Vietnam War1946-54

1961-1975

Background Indochina-peninsula southwest of China

and east of India

Indochina War 1946-1954

France (colonial power) vs. “Vietminh” (League for Vietnamese Independence)

WWIIJapan had occupied French colonies in Indochina

Vietminh (League for Vietnamese Independence) aimed to drive out Japanese

Led by Ho Chi Minh (Communist)

Ho Chi Minh

Ho Chi Minh

With defeat of Japan in 1945, declares Democratic Republic of Vietnam, which France refused to recognize

1946 – after WWIIFrench troops arrive in North Vietnam

Ho’s “Viet Minh” guerrillas begin to attack the French

Engage in battle with French forces until 1954 victory

Guerrillas wore no uniformsand infiltrated villages

China backed Ho Chi Minh

America backed the French

Result Geneva Convention on the Far East, 1954 Major powers agree to divide Indochina into

four states1. Ho Chi Minh to rule Communist North

Vietnam2. Non-Communist rule in South Vietnam

(Vietnam divided at 17th parallel)supported by U.S.

3. Laos4. CambodiaForeign troops left, Vietnamese to hold free elections within 2 years and reunite under government of their choice

Partition of Vietnam - resultsCut off North Vietnam from rice

supplies in Mekong DeltaMany Vietnamese living under

governments they resentedLeader of south Vietnam – Ngo Dinh Diem (anti-Communist Roman Catholic, corrupt and tyrannical)

Buddhist peasants hated him He did nothing for land reform

1957Communist guerrilla army

organized (National Liberation Front) to wage war on Diem

Called for a free, unified Vietnam

Diem asked the US for helpCommunist countries

supported the North, while non-Communist countries supported the south

N.L.F. akaViet Cong (Communists)

US involvement Gave aid and training to the South to fight

against the Viet Cong Wanted to stop the advancement of the

Communists 15000 US troops and well-trained South

Vietnamese failed to defeat the Vietcong who ambushed and raided from hide-outs

1963, South Vietnamese army officers, tired of Diem’s poor leadership and encouraged by the CIA, staged a revolution and killed Diem

American Fears Many different South Vietnamese

governments followed, each supported by US

US viewed this as containment of communism

Wanted to avoid more communisttakeovers of Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, India, Pakistan (“domino theory”)

JFKRestricted U.S. involvement to advisers and military supplies to the south

Escalation July 1964 – South Vietnamese boats attack

north of 17th parallel North Vietnamese torpedo boats respond by

sinking two American destroyers in Gulf of Tonkin…

Not officially at war yet, the U.S., under president Lyndon Johnson, sends more troops and conducts massive bombings on industries and supply routes in the North

They used Gulf of Tonkin incidentas excuse to massively increaseAmerica’s role in Vietnam war

“Operation Rolling Thunder”U.S. under Lyndon Johnson

Massive bombing campaign of North Vietnam –Aims

-demoralize the North Vietnamese-stop communist North Vietnam from supporting Viet Cong in South Vietnam without having to deploy U.S. ground forces into N. Vietnam-destroy N. Vietnam’s infrastructure-stop flow of materials and men into S. Vietnam

Impasse

More US troops didn’t prevent invasion from the North

US citizens watched every night on TV Saw inability of US troops and images of

Vietnamese civilians suffering Constant US bombing of the North’s villages

Napalm attack

Vancouver Sun cartoon, 1969

“They’re friendly…take cover!”

Tet Offensive Vietcong’s offensive in Jan-Feb 1968 Fighting intensified; Vietcong beaten back 40,000 VC dead vs. 4,000 U.S. & S. Vietnamese

dead Turned U.S. public opinion against the war Brought war into southern cities Military aid poured into South by US, into North by

USSR & China

http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war-history/videos/tet-offensive-surprises-americans

My Lai massacre (1968)

My Lai massacre (1968)http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/my-lai-massacre/videos

Lyndon Johnson didn’t stand for re-election- 1968 Richard Nixon (Republican) won using

platform of “Vietnamisation” - promised withdrawal, yet sent more

troops

American Withdrawal- “Vietnamization”

By 1972 Only 47,000 U.S. troops left in Vietnam Withdrawal of U.S. troops gave Nixon massive

majority 1973 –ceasefire agreed with VC and North

Vietnamese Agreement: U.S. to remove all troops;

Communist forces would not extend control beyond areas they already occupied

TRICKED! Communist forces – final push on Saigon

Anti-war movement

Draft-dodgers http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-w

ar/vietnam-war-history/videos/dodging-the-draft

The End 1969 –- Peace talks in Paris begin 1973 –- cease-fire reached American troops left South Vietnam, but

fighting continued 1975-last of the Americans were airlifted

out, Viet Cong took over Saigon, renamed it Ho Chi Minh city

1976 – Vietnam officially reunified and Communist

Death TollPerhaps 1 million VC, North

Vietnamese soldiers, and civilians

600,000 South Vietnamese soldiers/civilians

Over 50, 000 U.S. troops

Reasons the U.S. lostU.S. public outrage over killing of

civiliansHostile environment for the

Americans (jungles)Communists – vital backing of

Soviets & ChinaCommunist forces- committed to

their cause, high morale; American troops - disillusioned