WAR IN VIETNAM
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WAR IN VIETNAM Mr. Jeff Rainer 2009
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WAR IN VIETNAM. Mr. Jeff Rainer 2009. Geographic Setting. Vietnam is an S shaped country that hugs the coast of Southeast Asia. For much of Vietnam’s 2,000- year existence, it was dominated by foreign powers such as China, France, and Japan. History of Vietnam. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of WAR IN VIETNAM
WAR IN VIETNAM
Mr. Jeff Rainer 2009
Geographic Setting
Vietnam isan S shapedcountry thathugs the coast of Southeast Asia.
History of Vietnam
For much of Vietnam’s 2,000-year existence, it was dominated by foreign powerssuch as China, France,and Japan.
War for IndependenceIn the 20thcentury, a Vietnamese nationalist named Ho Chi Minh formed a Communist party dedicated to Vietnamese independence. From 1945 to 1954, Ho’s forces fought the French.
Ho Chi Minh
Geneva AccordsIn 1954, Ho’s forcesdefeated the Frenchat Dien Bien Phu. Thepeace agreement, calledthe Geneva Accords,temporarily dividedVietnam along the 17th
parallel. Ho Chi Minh and the Communistscontrolled the north.The anti-communists and their leader, NgoDinh Diem, controlledthe south.
Diem’s Demise A Buddhist monksets himself onfire in a busySaigon inter-section in 1963as a protestagainst the Diemregime.
The United States Steps InIn the wake of Diem’sunpopularity, the U.S.took a more activerole in halting the spread of communismin Vietnam. Eisenhowerand Kennedy, bothsubscribers to the “domino theory”, waded deeper and deeper into the affairsof the country.
ESCALATING
INVOLVEMENT
1964-1967
Gulf of Tonkin ResolutionThe alleged attackon the USS Maddoxprompted PresidentJohnson to announcethe Tonkin GulfResolution. Theresolution gave thepresident power totake “all necessary measures to repel anyarmed attack againstthe forces of the U.S.and to prevent further aggression.”YouTube - Senator Wayne Morse says no to Vietnam 1964
USS Maddox
Lyndon Johnson
Troop BuildupThe first Americancombat units arrived in Vietnamin 1965. By the end ofthe year, the U.S.Government hadsent more than180,000 men toVietnam. The commander of U.S.troops was Gen.William Westmoreland.
Air War
In 1965, President Johnson launched Operation RollingThunder,a campaign against military targets in North Vietnam.
Ground War
U.S soldiers conducted search-and-destroy missions, uprootingcivilians with suspected ties to the Vietcong, killing their livestock,and burning villages.
VietcongThe U.S. superiority inweaponry was negatedby the enemies masteryof the jungle terrainand guerrilla war tactics. Moving secretly in and out of the general population,the Vietcong (South Vietnamese supporters ofcommunism) used ambushtactics to help turnthe war into a frustratingstalemate.
“It will be a war between an elephantand a tiger. But the tiger will notstand still. He will leap upon the backof the elephant, tearing huge chunksfrom his side, and then he will leapback into the dark jungle. Slowlythe elephant will bleed to death.”
Ho Chi Minh
