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30 Years: U.S. Involvement in Vietnam 1945-1975

30 Years: U.S. Involvement in Vietnam 1945-1975. The 1940s-1950s Truman & Eisenhower. Vietnam: An in Depth History. History of Vietnam- -Indo-China under Chinese rule for centuries -French take control during early 1800s -Japanese invade during WWII -French regain control after the war.

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30 Years: U.S. Involvement in Vietnam 1945-1975

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  1. 30 Years: U.S. Involvement in Vietnam1945-1975

  2. The 1940s-1950sTruman & Eisenhower

  3. Vietnam: An in Depth History History of Vietnam- -Indo-China under Chinese rule for centuries -French take control during early 1800s -Japanese invade during WWII -French regain control after the war

  4. It’s at Versailles, it had to work • Ho Chi Minh, Vietnamese Revolutionary leader goes to Versailles in 1918, asks the world for independence, but is ignored • Starts revolution against the French • WWII: US & Allies support Minh against the Japanese • War ends, fight against the French continues (US supports French $$$)

  5. French Surrender, what? • May, 1954: Dien Bien Phu – Vietminh surround French outpost attack & annihilate French troops, forced to surrender • French “This aint worth it” –begin pull out • US takes a larger role, sends funds to support South Vietnamese Nationalists • Domino Theory

  6. Reunited it would feel so good • Geneva Accords, 1954 • US, French, USSR, Britain agree to split Vietnam at 17th parallel: • North=Communist (Minh), South=Nationalist (Diem) • Elections to unite Vietnam in 2 years

  7. Election what Election? • US supports South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem • Strong anti-communist • Strong connections with French • Strong Catholic • Very Corrupt • Diem & US cancel 1956 elections because he would lose to Minh in a landslide • Minh’s popularity: War hero, takes from the rich gives to the poor, kills opposition

  8. Diem, D-Diem, Diem, Diem • Diem’s unpopularity rises • Restrictions against Buddhists • Corruption rampant • South Vietnamese: “If US supports Diem, we support Minh” • Vietcong (Communists in S.V.) begins to attack Diem government: Murder 1000’s of government officials

  9. The 1960s – 1970sKennedy, Johnson, & Nixon

  10. Nothing to do with Vietnam, but very cool

  11. We Didn’t Start the Fire (or Did We?) • Eisenhower: “Money only, sink or swim with Diem” • Kennedy elected, increases money to Diem, and sends military advisers • Diem forces villagers into the country then imprisons monks, and destroys churches • Monks light themselves on fire in protest of Diem’s regime • US decides Diem has to go

  12. Dead and Bloated • Nov. 1, 1963: CIA supports coupe that topples Diem government • Diem executed • Kennedy assassinated a few weeks later • Lyndon Johnson takes office • End of 1963: 16,000 US troops in Vietnam

  13. I’m Tonkin this ain’t Good • Gulf of Tonkin: 8/2/64, 2 US ships (USS Maddox & Turner Joy) are “fired” upon by the North Vietnamese • Ships gathering information for secret raids on targets • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed 8/7/64 Congress gives LBJ military power in Vietnam (Blank Check) • House = 415-0 • Senate = 88-2

  14. Hey, Hey, LBJ • LBJ begins military build up (escalation) – 50,000 troops there by the end of the year • Operation Rolling Thunder: First sustained bombing of North Vietnam (War is here) • LBJ promises no ground troops “No American is going to die in an Asian war”

  15. Liar, Liar Pants on Fire • Robert McNamara (Sec of Defense) & Dean Rusk (Sec of State) suggest ground troops – LBJ agrees: going back on his promise • By the end of 1965, 180,000 US troops in Vietnam • 1965 poll: 61% of Americans favor US policy in Vietnam

  16. Westmoreland? Or EastlessLand • Vietnam put under the command of General Westmoreland • 3 thousand bombing raids every month • 1966: 430,000 troops in Vietnam • 1967: 500,000 troops, 10,000 deaths

  17. He, He!You Said Booby! • Difficulties in fighting the Vietcong • Guerilla warfare in the Jungle • Booby traps and land mines everywhere • Easily hide within population (all ages, sexes) • Underground tunnel system

  18. Punji pits were a common, cheap and easy to construct booby trap used to create fear in the minds of US and Allied servicemen. Click the thumbnail for more details. • Punji (or pangi) stakes were also used as a defensive weapon, by BOTH sides, around hamlets, villages or any other place where an attacking force had to be slowed up. Try running through this lot. Similar traps were put down and then the field was flooded to resemble a padi field.

  19. Lighting Up… • To combat the Guerilla Warfare US uses Napalm: gasoline based bomb that set fires • Agent Orange: leaf killing toxic chemical • Search & Destroy Missions: Effort to find Vietcong, burn down villages, kill livestock • Lack of success leads to low morale among US soldiers, many turn to drugs

  20. Agent Orange

  21. Agent Orange

  22. Hey, Hey, LBJ How Many Babies did you Kill Today? • In the U.S. support for the war began to diminish • Military Draft unpopular • Minorities Fighting & Dying, without equality here • Peace movement grows • Many Americans not sure why were there • Credibility gap – Johnson not telling the truth • First TV war, Americans see the fighting, and the dead bodies every night on the news

  23. 1968: Hell of a Year • Tet Offensive: Vietcong launch all out attack on South 1/20/68 during the Tet holiday (New Year) • Attack 100 cities • Attack 12 military bases • Attack US embassy in Saigon • US wins: Vietcong 32,000 dead: US 3,000 • Tet changes public opinion at home: Polls show Americans disfavor the war

  24. Tricky Dick President • LBJ decides not to run again because of Vietnam • Nixon elected on slogan “Peace with Honor” • Nixon starts policy of Vietnamization: replacement of US troops with South Vietnamese troops

  25. 1968: Hell doesn’t look too bad • My Lai: US troops massacre villagers at My Lai including unarmed Women, Children, Elderly • Kent State: Anti-War Protest turns bloody as military fires on crowd, 12 wounded, 2 dead • Nixon bombs Cambodia: Stop supplies coming from the Ho Chi Minh Trail • Pentagon Papers Published: Showed LBJ planned war at same time he said we wouldn’t send troops

  26. My Lai

  27. Kent State

  28. Make Love not War • Protest movement growing • Massive protests all over the US including at Harvard • Woodstock • Burning of Draft Cards • Cronkite against the war

  29. War Sucks • Nixon’s top advisor Henry Kissinger meets with North Vietnamese in Paris seeking Peace • 1973 Peace Treaty: Vietnam would remain divided, but Northern troops were allowed to stay in the South • 1975: North Vietnamese break treaty and invade South Vietnam, US does nothing under new President Ford

  30. Why You Got to be a Hater • After Effects: • Veterans return to no parades, no honor, spit on • Bombing of Cambodia creates Civil War, which is won by the Khmer Rouge • Khmer Rouge (Communist) murders 2 million in a few years -War powers act passed: President must inform Congress within 48 hours of sending troops -26th Amendment passed: Voting age 18

  31. Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot

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