Review The Truman Doctrine: The United States will help defend any country that is under the threat...

ReviewReview

The Truman Doctrine:The Truman Doctrine: The United States will The United States will

help defend any help defend any country that is under country that is under the threat of a the threat of a communist takeover. communist takeover. Domino Theory:Domino Theory:

If one country falls to If one country falls to communism, so will communism, so will its neighboring its neighboring countries. countries.

Truman giving his Truman Doctrine speech

ReviewReview

The Marshall Plan: The Marshall Plan: The United States The United States would offer economic would offer economic aid for the rebuilding aid for the rebuilding of European countries of European countries after WWII. after WWII.

ReviewReview

Eisenhower Doctrine: Eisenhower Doctrine: The United States The United States would help any would help any Middle Eastern Middle Eastern country that is under country that is under communist threat. communist threat.

Eisenhower

Vietnam WarVietnam War

Vietnam was divided into Vietnam was divided into two nations in July 1954.two nations in July 1954.

Often called the Often called the Vietnam Vietnam ConflictConflict, and, in Vietnam, , and, in Vietnam, the the American WarAmerican War, , occurred from 1959 to occurred from 1959 to 1975. 1975.


The war was fought The war was fought between the between the communist communist Democratic Republic Democratic Republic of Vietnam (South of Vietnam (South Vietnam) and its Vietnam) and its communist allies and communist allies and the US-supported the US-supported Republic of Vietnam Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam). (North Vietnam).


There were several There were several different American different American Presidents during this Presidents during this war. war. This war began at the This war began at the end of the end of the Eisenhower Eisenhower presidency, into JFK, presidency, into JFK, Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon and Richard Nixon took our troops home. took our troops home.

JFK

&

LBJ

Richard Nixon

US Foreign PolicyUS Foreign Policy

President Eisenhower President Eisenhower pledged to support pledged to support the South Vietnamese the South Vietnamese Government led by Government led by Ngo Dinh Diem.Ngo Dinh Diem.

He provided military He provided military advisors against to advisors against to work against the work against the North. North.

Foreign PolicyForeign Policy

When Kennedy took When Kennedy took office, he did more. He office, he did more. He wanted to prevent the wanted to prevent the spread of communism at spread of communism at all costs.all costs.– Kennedy sent Vice Kennedy sent Vice

President Lyndon Johnson President Lyndon Johnson to Vietnam to assess the to Vietnam to assess the situation. situation.

– It was evaluated that if It was evaluated that if South Vietnam would South Vietnam would survive, they would need survive, they would need more aid. more aid.

– Kennedy sent more military Kennedy sent more military advisors and by 1963, advisors and by 1963, there were more then there were more then 16,000. 16,000.


Diem was an unpopular Diem was an unpopular official. He lacked support official. He lacked support in his own country. in his own country. He imprisoned political He imprisoned political opponents and filled opponents and filled government positions with government positions with members of his own members of his own family. family. He used American aid for He used American aid for the military and for corrupt the military and for corrupt officials instead of officials instead of economic reform. economic reform.


Diem was a Catholic Diem was a Catholic in a largely Buddhist in a largely Buddhist country. country.

When he insisted that When he insisted that everyone obey everyone obey Catholic religion law, Catholic religion law, there was serious there was serious opposition. opposition.

In June 1963, a Buddhist monk burned himself to death. Other monks followed this example but this did not change the ideas of Diem.


After this, Kennedy After this, Kennedy realized that Diem would realized that Diem would not reform. not reform.

US officials told South US officials told South Vietnamese military Vietnamese military leaders that they would leaders that they would not object to Diems not object to Diems overthrow. overthrow.

Shortly after Diem’s Shortly after Diem’s assassination, Kennedy assassination, Kennedy befell the same fate. befell the same fate.

Vietnam War Vietnam War

Communist guerrilla in Communist guerrilla in the south, the Viet Cong, the south, the Viet Cong, gained control of more gained control of more territory and loyalty of the territory and loyalty of the South Vietnamese.South Vietnamese.

Ho Chi Minh and the Ho Chi Minh and the North aided the Viet North aided the Viet Cong. Cong.

Johnson was suspicious Johnson was suspicious of Ho and believed in the of Ho and believed in the need for Containment. need for Containment.


For Johnson's Presidential For Johnson's Presidential campaign (1964), he tried to keep campaign (1964), he tried to keep the war from becoming an issue. the war from becoming an issue. After winning the election, he started After winning the election, he started an escalation of the war. an escalation of the war. By 1965, the Viet Cong had By 1965, the Viet Cong had attacked Americans, as a response, attacked Americans, as a response, LBJ authorized a bombing of North LBJ authorized a bombing of North Vietnam. Vietnam. When the American were sent to When the American were sent to Vietnam, although they had new Vietnam, although they had new weaponry and tactics, they failed to weaponry and tactics, they failed to drive out the Viet Cong who used drive out the Viet Cong who used guerrilla warfare. guerrilla warfare.


Fighting efforts reached an all Fighting efforts reached an all time high in 1968, when the time high in 1968, when the Viet Cong and the North Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese launched an Vietnamese launched an offensive. offensive. The Tet Offensive, included The Tet Offensive, included surprise attacks on major cities surprise attacks on major cities and towns as well as American and towns as well as American military bases in South military bases in South Vietnam. Vietnam. The Viet Cong had won a The Viet Cong had won a ‘psychological” victory. It ‘psychological” victory. It demonstrated that they could demonstrated that they could launch a massive attack launch a massive attack throughout South Vietnam. throughout South Vietnam.

The NumbersThe Numbers

In the end, it is important to remember the In the end, it is important to remember the numbers. numbers. – More than 58,000 Americans died. More than 58,000 Americans died. – More than 300,000 Americans were wounded. More than 300,000 Americans were wounded. – More that 2,500,000 Americans served. More that 2,500,000 Americans served.

ALL of the Americans who served honorably in ALL of the Americans who served honorably in the war are HEROES. the war are HEROES.

Vietnam MemorialVietnam Memorial

US v. USSRUS v. USSR

Although there was no direct Although there was no direct figfig fighting between the United fighting between the United States and the United Soviet Socialist Republic, States and the United Soviet Socialist Republic, there was indirect fighting. there was indirect fighting. In both Korea and Vietnam, the two In both Korea and Vietnam, the two superpowers chose a side to support and fought superpowers chose a side to support and fought against the other. against the other. This animosity would not This animosity would not

politically be resolved until 1991politically be resolved until 1991 with the collapse of the with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Soviet Union.

Review The Truman Doctrine: The United States will help defend any country that is under the threat...

Documents

Transcript of Review The Truman Doctrine: The United States will help defend any country that is under the threat...