Vietnam

Chapter 30

France in Vietnam

From 1800- World War II-(Japanese took over)-French rule Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia)

French take land from peasants, built large plantations, rice and rubber

unrest by the peasants, prompted response from the French-restricted freedom of speech, assembly and jailed Vietnamese nationalists-failed

Vietnamese Communist party leader-Ho Chi Minh>

Ho Chi Minh

“He who enlightens”-Nguyen Tat Thanh

cook on a French steamship-visits cities all over the world

World War I-moves to France-gardener, waiter, photo retoucher, oven stoker

“Uncle Ho”-ruled North Vietnam from 1954-1969

one party rule-repressed all opposition

In 1975-North Vietnam captured South Vietnam and renamed capital Ho Chi Minh City from Saigon

French lose Indochina

1941-Ho Chi Minh returns from exile-form a nationalist group called the Vietminh-Vietnamese independence from foreign influence

September 2, 1945-Vietnam declares its independence

French moves back in in 1946 regains control of the southern half

of the country Ho Chi vows to free Vietnam-”The

Elephant (France) will impale him on his mighty tusks. But the Tiger will not pause, and the elephant will die of exhaustion and loss of blood.”

1950-US enters the struggle

France loses Vietnam

Truman sends $15m in aid to France

US paid for much of France’s effort to regain and hold-$2.6 B

Cold War causes the backing of France

Eisenhower and the Domino Theory-Countries on the brink-fall like dominoes-

despite massive US aid-French could not retake Vietnam-final incredible loss coming at Dien Bien Phu-led by Vo Nguyen Gap

surrounded and pounded the fort for 2 months-French begin pull out after the fall of Dien Bien Phu

Geneva Accords

July, 1954 France, Great Britain, the

Soviet Union, The United States, China, Laos, Cambodia, Vietminh and South Vietnam’s Government

1.temporary split of Vietnam along the 17th parallel-North-Communist and Ho Chi Minh-South anti-Communist government

2. Election in 1956 US took more active role in

South Vietnam

United States in VietnamEisenhower Era

South Vietnam’s President-Ngo Dinh Diem>-cancels election-called for war against the Communist-promised help by Eisenhower

Diem corrupt, -suppressed protest-no land back to the peasants

Diem is a Catholic-problem in a large Buddhist population

1957-Vietcong begin a guerilla war in the south

later National Liberation Front(NLF)-supported by Ho

Ho Chi Minh Trail-Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Vietcong-supplied Vietcong by Ho Chi Minh

Eisenhower is going to “sink or swim” with Diem

United States in VietnamKennedy Era

Increased financial aid to Diem military advisers-16,000 Diem popularity plummets strategic hamlet program-moving

all villager to protected areas attacks on Buddhists continued to counter these attacks Buddhist

clerics, nuns publicly burned themselves

appalled Americans saw these images on TV -Diem refused to stop

November 1, 1963-US supported military coup occurred-Diem executed-against Kennedy’s wishes

United States in VietnamJohnson Era

“If I let the... Communist take over South Vietnam, then … my nation would be seen as an appeaser, and we would find it impossible to accomplish anything … anywhere on the entire globe.”

Tonkin Gulf Resolution-August 4, 1964-North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked the USS Maddox

prompted all necessary measures to repel attack

414 to 0 in House 88 to 2 in Senate

not a declaration of war but gave Johnson broad powers to conduct war

Escalation

Support for containment-ironically Johnson beat Barry Goldwater in 1964 by preaching moderation-Goldwater spoke of war to contain

Johnson-1964 “not about to send American boys 9 or 10,000 miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to do themselves”

Secretary of Defense - Robert McNamara> and Secretary of State Dean Rusk worked with Johnson to send 10’s of thousands away

1965 poll- 61% supported the US policy in Vietnam

Troop buildup accelerates-by the end of 1965-180,000

led by General William Westmoreland-aggressive US deployment

South Vietnamese and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) are unimpressive

by 1967-500,000

War in the Jungle

US is superior in the number of troops, weaponry

North Vietnam-jungle terrain, type of war (guerilla war)

Vietcong-hit and run, ambush tactics

move secretly in and out of general population

no big battles, no frontlines booby traps, land mines networks of tunnels, connects

villages Westmoreland plans a war of

attrition-Body Count-of Vietnamese The United States never lost a

battle in Vietnam

“Hearts and Minds”

US loses here as well needed to win over the South

Vietnamese Communists can’t hide in the

population if the people don’t like you

Reason the Americans don’t win this-

Tactics- Americans harmed the

population in looking for Vietcong-Napalm, Agent-Orange-search -and-destroy missions

Sinking Morale

American morale dropped steadily throughout the war

alcohol and marijuana use to deal with low morale

led to some “fragging”-murder of superior officers-lobbed a fragment grenade(leaves no fingerprints) at an officer

morale worsens as government negotiates peace

the soldiers knew that the South wasn’t exactly on our side

still fought courageously >soldiers refusing to go on

patrol

The War at Home

Johnson thought war would be over quickly

Great Society can’t be funded Vietnam is called the “Living

Room War” footage on television

contradicted what was being seen on TV-credibility gap

using body counts of Communists reported by Westmoreland-kept saying the war was about to be won

Not a War for the Rich

Working class is fighting- number of youth are protesting by

1967 upper and middle class are able to

go to college and other means to avoid the draft

most are drafted into service all males have to register between

18 and 26 thousands find way out-medical

excuses, different qualifications for different boards-joined National Guard or Coast Guard

most common is college deferment 80% of the soldiers in the war are

working class

African Americans and Women

Blacks-20% of American combat deaths-only 10% of the population

angered black leaders MLK Jr- “cruel irony” 1967-race riot in the army-

Long Binh 1969-black and white

marines clashed upon returning to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

7500 women-non-combat roles-nurses

Opposition

Growing youth movement- “The New Left”

Students for a Democratic Society-(SDS)-Tom Hayden>, Al Haber started in 1959-Michigan U

1962-declared that corporations and large government institutions have taken over-Port Huron Statement

Free Speech Movement-(FSM)-Cal-Berkeley-American “machine”-business and government

FDU-marched in a general expression of discontent

a protest movement emerges

The Protest Movement

April 1965-March on Washington 20,000 show

November, 30,000 show- change deferment to good

academic standing-SDS has 300 chapters by 1967

reached others-returning veterans, musicians,

RESISTANCE-burnt draft cards-1967 in Central Park-1/2 million show

Nixon phases out the draft by 1970 200,000 as draft offenses, 4000

draft resisters, 10,000 flee to Canada

75,000 show in Oct. of 1967 in Washington-tension to violence-1500 injured and 700 arrested

Doves v. Hawks

1967-still a majority for fighting the war

pro-war march in Manhattan drew 20,000

70% felt Anti-war movement “Acts of Disloyalty”

“Support our men in Vietnam” and “America-Love It or Leave it”

Johnson attacked by both

1968

Tet Offensive

The Tet Offensive-January 30, 1968 Tet is Chinese New Year (Lunar

Calendar) Surprise attack on numerous cities in

the South at the same time take advantage of week long truce attacked-100 towns, 12 US air bases,

US embassy in Saigon funerals occurred during Tet-coffins

filled with weapons lasted nearly a month US and South regain control Westmoreland called it a complete

defeat for the Communists 32,000 Communist v. 3000 allied

deaths psychological victory favored The

Communists

The Nation turns on Johnson

After Tet-Johnson’s popularity plummeted

February 1968-60% disapprove of handling the war

before Tet Hawks 56% to Dove 28%

after-Hawks 40% Dove 40%

media openly criticize Tet offensive changed

millions of minds

Election of 1968

Johnson bows out>-Eugene McCarthy runs on withdrawing from war

Robert Kennedy joins to take on McCarthy by June

Robert Kennedy is shot and killed by Sirhan Sirhan after winning the California primary

Violence

Martin Luther King assassinated> on April 4

Violence occurred in 100 cities in US DC has 700 fires lit and soldiers in

combat gear are called in to protect the capitol and White House

46 dead, 3000 injured, 27,000 arrested

Bobby Kennedy assassinated> on June 4

turmoil continued at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago

anti war demonstrators clashed with Chicago police-featuring a bloody riot, fractured Democratic Party

helped Republicans win

Democratic National Convention

Mayor of Chicago-Richard J. Daley-”...there will be law and order”

August 28-protestors gather in downtown park-TV focussed-police move in and beat with nightsticks and spray with mace

turns into a full fledged battle on the streets of Chicago

inside-disorder also reigned-fight over anti-war platform led to shouting-riot word reaches the floor-shout at Daley, Daley shouts back

leaves the impression of a party who is not in control

Nixon wins the Republican nod campaigns on law and order platform wins easily

Vietnamization

Nixon announces in 1969- gradual withdrawal of US troops South Vietnam would take

responsibility for their own 3 years- American troops dropped

from 500,000 to less than 25,000 “peace with honor”-Nixon secretly

orders a massive bombing campaign of North Vietnam and supply routes

drops bombs on Laos and Cambodia wanted N. Vietnam to think he was

capable of anything silent majority-moderate

mainstream Americans who supported his policies

The My Lai Massacre

New York Times reporter Seymour Hersh reported that on March 16, 1968-US platoon under the command of Lieutenant William Calley

entered the small village of My Lai in South Vietnam to search for Vietcong