The Vietnam War Era
French Indochina The French ruled
Vietnam since late 1800’s
French made lots of $$ in Indochina exporting rubber and rice
Area included Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos
Ho Chi Minh (Communist) wanted an independent country
Asia French Indochina
World War II in Indochina
Japan invaded Indochina – Ho Chi Minh and other revolutionaries fought the Japanese
U.S. gov’t supported Ho Chi Minh
After WWII: France wanted colony back; Ho Chi Minh & others want independence
Communism Spreads
China fell to the Communists in 1949
U.S. concerned about Communism spreading elsewhere
French fought the Viet Minh Communists in Indochina
The French fight the Vietnamese Vietnam wants independence U.S. aids the French – giving them
money and supplies U.S. wants to stop the spread of
Communism U.S. also expects France’s support
against Soviets in Europe
The “Domino” Theory
The U.S. believes that if one country fell to Communism, other nearby countries would become Communist also – like dominoes
French are Defeated French army loses to
Viet Minh forces at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
French are forced to leave Vietnam
Geneva Accords made division of Vietnam at 17°N latitude Ho Chi Minh rules
the North Ngo Dinh Diem rules
the South
Ngo Dinh Diem rules South Vietnam Anti-Communist /
anti-Ho Chi Minh Didn’t establish
democracy like he had promised
Corrupt government Never wins the
support of the people Opposed by South
Vietnamese Communists (The Viet Cong)
The Viet Cong Oppose Diem- Diem’s govt. in South
Vietnam wasn’t democratic, but was corrupt, oppressive, and unpopular
- Viet Cong – nickname for South Vietnamese Communists who opposed Diem
Buddhist monk sets himself on fire in protest against South
Vietnam’s government
Viet Cong use the “Ho Chi Minh Trail”
Viet Cong fought to overthrow Diem’s govt. and reunite the nation all of Vietnam under communist rule
- Ho Chi Minh Trail – supply line that started in North Vietnam and went through neighbor nations Laos and Cambodia used to supply the Viet Cong
Diem Government Fails
U.S. Gov’t told Diem to make political, economic, and military reforms – he refused to do so
Military coup overthrew Diem in November 1963
Leaders of the coup had Diem killed U.S. now doesn’t have a stable ally in South
Vietnam Only days later, President John F. Kennedy
was assassinated in Dallas – meaning the problem of Vietnam was passed to the new President - Lyndon Johnson