The Vietnam War

1957-1975

World Map

Map of Asia

Map of Vietnam (@War Time)

Background of the War--The Indochina War and the Shifting of Hands

• In the 1800’s, France controlled Vietnam

• Japan took over control, but after Japan’s defeat in WWII, it lost control

• France wanted control back but so did Ho Chi Minh and his group, Vietminh

• After fighting between 1946-1654, both sides came to an agreement at the Geneva Convention– Solution: Vietnam split into 2; election to be held in

1956

Background of the War--America’s Involvement

• President Harry S. Truman began to help finance France’s war with Ho Chi Minh during 1950

• Truman had fears of Communism, which Ho Chi Minh was, taking over Vietnam

– Communism: belief in a classless society in which the methods of production are owned and controlled by all its members and everyone works as much as they can and receives what they need

Harry Truman 1945-1953

Background of the War--Vietnam: The Divided Country

• After the Geneva Convention, Vietnam was split into two parts, north and south

• Ho Chi Minh took control of the North, naming it the Democratic Republic of Vietnam

• Minh started to establish a Communist system by enacting land reforms and giving legal equality to men and women

• His Hope: the election in 1956 would make him ruler of both North and South Vietnam

• However, the election NEVER took place

Background of the War--Vietnam: The Divided Country

• The U.S. wanted to keep Vietnam divided so the U.S. moved Ngo Dinh Diem into office in South Vietnam in 1955

• Diem and Ho did not have a good relationship

• The U.S. and Diem did not agree with the elections that should have taken place in 1956 because they believed that the elections would not be fair because of Communist North Vietnam

• Dwight D. Eisenhower, President, sent money and advisors to help Diem

Early Stages of the War--The Viet Cong

• Diem was very authoritative to South Vietnam– Allowed no other political groups– Did little to ease the hard life of the peasants– Ended local elections and nominated all political official

• Between 1957-59, Diem attempted to eliminate all members of the Vietminh who were fighting against him with South Vietnamese

• He called these people Viet Cong

Short thrust and hold. Viet Cong soldiers practice with the bayonet on their AKs

The NVA may use trucks, the USA and ARVN use helicopters and the VC have their own special cargo carriers. Elephants

A patrol of VC in sampans move along a costal waterway. Using these boats they can carry large amounts of weapons and food to be distributed to units in the villages.

Early Stages of the War--The Viet Cong Rebellion

• North Vietnam did not want a rebellion with the U.S. or South Vietnam, but it did not want Diem in control, so N. Vietnam supported the revolt of the Viet Cong

• In 1959, U.S. began to send aid, by sea, to South Vietnam

• North Vietnam set up a trail, known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail, through Cambodia and Laos, to help the Viet Cong

Map of the Ho Chi Minh Trail

Early Stages of the War--Viet Cong Rebellion Grows

• In 1960, the Viet Cong had 10,000 troops, and in 1961, they threatened to overthrow Diem (South)

• President John F. Kennedy sent more money and troops to South Vietnam– Between 1961-63, Kennedy increased the number of

military advisors in Vietnam from 900 to 16,000

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 35th president of the United States, served from 1961 to 1963.

Early Stages of the War--The Buddhist Crisis

• In May 1963, Buddhists (who made up a large population) became upset with Diem because they believed he restricted their religious practices

• Diem was Roman Catholic

• Buddhists claimed that Diem favored Catholics

• The government responded by arresting Buddhists and raiding their temples

• Several Buddhist monks set themselves on fire in protest

Early Stages of the War--Response to the Buddhist Crisis

• The U.S. was concerned about the Buddhist situation

• Kennedy urged Diem to improve his relationship with the Buddhists

• Diem disagreed; Kennedy supported other South Vietnamese who opposed Diem’s policies

• Late 1964, Diem is overthrown and murdered

Early Stages of the War--Viet Cong sets up

• After the fall of the Diem government, many new governments attempt to set up in South Vietnam

• None succeed

• During the chaos however, North Vietnam sends even more supplies and begins to send its own army

• End of 1964 (1 month after the fall of Diem), Viet Cong controls up to 75% of South Vietnam’s population

Early Stages of the War--The Gulf of Tonkin Incident

• 1964: President Johnson approves secret naval raids against N. Vietnam

• August 2: N. Vietnam fights back and torpedoes U.S. destroyer, Maddox

• Johnson warns N. Vietnam• August 4: Johnson announces that

N. Vietnam attacked again• Johnson begins air strikes and asks

Congress for military powers• 1965: Fist ground combat forces

The Fighting Intensifies--The Opposing Forces

• Between 1965-69, the U.S. (combined with S. Vietnam and other countries) had close to 1.5 million troops

• N. Vietnam and the Viet Cong had over 300,000 troops (but actual number is not known)

The Fighting Intensifies--U.S. Strategies

• The U.S. had the finest modern weapons, including B-52 bombers and helicopters

• U.S. used “search and destroy” ground missions

• U.S. bombed N. Vietnam and used planes and helicopters for air strikes in the jungle and mountains

The Fighting Intensifies--North Vietnam Strategies

• The Viet Cong and N. Vietnam adopted a defensive strategy

• Relied on surprise and mobility

• Avoided major battles in the open

• Preferred guerrilla tactics

• Advantages: knowledge of the terrain

• Support from China and the Soviet Union– War materials

Video

The Fighting Intensifies--Course of the War

• 1965-67: U.S. caused damage with bombing but did not affect N. Vietnam and the Viet Cong’s willingness to continue fighting

• U.S. would usually win battles but N. Vietnam could easily replace troops

The Fighting Intensifies--What’s going on in America?

• Much of America was split into 2 groups concerning the war: hawks and doves

• Hawks supported the fight against Communism but did not like the increase of troops; wanted a quick defeat of N. Vietnam

• Doves opposed U.S. involvement and held mass protests; believed that U.S. security was not at risk

• The Truth: This war was costing MONEY– Public support began to drop

The Fighting Intensifies--The Tet Offensive

• Vietnamese New Year Celebration (otherwise known as Tet)

• Jan. 30, 1968: N. Vietnam and the Viet Cong attacked major cities of S. Vietnam, especially Saigon

• Their plan: deal a serious blow to U.S. forces and make the S. Vietnamese people lose faith in the government

The Fighting Intensifies--Results of the Tet Offensive

• The plan of the N. Vietnam failed

• S. Vietnamese did not lose faith in the government and the Viet Cong/N. Vietnamese suffered a huge number of causalities

• President Johnson called for peace negotiations– Also declared that he would not seek re-election in 1968

Vietnamization--U.S. Withdrawal Begins

• Peace talks fail

• 1969: President Richard Nixon announces a new policy called Vietnamization

– Policy calls for S. Vietnamese to step-up training programs and for the gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops from S. Vietnam

Vietnamization--The Invasion of Cambodia

• April 1970: Nixon orders U.S. and S. Vietnamese troops to enter Cambodia and clear out N. Vietnamese military centers

• Large stocks of weapons were captured

• Americans felt the invasion widened the war

• Public protests break out across the nation

Vietnamization--Kent State

• May 4, 1970: Kent State University (Ohio) students are protesting the invasion of Cambodia

• National Guard units are ordered to control the demonstrators

• Shots are fired into a group of students; four are killed and nine are wounded

• As a result, Nixon calls for troop withdrawal from Cambodia

Vietnamization--A Growing Protest

• Opposition to the war grows rapidly during Nixon’s presidency

• Many believe that television coverage of the war increases opposition

Vietnamization--Lt. William Calley

• 1971: Lt. William Calley is convicted of war crimes

• Accused of killing appx. 500 civilians in 1968 in the village of My Lai in S. Vietnam

• Those killed were unarmed women, children, and old men

Vietnamization--Invasion of the South

• 1972: N. Vietnam invades S. Vietnam

• Nixon renews bombing of N. Vietnam

• Lots of causalities on both sides which led to another peace talk

• At the peace talk in 1973, a cease-fire agreement was signed– U.S. would withdrawal and return all prisoners in 60

days– N. Vietnam and the Viet Cong were allowed to stay in S.

Vietnam– New elections to be held in Vietnam

Vietnamization--The End of the War

• March 29, 1973: Last U.S. ground forces left Vietnam

• But peace talks broke down and war resumed

• America did not return and began to reduce aid to S. Vietnam

• 1974: N. Vietnam and Viet Cong began to attack cities in S. Vietnam, forcing thousands of civilians into a retreat called the Convoy of Tears

• President Gerald Ford asked Congress for 722 million for aid to S. Vietnam, only 300 million was provided – Money was mainly used for evacuation of troops from Saigon

• April 30, 1975: Saigon taken over; renamed Ho Chi Minh City– End of the war

Casualties• 58,000 American military personnel died• 300,000 were wounded

• 224,000 S. Vietnamese military personnel died

• 1 million were wounded

• 1 million N. Vietnamese/Viet Cong died• 600,000 were wounded

Destruction

• 3x as great as the combined bombing of U.S. and Britain against Germany during WWII

• Damage to S. Vietnam includes 10 million refugees, scarred landscapes, and due to chemicals, such as Agent Orange, being used, permanent damage to cropland and plant and animal life

Other Effects in Vietnam

• 1976: North and South Vietnam unite, renaming the country the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

• Thousands were imprisoned

• Over 1 million fled Vietnam

• But social divisions ended and literacy rates soared

Effects in the United States

• 200 Billion spent• First failure to achieve goal; pride hurt

• Post-war syndrome of many vets. – High rates of drug abuse, divorce,

unemployment, and homelessness

• Many vets. were shunned• Debate over Vietnam War still ongoing

QUESTIONS