FRENCH CONTROL:

• colonized Vietnam as part of their Southeast Asian Empire

• controlled Vietnam until World War II

JAPANESE CONTROL:

• During WWII took over control of Vietnam

• When Japanese surrendered to the Allies, Vietnam fell under French control again. Most Vietnamese unhappy with this.

AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA:

• Colonies in Southeast Asia (ie: Philippines)

• Trade in the area - region provided U.S. with 90% of rubber and 75% of tin

1945 - 1954Vietnamese are fighting for independence from

the French• Ho Chi Minh leads fight for independence

•has been publishing works pushing for Vietnamese independence for decades

•Well known to Vietnamese people

•Believes that Communism is the correct path for the future of Vietnam (!!!)

• Communist China provides direct aid to Ho Chi Minh

(Continued)

•Truman decides that the French Indo-China War is really a hot part of the Cold War

•he needs to extend “containment” to South East Asia • Results in American aid to France – military and economic assistance In 1950

•During French-Indo-China War, U.S. adopts the “domino theory”

•If Vietnam falls, the rest of Southeast Asia will be lost

•Don’t forget, we’ve already lost China to Communism, and we almost lost Korea. America must hold firm!

The Domino Theory…

The First Vietnam War

French Defeat

• unable to counteract the Vietnamese communist’s guerrilla warfare tactics, the French abandoned their hopes of reconquering Vietnam in 1954

Doesn’t have to be in your notes!!

Geneva Accords- Set Up to Decide the Post-French Future of Vietnam

• July 20th, 1954

• Vietnam is split at the 17th parallel

• French withdraw from North Vietnam

• Elections set for 1956 to reunify country

• Ho Chi Minh is in power in North

• Ngo Dinh Diem (more on this guy later) is in power in South

American Reaction to Accords• Eisenhower states that it is now U.S. responsibility to defend South Vietnam from communism

•Goal: maintain a non-communist S. Vietnam and prevent a communist victory in 1956 election

U.S. is firmly committed to Diem government

And South Vietnam

•Diem is not supported by many southerners

•He is Catholic (western religion)

•He is unknown to Vietnamese

•Many see him as an American puppet

•corrupt government

• 10,000 -15,000 North Vietnamese “operatives” living in South to incite problems

• U.S. provided aid to help maintain a communist free South – leads to dependence on the U.S

North Vietnam

•Increasingly well trained and equipped army (thanks to the Chinese)

• organized and functioning government

• Ho and his Vietminh (fancy

name for his supporters) are seen as heroes for ending French rule over Vietnam

•Seems like a shoe-in for 1956 elections

• based in the South but organized from the North

• North aides insurgents by moving supplies and men into South through Laos (Ho Chi Minh Trail)

• founded the NLF (National Liberation Front) to organize insurgents – later called the Vietcong (VC)

• violence breaking out in countryside

• U.S. and Eisenhower use the increased violence to refuse to hold the 1956 reunification election

• 1956 Election is never held

•Why did the U.S. do this?

• JFK sent more money, but not troops – believed in aid only for the South

•Why does this become problematic? (VC Depots)

• Diem continues corrupt policies, including the killing of innocent citizens

• Buddhists lead a protest (“monk burning”)

• Kennedy administration decides Diem has to go

•U.S. needs a gov’t that the Southern Vietnamese will support

• Diem asked to step down, refuses, so CIA plots a coup

•Diem assassinated

• LBJ vows keep Vietnam from becoming another China

• conditions in South worse after coup – chaos followed with no stable government

• U.S. rejected withdrawal because wanted to maintain “street credibility” in the world

• North Vietnam increases aid to southern insurgents – some Americans believe it is time to weaken the North

1964