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The Vietnam War 1955 - 1975

The Vietnam War 1955 - 1975. Chapter 31. Indochina - Background. French Colony WWII leads to nationalist movements Ho Chi Minh organizes Vietminh French reassert control w/ US support (1946-1954) Dien Bien Phu – May 7, 1954. Indochina - Background. Geneva Accords

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The Vietnam War 1955 - 1975

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  1. The Vietnam War1955 - 1975 Chapter 31

  2. Indochina - Background • French Colony • WWII leads to nationalist movements • Ho Chi Minh organizes Vietminh • French reassert control w/ US support (1946-1954) • Dien Bien Phu – May 7, 1954

  3. Indochina - Background • Geneva Accords • Divides Vietnam at 17th parallel • Provides for elections in 2 years • French pull out • Ho Chi Minh controls the North • Ngo Dinh Diem controls the South

  4. Ho Chi MinhMay 19, 1890 – Sept 2, 1969 • Leader of the Vietnamese nationalist movement

  5. Ngo Dinh Diem • Noble Family • Roman Catholic • Dictatorial Powers • Supported by US until 1963 • Out of touch with the Vietnamese People • Assassinated in ’63

  6. Early Protests of Diem’s Government Self-immolation by a Buddhist Monk

  7. US Involvement - Background • Anti-communist atmosphere • Events of late 1940s and 1950s • China, Korean War, Soviet atom bomb, McCarthyism, Alger Hiss, etc. • Made alternative vision/solutions difficult

  8. US Involvement - Background • Kennedy Years • Test of US resolve/credibility • Test of “flexible response” • Test of Kennedy’s youth/inexperience

  9. JFK – Increased US Involvement • Abandon Ngo or deepen US involvement? • Increased US military advisors from 652 to 16,000 • strengthen S. Vietnam army with US technology • pressure Ngo into making necessary reforms.

  10. JFK – Increased US Involvement • Fall of Ngo Dinh Diem • Nov.1, 1963, a coup overthrows and kills Ngo • Three weeks later JFK is assassinated.

  11. The Vietnam War Part II: US Involvement and Escalation

  12. Johnson’s War • "I’m not going to be the president who saw SE Asia go the way China went."

  13. Tonkin Gulf – Aug. 4, 1964 • N. Vietnamese fire on US ships • Tonkin Gulf Resolution • 414/0 – House • 88/2 – Senate • “all necessary measures”

  14. Tokin Gulf Resolution • Not a declaration of war • Granted broad military powers • 1965 first US combat troops arrive • 1967 – 500,000 US troops

  15. Challenges • US Goal – Get the North to stop fighting -- War of attrition • Highly motivated enemy • Guerrilla tactics • Unclear enemy • Sinking morale

  16. The Ground War 1965-1968 • No territorial goals • Body counts on TV every night (first “living room” war) • Viet Cong supplies over the Ho Chi Minh Trail

  17. Who Is the Enemy? • Vietcong: • Farmers by day; guerillas at night. • Very patient people willing to accept many casualties. • The US grosslyunderestimated their resolve and their resourcefulness. The guerilla wins if he does not lose, the conventional army loses if it does not win. -- Mao Zedong

  18. Ho Chi Minh: If we have to fight, we will fight. You will kill ten of our men and we will kill one of yours, and in the end it will be you who tires of it.

  19. Who Is the Enemy?

  20. The Soldiers • A working-class war • Minorities • Lower income • “Manipulatable” draft

  21. U.S. Troop Deployments in Vietnam

  22. Opposition – Protest to Resistance • Pre-existing protest atmosphere • Student led movement • Draft resistance • Hawks and Doves • Silent Majority • Kent State – May 4, 1970

  23. Anti-WarDemonstrations Columbia University1967

  24. Hell no, we won’t go!

  25. Anti-War Demonstrations Student Protestors at Univ. of CA in Berkeley, 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, 1968

  26. Anti-War Demonstrations • May 4, 1970 • 4 students shot dead. • 11 students wounded • Jackson StateUniversity • May 10, 1970 • 2 dead; 12 wounded Kent State University

  27. Tet Offensive – January 30, 1968 • Surprise attack • Lasted a month • “Lost” Walter Cronkite • Greatly shook American resolve

  28. My Lai Massacre 1968 • Search and destroy mission • None found/no enemy fire received • 500 Killed

  29. The Ceasefire, 1973 • Conditions: • U.S. to remove all troops • North Vietnam could leave troops already in S.V. • North Vietnam would resume war • No provision for POWs or MIAs • Last American troops left South Vietnam on March 29, 1973 • 1975: North Vietnam defeats South Vietnam • Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City

  30. The Costs • 3,000,000 Vietnamese killed • 58,000 Americans killed; 300,000 wounded • Under-funding of Great Society programs • $150 Billion in U.S. spending • U.S. morale, self-confidence, trust of government, decimated

  31. 2,583 American POWs / MIAsstill unaccounted for today.

  32. The Vietnam Memorial, Washington, D.C.

  33. Memorial to US Servicemen in Vietnam

  34. 58,000

  35. Wars Legacy • “Credibility Gap” • War Powers Act • 48 hours notice • 90 Days • 26th Amendment – 18 year olds vote

  36. Lessons for FutureAmerican Presidents • Wars must be of short duration. • Wars must yield few American casualties. • Restrict media access to battlefields. • Develop and maintain Congressional and public support. • Set clear, winnable goals. • Set deadline for troop withdrawals.

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