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