Slide 1

VIETNAMVIETNAM, 1946-75 , 1946-75 (the (the 10 000 Day War10 000 Day War))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3NYw2wZads

Slide 2

PHASE 1 - A WAR OF PHASE 1 - A WAR OF COLONIAL INDEPENDENCECOLONIAL INDEPENDENCEAGAINST THE FRENCHAGAINST THE FRENCH

Vietnam had been a French Vietnam had been a French colony under the name of colony under the name of French IndochinaFrench Indochina (along with (along withCambodia and Cambodia and Laos)Laos)

Vietnam began to fight for its Vietnam began to fight for its independence from France independence from France during WW II ( when France during WW II ( when France was preoccupied with was preoccupied with European conflict)European conflict)

the Vietnamese revolutionary the Vietnamese revolutionary leader was leader was Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh, a , a CommunistCommunist

wanted to be the leader ofwanted to be the leader ofan independent, communist an independent, communist Vietnam; Ho received support Vietnam; Ho received support from both the USSR and from both the USSR and “Red” China“Red” China

Slide 3

this colonial war raged from this colonial war raged from 1946-54, culminating in the 1946-54, culminating in the French defeat at French defeat at DienbienphuDienbienphu

Fr. decided it wanted out and Fr. decided it wanted out and called a peace conference in called a peace conference in Geneva, Switzerland (attended Geneva, Switzerland (attended by France, Vietnam, the US, by France, Vietnam, the US, and the USSR)and the USSR)

the decision of the conference the decision of the conference was to partition Vietnam into a was to partition Vietnam into a communist North led by Ho communist North led by Ho and a “democratic” South and a “democratic” South Vietnam led by Vietnam led by Ngo Dinh DiemNgo Dinh Diem

the settlement was an the settlement was an outgrowth of basic Cold War outgrowth of basic Cold War tensions between the tensions between the Americans and Soviets and Americans and Soviets and clearly reflected the US policy clearly reflected the US policy of of containmentcontainment with respect to with respect to Soviet communist Soviet communist expansionismexpansionism

the US had come to see South the US had come to see South Vietnam as a “Vietnam as a “dominodomino” that ” that they couldn’t afford to losethey couldn’t afford to lose Episode 1 after

intro to 7:48

Slide 4

PHASE 2 – AMERICAN ESCALATION AND MILITARY PHASE 2 – AMERICAN ESCALATION AND MILITARY INVOLVEMENTINVOLVEMENT

this phase originated with this phase originated with ““Ike” and JFK but was Ike” and JFK but was intensified under Lyndonintensified under LyndonB. Johnson (LBJ), who B. Johnson (LBJ), who assumed the presidencyassumed the presidency after JFK’s assassinationafter JFK’s assassination

The U.S. never formally The U.S. never formally issued a declaration of war, butissued a declaration of war, but after the after the Gulf of Tonkin IncidentGulf of Tonkin Incident, , where 2 Americanwhere 2 Americandestroyers were apparently destroyers were apparently fired upon by the North fired upon by the North Vietnamese, Congress Vietnamese, Congress passed the passed the Gulf of Tonkin Gulf of Tonkin Resolutions (August 1964)Resolutions (August 1964)Congress gave LBJ Congress gave LBJ their support in sending their support in sending American personnel and materialsAmerican personnel and materials

Slide 5

Search and DestroySearch and Destroy

Search and Destroy refers to a military strategy that became a large component of the Vietnam War.

The idea was to insert ground forces into hostile territory, search out the enemy, destroy them, and withdraw immediately afterward.

The strategy was the result of a new technology, the helicopter, which resulted in a new form of warfare, the fielding of air cavalry,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I09jM1q6fWo

27:44 min in27:44 min in

Slide 6

in spite of ongoing escalation in spite of ongoing escalation throughout the 1960s, the USthroughout the 1960s, the USexperienced a lack of successexperienced a lack of successagainst the Vietnamese against the Vietnamese guerrilla forces in S.guerrilla forces in S.Vietnam (the Vietnam (the VietcongVietcong) as the) as theUS Army was unprepared forUS Army was unprepared for

their tactics and mentality their tactics and mentality

The US was also never entirely The US was also never entirely successful in shuttingsuccessful in shutting

down the down the Ho Chi Minh TrailHo Chi Minh Trail, a, a supply line that ran betweensupply line that ran between North and South Vietnam viaNorth and South Vietnam via difficult jungle terrain, difficult jungle terrain,

often underground and often underground and through neighbouring nationsthrough neighbouring nations

like Cambodialike Cambodia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poE_nNW9-yk

Slide 7

Tet OffinsiveTet Offinsive

the war definitely the war definitely turned against the turned against the US in 1968, when the US in 1968, when the NVA’s General Giap NVA’s General Giap began the began the Tet Tet OffensiveOffensive, a surprise , a surprise offensive on a major offensive on a major Vietnamese holiday Vietnamese holiday that saw attacks all that saw attacks all over the country, over the country, including in Saigon including in Saigon itselfitself

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHnnROYIk_Y 1:25 – 9:451:25 – 9:45

Slide 8

ongoing US casualties and ongoing US casualties and losses saw an increase in losses saw an increase in antiwar sentiment on the antiwar sentiment on the American Home Front,American Home Front,in large part because Vietnam in large part because Vietnam was a was a TV WarTV War where American where American audiences saw the brutality of audiences saw the brutality of war firsthandwar firsthand

After Tet the draft is increased 4xAfter Tet the draft is increased 4x

Slide 9

Slide 10 this included this included

American atrocities at American atrocities at My LaiMy Lai (Lieutenant (Lieutenant Calley)Calley)

they also witnessed they also witnessed the usage of weapons the usage of weapons like like napalmnapalm and and Agent OrangeAgent Orange, which , which devastated the devastated the environmentenvironment

Slide 11

Increasingly the Increasingly the American people American people came to perceive the came to perceive the ““Credibility GapCredibility Gap”, i.e. ”, i.e. they no longerthey no longerbelieved that LBJ was believed that LBJ was telling them the truth telling them the truth about events in the about events in the warwar

in 1968, LBJ chose in 1968, LBJ chose not to run for not to run for president, and president, and Republican Richard Republican Richard M. Nixon was elected M. Nixon was elected on a platform of on a platform of ““Peace with HonorPeace with Honor””

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr54QBg57RE4:40 – 7:48

Slide 12

Nixon wanted the South Nixon wanted the South Vietnamese to play a Vietnamese to play a greater role in the war, a greater role in the war, a policy he labeled policy he labeled VietnamizationVietnamization

In spite of that, he In spite of that, he continues carpet continues carpet bombing Hanoi and bombing Hanoi and orders a secret invasion orders a secret invasion of Cambodiaof Cambodia

Slide 13

The Counterculture The Counterculture gathered momentum gathered momentum (Hippies, Flower (Hippies, Flower Children, etc.), protests Children, etc.), protests became widespread and became widespread and further polarizes the further polarizes the nation nation

this was intensified after this was intensified after the the Kent State MassacreKent State Massacre– National Guardsmen National Guardsmen

opened fire on student opened fire on student protestors in Ohio, protestors in Ohio, killing fourkilling four

– http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5xJCZC-88wv=E5xJCZC-88w

– 18:19- 20:0218:19- 20:02– 28:08 – 40:4328:08 – 40:43– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-

lr8Y7M1lElr8Y7M1lE– 17:30 – 20:0817:30 – 20:08

Slide 14

Getting out of the WarGetting out of the War

Nixon relied on the Nixon relied on the diplomacy of diplomacy of Henry KissingerHenry Kissinger to to achieve peace achieve peace and/or an and/or an American American withdrawalwithdrawal

War for America War for America ends in 1973ends in 1973

Slide 15

PHASE 3 – VIETNAMESE CIVIL PHASE 3 – VIETNAMESE CIVIL WAR, 1973-75WAR, 1973-75

the NVA easily defeated the NVA easily defeated the South by 1975; the the South by 1975; the South had appealed to South had appealed to Nixon for aid, which had Nixon for aid, which had been promised, but by been promised, but by 1975 Nixon was 1975 Nixon was embroiled in the embroiled in the domestic Watergate domestic Watergate Crisis, and he was in Crisis, and he was in essence a “lame duck”essence a “lame duck”

1975 – the US abandoned 1975 – the US abandoned its embassy in Saigon, its embassy in Saigon, which was renamed which was renamed Ho Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City in the in the newly unified and newly unified and communist Vietnamcommunist Vietnam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-lr8Y7M1lE32:43 – endOr if time28:12 to end