COS STANDARD 13
Trace the course of the involvement of the United States in Vietnam from the 1950s to 1975, including
the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the Tet Offensive, destabilization of Laos, secret bombings of Cambodia, and the fall of Saigon.
LOCATING ON A MAP OR GLOBE THE DIVISIONS OF VIETNAM, THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL, AND MAJOR BATTLE SITES DESCRIBING THE CREATION OF NORTH AND SOUTH VIETNAM
Chapter 30
Vietnam: Background China had ruled Vietnam off and on for many
years. Around 1880 until World War II, France
controlled the French Indochina (Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam).
During World War II, Japan controlled Vietnam.
Vietnam: Background In the early 1900s, nationalism becomes
powerful force. Ho Chi Minh became a nationalist leader.
Travelled to USSR and advocated for CommunismReturned to Southeast Asia and founded the
Indochinese Communist Party, wants to overthrow French rule
Exiled to China and USSRComes back to Vietnam in 1941 and starts nationalist
group called the Vietminh (all Vietnamese unite to expel Japanese forces)
US sends aid to Vietminh
Ho Chi Minh and French Indochina
US and France versus Vietnam: Background When Japan lost World War II, Ho Chi Minh
quickly announced that Vietnam was independent. France did not let the Vietnamese to be
independent. Forced the Vietminh into the countrysideVietminh fight back and gain support
France asks for aid from the US. US is torn: should they help France and create a
colony or should they let Vietnam be free and spread communism?
US and France versus Vietnam: Background continued 2 events that make the US help Vietnam
(Truman)China falls to CommunismOutbreak of the Korean War
Eisenhower continued aid: domino theory Vietminh fought back with guerilla tactics and
France could not keep up. The struggle was unpopular in France. In 1954, a turning point changed things.
Dien Bien Phu French troops occupy
the small mountain town in VietnamSupply linesIf they take Dien Bien
Phu, it would force an attack
A huge force of Vietminh surround Dien Bien Phu and force the French out of French Indochina.
After Dien Bien Phu: Geneva Accords Geneva, Switzerland Divide Vietnam at the 17th parallel Ho Chi Minh and Vietminh are supposed to control the
North In 1956, the hold elections to reunite Vietnam Cambodia and Laos gain independence US steps in to make sure Vietnam is not Communist
Ngo Dinh Diem: nationalist, Pro-Western, Anti-Communist Free elections are not held: biased, fraud,
compromised US aids South Vietnam Tensions increase between North and South
Geneva Accords and Ngo Dinh Diem
Eisenhower and Vietnam continued US support South Vietnam Ho Chi Minh and his followers begin an
armed struggle to reunite Vietnam They make a new army: Vietcong Eisenhower sends more aid and advisors to
train the army. Vietcong gains more power
Kennedy and Vietnam Kennedy takes over and continued to send
aid and advisors to train the military Diem’s government causes the Vietcong to
growCorruptionStrategic hamlets: people from the countryside
are moved to fortified areas for protection and so they cannot turn on Diem
Buddhists: banned flag on Buddha’s birthday, Buddhist monks protest, several are killed. Buddhist monk protests by setting himself on fire.
Buddhist Monk on Fire
The end of Kennedy and Vietnam Diem is so
unpopular, they overthrow him on November 1, 1963.
Short after, Diem is executed.
Vietnam is very unstable.
Kennedy is shot and Johnson takes over.
Johnson and Vietnam On August 2, 1964, Johnson announced
two North Vietnamese torpedo boats fired upon American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Another similar attack happened. Johnson takes action.
Orders American aircrafts to attack North Vietnamese ships and naval facilities.
Johnson neglects to mention the reason the destroyers were attacked: electronic spying and commando raids against the North Vietnamese.
Johnson and Vietnam continued Congress passes the Gulf
of Tonkin ResolutionAugust 7, 1964 The president can “take all
necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the US and to prevent any further aggression.”
Congress gives their war powers to the president.
America Sends Troops After the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the
Vietcong attacks the advisors stationed in South Vietnam.
After an attack on Pleiku, Johnson ordered an aircraft attack.
In March 1965, Johnson started a campaign called Operation Rolling Thunder (series of bombings in North Vietnam).
Johnson sends the first combat troops into Vietnam, they fight alongside the South Vietnamese troops.
Pleiku and Operation Rolling Thunder
Stalemate 1965: 180,000 troops; 1966: doubled Vietcong used guerilla tactics.
Booby trapsAmbush attacks
They blend in well and can quickly hide because it is difficult to tell Vietnamese apart.
Americans used search and destroy missions.Find enemiesBomb their positionsDestroy their supply linesForce them into combatAgent Orange and napalm
Stalemate continued Vietcong will not easily give up (stamina and morale) Ho Chi Minh trail: arms and supplies network of
jungles paths through Cambodia and Laos, avoiding the border between North and South Vietnam
Johnson will attack because the trail goes through countries that are not directly involved in the war. It could start another war.
Other people could attack if there is a full scale invasion.
War of attrition: slowly wearing down the enemy Many death cause Americans to question the war.
Ho Chi Minh Trail
Ho Chi Minh Trail
War and America In the beginning,
people support the war.
As time wanes, people get tired of the war.
Vietnam becomes the first television war. In person, people say
America is winning the war.
Media shows something different
War and American continued Protests
Teach-ins○ University of Michigan
Draft○ College: defer until graduation○ more low income people were drafted (African
Americans) ○ Burned draft cards
MarchChanged voting age to 18 (26th Amendment)
Protests
Tet Offensive January 30, 1968: Vietnamese New Year Vietcong and North Vietnamese launch a huge
surprise attack. Guerilla’s attack nearly every American base in
South Vietnam as well as many of the major cities.
Militarily it was a disaster. Politically, it was good.
Turning point America requests more troops. Looks like America can’t win the war.
Tet Offensive
Nixon for President Johnson will not run for
president in 1968. Nixon promises to unite
the country, restore law and order at home and put an end to the Vietnam War.
He wins the presidency in 1968 because of his promises.
Nixon ends the war Appoints Henry Kissinger
as the special assistant for national security affairs.Linkage: improve relations
between USSR and China, resume peace talks with North Vietnam
Vietnamization: Nixon cuts back on troops in Vietnam, but increases air strikes and bombs sanctuaries in Cambodia.
Protests: My Lai and Cambodia Spring 1968, American platoon at My Lai
massacred 200 unarmed South Vietnamese. Brutal and senseless conflict
Americans had invaded Cambodia to destroy military bases there.Broadens the warProtest at Kent State University
My Lai
Kent State
Protests continued: Pentagon Papers Congress is upset with Nixon because of the
lack of information about the invasion of Cambodia.Revokes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Pentagon PapersGovernment officials privately criticized the war
and publicly defended it.Confirms that that government was not honest
about the Vietnam situation
Nixon really ends the war By 1971, people are ready to end the war
ASAP. Nixon concedes that North Vietnamese no
longer have to leave South Vietnam before peace talks could begin.
Henry Kissinger said that peace was at hand. This helps get Nixon reelected in 1972. The leader of South Vietnam, Nguyen Van
Thieu, didn’t want North Vietnamese left in his country.
Nixon really ends the war continued Peace talks stop. The next day, Nixon began an intensive air
raid called the Christmas Bombings, where B-52s dropped bombs for 11 days.
Peace talks resume. Thieu gives in and allows the North Vietnamese to stay.
January 27, 1973: an agreement is signed that ended the war and restored peace.Withdraw troops, exchange prisoners
Nguyen Van Thieu and Christmas Bombings
South Vietnam Falls In March 1975, North Vietnam invades South
Vietnam. Thieu asks for help from the US. Gerald Ford (new president) asks for
Congress to send money. They don’t. April 30th, North Vietnam captured the south’s
capitol, Saigon, renamed it Ho Chi Minh City and united Vietnam.
Fall of Saigon
Gerald Ford and Fall of Saigon
Legacy of Vietnam $170 billion in direct costs 58,000 deaths; 300,000 injuries; more
Vietnamese were killed People wanted to just forget the war because
it seemed as it was a failure. Vietnam Memorial was erected in 1982. War Powers Act: limits executive powers
Inform Congress of any commitment of troops aboard within 48 hours
Withdraw them in 60-90 days unless Congress said otherwise
