The Vietnam war.

1. The Vietnam war. By: Christian O’Connell

2. I am going to take you to a time line through the past and show you some background and some of the shifting alliances that involved Southeast Asia.  This power point will take you from the early 1940’s through the late 1990’s.

3. Before WWII, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia were French colonies.  In WWII, the Germans kicked France’s rear and made them Vichy Frence.  The Japanese then overran the Vichy French in their Southeast Asia colonies, and set up Bao Dai as their puppet ruler of Vietnam.

4. About 1941, Ho Chi Minh (birth name NfuyenSinhCung), with aid from the Comintern, formed the Viet Minh, or Vietnam Independence League, whose purpose was to establish a communist Vietnamese government.  He was also supplied with money and materials by the OSS to fight the Japanese and Vichy Frence in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. He had attempted many times to get the US or France to recognize Vietnam as an independent communist-ruled country.

5. After Germany surrendered, the Allies, on paper, split Vietnam along the 16th parallel, and got the Chinese, under the anti-communist Chiang Kai-Shek, to sweep down upon the Japanese from the north, to Hanoi, and the British to sweep up and fight the Japanese from the south, towards Saigon.  Also, the French, no longer Vichy Frence, were allowed to have back their colonies, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, where they had large rubber plantations and other commercial interests.

6.           When Japan surrendered, Bao Dai abdicated, and Ho Chi Minh consolidated and eliminated rival Vietnamese independence movements and purged his party, occupied Hanoi and declared himself President of the communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

7.           At the end of 1945, the Chinese army looted its way down from the north, and occupied Hanoi, ousting Ho Chi Minh. The British freed many French troops from Japanese internment camps, and then many French soldiers and civilians rampaged through South Vietnam, killing many Vietnamese.  France landed troops to take back their colonies, and Ho Chi Minh is expelled from Saigon.

8. 1946 sees France gain control of north and south Vietnam, as the Chinese, under Chiang Kai-Shek, withdraw for concessions from the French on Chinese ports.  Ho Chi Minh agrees to let the French into Hanoi if France recognizes the communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam.  France initially agrees, occupies Hanoi, then ignores Ho Chi Minh, declares their rule of the three Asian colonies, and Ho Chi Minh and the French go to war.

9. In 1949, France installs Bao Dai as their puppet governor of South Vietnam, and establishes the Vietnamese National Army.

10.           In China, Communist Mao Zedong defeats Chiang Kai-shek, winning the Chinese civil war.  The US foreign policy of the ‘containment’ of communist expansion in the southeast asia region dates from around now. . This increases the anti-communist sentiment in America.

11. Senator McCarthy also starts his communist-hunts through the state department, military, Hollywood, and anywhere else communists may be hiding.

12. 1950 starts with China and the Soviet Union recognizing Ho Chi Minh’s Democratic Republic of Vietnam.  China immediately sends military advisors and modern weapons and military supplies to Ho Chi Minh.

13.           The US and Great Britain recognize the French-controlled South Vietnam government under Bao Dai.  This is during the time, in America, of high anti-communism.  The US sends ground troops into Korea to fight the communist North Koreans, and starts to send military advisors and military aid to the French in Vietnam.

14.           The Korean War ends in 1953.  Korea is divided along the 38th parallel, with the North communist, and No Man’s Land in between.

15.           In 1954, France withdraws from Vietnam.  About 400,000 soldiers and civilians from both sides have died.  The Geneva Conference on Indochina produces the Geneva Accords, splitting Vietnam at the 17th parallel, with Ho Chi Minh and the communists to the north, and Bao Dai to the south.

16.           During 1955, the US ships military aid to South Vietnam, and trains the South Vietnam Army.  Ho Chi Minh accepts aid from Khrushchev and the Soviets.  In South Vietnam, Bao Dai is once again disposed of, and Ngo Dinh Diem is made president of South Vietnam, now an American puppet government.  During the next few years, both sides raze the country sides and slaughter people, for various reasons.

17. As Ho Chi Minh prepares for war, both sides slaughter civilians.  In 1959, Minh declares a ‘people’s war’, for whatever people may be left, and works to help erode any support of the South Vietnamese government by helping Diem slaughter South Vietnamese, Buddhists, and suspected Viet Cong.  By 1960, the People’s Liberation Armed Forces, or Viet Cong (for communist Vietnamese) is started, and the National Liberation Front, a political organization for the communist guerillas, is established by Hanoi.

18.           In 1961, Khrushchev pledges support for ‘wars of liberation’ through out the world.  More and more US advisors are sent to South Vietnam.  The strategy of the US is to wage a limited war to force North Vietnam into a political settlement.  Kennedy does not want to send troops to fight the Viet Cong, but sends money and supplies.  The South Vietnamese Army is run by officers chosen for their loyalty to Diem.  They are ordered not to fight for the defense of South Vietnam, or for total military victory, unlike Minh’s Viet Cong, but are to avoid causalities, and to protect Diem from coups in Saigon.

19.           In 1962 the Declaration of Neutrality of Laos is signed, prohibiting the US invasion of portions of the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos.  The US passes the Foreign Assistance Act of 1962, which provides for assistance to countries which are on the rim of the Communist world and under direct attack.

20. During 1962 and 1963, Diem continues to slaughter South Vietnamese, targeting especially Buddhists.  Diem is assassinated.  Kennedy is assassinated.  Johnson becomes President, and the US gets more aggressive in the Vietnam War.  The Gulf of Tonkin incidents leads to the bombing of North Vietnam, and the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, passed by the US legislative branch, grants to President Johnson the power to wage an undeclared war against Vietnam.

21.           By 1964, South Vietnam is in constant political instability, which will last until it loses in 1975, and leaves its people in continual upheaval.  China tests a nuclear bomb and has massed troops along its border with Vietnam.  North Vietnamese Army (NVA) units are armed with Soviet and Chinese weapons and training.

22.           President Johnson orders more North Vietnamese bombing in 1965, and the Soviets send more sophisticated weaponry.  By now, the Viet Cong, NVA, South Vietnam Army, and the Americans are battling constantly.  President Johnson sets the draft, sends troops, napalm, bombs, B-52’s, and more bombs.  The US starts winning battles, while war protests in the US are escalating.

23.           During 1966 and 1967, more bombing, more war protests.  Ronald Reagan, then Governor of California, says the US should get out of the war, citing the difficulties of winning when ‘too many qualified targets have been put off-limits to bombing.’

24. In 1968, the North Vietnamese launched the Tet Offensive.  It was a very large loss for the Viet Cong, demonstrated that the US military was very good, and was a catalyst for more anti-war feelings in America.  President Johnson decides not to run for re-election, Martin Luther King is assassinated, Robert

25. Kennedy is assassinated, peace talks begin, and stall.  1968, with the battle of Dai Do, sees the end of North Vietnam’s hope of invading South Vietnam.

26.           Richard Nixon is elected President in 1969, and, announcing the ‘Vietnamization’ of Vietnam, begins US troop withdrawals.  Ho Chi Minh dies.

27.           In 1970, the Khmer Rouge, with Pol Pot, gains notoriety while slaughtering people.  The 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is repealed.

28. The Paris Peace Accords are signed in 1973.  The draft is ended, and the last known POW is released.  The US passes the Case-Church amendment, which forbids any further US involvement in Southeast Asia.  And the US passes the War Powers Resolution

29.           In 1974, the US begins to desert the South Vietnam government, and North Vietnam violates the Paris Peace Accords.

30. Beginning in 1975, North Vietnam attacks South Vietnam, and wins.  The American part of the war ends with the American evacuation of Saigon.

31.           Between 1976 and 1980, Vietnam changes its name to the Socialistic Republic of Vietnam, is granted access to the UN, then invades Cambodia, chasing the Khymer Rouge.

32.           Between 1981 and 1985, Vietnam defeats the Khymer Rouge, and then leaves Cambodia between 1986-90.