,Platoon Leader

z Convicted of premeditated murder of 22 Vietnamese civilians. Calley

was sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor

z Mylai Massacre, 1968z 200-500 unarmed villagers

Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry

1968 Presidential Election – A Critical Election: The Era of Divided Government

Nixon on VietnamNixon on Vietnam

z Nixon’s campaign promised : Peace with Honor

z Vietnamization: Encouraged the South Vietnamese to take more responsibility for fighting the war. z Hoped to enable the United States to

withdraw (gradually) from ‘Nam

z The “Secret War”P Cambodia – US forces famously invade

& bomb. Destabilize the nation. P Laos

“Pentagon Papers,” 1971“Pentagon Papers,” 1971

z Former defense analyst Daniel Ellsbergleaked govt. docs. about the Johnson administration and Vietnam

z New York Times.z Docs. Govt. misled Congress &

Americans about Vietnam during mid-1960s.

P Fighting not to eliminate communism, but to avoid humiliating defeat.

The Ceasefire, 1973The Ceasefire, 1973

z Peace is at hand Kissinger, 1972P North Vietnam attacks SouthP Most Massive U.S. bombing

commences

z 1973: Ceasefire signed between P U.S., South Vietnam, & North

Vietnam

z Peace with honor (President Nixon)

The Ceasefire, 1973The Ceasefire, 1973

z Conditions:1. U.S. to remove all troops2. North Vietnam could leave

troops already in S.V.3. North Vietnam would resume

war4. No provision for POWs or MIAs

z Last American troops left South Vietnam on March 29, 1973

z 1975: North Vietnam defeats South Vietnam

z Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City

The Fall of Saigon

The Fall of Saigon

America Abandons Its Embassy

April 30, 1975

The CostsThe Costs

1. 3,000,000 Vietnamese killed2. 58,000 Americans killed;

300,000 wounded3. Under-funding of Great

Society programs4. $150,000,000,000 in U.S.

spending5. U.S. morale, self-confidence,

trust of government, decimated

The ImpactThe Impact

z 26th Amendment: 18-year-olds votez Nixon abolished the draft all-

volunteer armyz War Powers Act, 1973 ٭

P President must notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying military force

P President must withdraw forces unless he gains Congressional approval within 90 days