Vietnam – a French Colony no more

France, after ruling Vietnam or over 100 years was defeated by Gen. Giap at battle of Dien Bien Phu-forced to leave Vietnam.

The Vietminh take over and declare Vietnam Independent

France & Vietnam signed Geneva Peace Accords of 1954-split Vietnam along 17th parallel.

The United States Steps in

Geneva Accords stated that in 1956 Vietnam would hold elections to reunify country.

US worried Ho Chi Minh was too popular and would win so the US doesn’t allow elections to take place

Why? Domino Theory

North vs South The North led by

Ho Chi Minh Communist Vietminh Supported by the

Viet Cong in the South later called the National Liberation Front

South led by Ngo Dinh Diem

Supported by US US supported

creation of counter-revolutionary group in S. Vietnam

Pros of GW in Vietnamo Easy to slip into a

village; look like civilians

o More cooperation from other Vietnamese

o Easy supply systemo Territory and

topography already known

o Used rainy season as cover

o Easy to attain civilian help in ambushes and information

Cons of GW in Vietnamo Un-organization easily

occurso Renegade or untrained

troops confuse strategyo High rates of civilian

casualtieso Can ruin economic

developmento It is a long drawn out

process; low moralo Can kill own civilians

with unremembered booby traps and mines

o Extended from N Vietnam to S Vietnam

o Est. 1959 and used by N. Vietnamese troops for a major military supply route

o Goes through Laos and Cambodia on its way to S. Vietnam

o main route for invasion of S. Vietnam in 1975

The Ho Chi Minh Trail

o built in the time of the French

o joined village to village and often passed beneath American bases

o not only fortifications for Viet Cong guerillas, but also center of community life

o several stories deep and housed up to 10,000 people, supplies and weapons

o connected isolated pockets of Viet Cong territory enabled the guerrillas to mount surprise attacks and vanish without trace

The Underground Tunnels

o Punji sticks were sharpened sticks of bamboo concealed and designed to pierce the enemy’s feet; many times they were contaminated to cause disease

o Bamboo maces swung down onto soldiers who triggered tripwires; also used crossbows

o Land mines were a favorite of guerilla forces and they were taken from the U.S.S.R., the French, and even U.S. troops

Anti-Personnel Weapons

Kennedy & Johnson Kennedy increased

aid to Diem Sent military

advisors to help train S. Vietnamese troops

Expands conflict Gulf of Tonkin

Resolution in 1964 gave Johnson broad military powers

Troop Build Up 180,000 troops by

1965 500,000 troops by

1967

US Tactics -copy slide Agent Orange – a leaf

killing toxic chemical devastated landscape and ruined villages

Napalm – a gasoline based bomb stuck to leaves and skin

Search and destroy – uprooting villagers by day and evacuating at night

War at Home - copy Great Society Suffers – money spent on war

and not on helping poor at home Living- room war – media heightens

American concern Manipulatable Draft – different

qualifications, if in college could put off service or join National Guard or Coast Guard

African Americans were disproportionately drafted

Tet Offensive This offensive by the Viet Cong in S.

Vietnam shows Americans at home that “We are not winning this war”

Turning point in public opinion LBJ decides not to seek reelection

Protests at Home New Left organization SDS –

Students for a Democratic Society demanded participatory democracy & Free Speech

20,000 Marched on the White House in 1965

Resistance – “Hell No We Won’t Go!” Doves vs. Hawks

Kent State Tragedy Students in Ohio

protest the secret bombings in Cambodia

Governor sends in National Guard

Shooting erupts 4 students are killed Colleges across

country are shut down

American Policy changes Martin Luther King Jr. & RFK are

assassinated Nixon wins Presidential election Pull out begins 500,000 troops to

25,000 over 3 years - Vietnamization Secret bombings of Cambodia and

Laos

Atrocities My Lai Massacre Massacre of 100

innocent civilians by American troops

“Kill anything that breathed”

Court martial - Lt. Calley

The War America Lost

American forces are not able to American forces are not able to defeat the North Vietnamesedefeat the North Vietnamese

1973 US pulls out1973 US pulls out1975 North Vietnamese invade and 1975 North Vietnamese invade and

capture Saigon.capture Saigon.

The War’s Painful Legacy Longest War 58,000 US soldiers

died 2,212 solders

MIA/POWs Vietnam Veteran’s

Memorial US questions role as

police officer of world