AMERICAN HISTORY
VIETNAM WAR
BOARD QUESTIONS
1) WHAT COUNTRIES MADE UP FRENCH
INDO CHINA?
2) WHO WAS HO CHI MINH?
3) WHO CONTROLLED FRENCH INDO CHINA
DURING WWII?
4) WHAT IS DOMINO THEORY?
5) WHAT TWO EVENTS CAUSED THE U.S. TO
HELP FRANCE IN VIETNAM?
BOARD QUESTIONS
1) WHAT WAS THE BOARDER OF NORTH
AND SOUTH VIETNAM AFTER THE GENEVA
ACCORDS?
2) WHO WAS LEADER OF SOUTH VIETNAM?
3) WHAT CAUSED A BUDDHIST MONK TO
SET HIMSELF ON FIRE?
4) WHO OVER THREW DIEM IN SOUTH
VIETNAM?
5) WHY DIDN’T DIEM ALLOW ELECTIONS TO
BOARD QUESTIONS
1) WHAT WAS THE GULF OF TONKIN
RESOLUTION?
2) WHAT CAUSED THE GULF OF TONKIN
RESOLUTION?
3) WHAT RESOLUTION GAVE
CONGRESSIONAL WAR POWERS TO THE
PRESIDENT?
4) WHAT WAS OPERATION ROLLING
THUNDER?
BOARD QUESTIONS
1) WHAT WAS THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL?
2) WHY WOULDN’T JOHNSON DESTROY THE
HO CHI MINH TRAIL?
3) WHAT IS A WAR OF ATTRITION?
4) WHY WOULDN’T JOHNSON ORDER A
FULL SCALE ATTACK OF NORTH VIETNAM?
5) WHO FOUGHT FOR THE VIETCONG?
FRENCH INDO
CHINA
• VIETNAM HAD BEEN RULED BY CHINA
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
• IN THE LATE 1800’S FRANCE TOOK
CONTROL OF VIETNAM, LAOS, AND
CAMBODIA - MAKING FRENCH INDO
CHINA.
• THE JAPANESE TOOK IT OVER DURING
WWII.
NATIONALISM
• BY THE 1900’S THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE
WERE TIRED OF BEING RULED BY
OUTSIDERS.
• HO CHI MINH ( BRINGER OF LIGHT)
WAS THE LEADER OF THE VIETMINH.
• THE VIETMINH UNITED THE
COMMUNIST AND NON-COMMUNIST
IN THE STRUGGLE TO EXPEL JAPAN.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• WITH THE ALLIED VICTORY IN AUGUST
1945 OVER JAPAN HO CHI MINH
QUICKLY ANNOUNCED THAT
VIETNAM WAS AN INDEPENDENT
NATION.
• HO CHI MINH WROTE A
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
THAT SOUNDED MUCH LIKE THE
AMERICAN DECLARATION.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• FRANCE REFUSED TO ALLOW VIETNAM
TO BECOME INDEPENDENT.
• FRANCE WANTED TO REGAIN ITS
SOUTHEAST ASIAN EMPIRE.
• FRANCE FOUGHT THE VIETMINH AND
FORCED THEM INTO THE COUNTRY
SIDE.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• FROM 1946-1949 THE FRENCH AND
VIETMINH FOUGHT FOR CONTROL OF
VIETNAM.
• THE FRENCH APPEALED TO THE U.S.
FOR HELP, BUT THE U.S. OPPOSED
COLONIALISM.
• BUT THE FREEDOM MOVEMENT HAD
BECOME ENTANGLED WITH
COMMUNISM.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• TWO EVENTS CAUSED TRUMAN TO
HELP FRANCE IN VIETNAM.
• THE FALL OF CHINA TO COMMUNISM
• AND THE KOREAN WAR
• AMERICA WAS CONVINCED THE
SOVIET UNION WAS TRYING TO GAIN
CONTROL OF ASIA. (DOMINO THEORY)
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• EVEN WITH SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS
OF AD FROM THE U.S., FRANCE STILL
HAD TROUBLE WITH THE VIETMINH.
• THE VIETMINH USED HIT-AND-RUN
AND AMBUSH TACTICS CALLED
GUERRILLA WARFARE.
• GUERRILLAS ARE IRREGULAR TROOPS
WHO USUALLY BLEND INTO THE
CIVILIAN POPULATION.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• BY 1954 THE WAR IN VIETNAM HAD
BECOME VERY UNPOPULAR IN
FRANCE.
• THE FRENCH DECIDED TO TAKE DIEN
BIEN PHU A MOUNTAIN SUPPLY TOWN
FOR THE VIETMINH.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• THE VIETMINH WERE READY FOR THE
FRENCH AND A LARGE VIETMINH
GROUP OVER RAN DIEN BIEN PHU
CAUSING THE FRENCH TO
SURRENDER.
• THE DEFEAT CONVINCED FRANCE TO
MAKE PEACE AND WITHDRAW FROM
INDOCHINA.
GENEVA ACCORDS
• NEGOTIATIONS TO END THE
CONFLICT WERE HELD IN GENEVA,
SWITZERLAND.
• THE GENEVA ACCORDS TEMPORARILY
DIVIDED VIETNAM ALONG THE 17TH
PARALLEL.
• HO CHI MINH IN CONTROL OF
NORTH AND PRO WEST GOVERNMENT
IN CONTROL OF SOUTH.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• THE U.S. STEPED IN AS THE PROTECTOR
OF SOUTH VIETNAM.
• SOUTH VIETNAMS LEADER WAS NGO
DINH DIEM.
• DIEM WAS A FIERCELY ANTI-
COMMUNIST, HE WAS ALSO CATHOLIC.
• ABOUT 1 MILLION CATHOLICS MOVED
FROM NORTH VIETNAM TO THE SOUTH
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• IN 1956 WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR
OPEN ELECTIONS TO UNIFY VIETNAM
DIEM REFUSED THE ELECTIONS.
• HE BELIEVED HO CHI MINH WOULD
NOT ALLOW THE ELECTION TO BE
FREE AND IF HO CHI MINH WON THE
COUNTRY WOULD BE COMMUNIST.
• THE U.S. UNDER EISENHOWER
SUPPORTED DIEM AND INCREASED
AMERICAN MILITARY PRESENCE.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• THIS REFUSAL LEAD TO HO CHI MIHN
TO CREATING A NEW ARMY TO FIGHT
TO UNIFY VIETNAM. (VIETCONG)
• THE VIETCONG TERRORIZED SOUTH
VIETNAM, ASSASSINATING THOUSANDS
OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
• SOUTH VIETNAM LOOKED MORE AND
MORE FOR THE HELP OF THE U.S.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• PRESIDENT KENNEDY TOOK OFFICE IN
1961, HE CONTINUED THE POLICY OF
HELPING SOUTH VIETNAM.
• FROM 1961 TO 1963 THE NUMBER OF
U.S. SOLDIERS IN SOUTH VIENAM ROSE
FROM 2,000 TO 15,OOO.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• IN SOUTH VIETNAM DIEM’S
GOVERNMENT WAS CORUPT AND
UNPOPULAR WITH THE POPULATION.
• KENNEDY URGED DIEM TO REFORM
HIS GOVERNMENT, MAKE IT MORE
DEMOCRATIC.
• MILITARY ADVISORS URGED DIEM TO
CREATE STRATEGIC HAMLETS.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• STRATEGIC HAMLETS - VILLAGES
PROTECTED BY MACHINE GUNS,
BUNKERS, TRENCHES, AND BARBED
WIRE.
• DIEM’S GOVERNMENT THEN
UPROOTED VILLAGERS AND MOVED
THEM TO THE HAMLETS.
• THIS WAS VERY UNPOPULAR WITH THE
VILLAGE POPULATIONS IN S.VIETNAM.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• IN 1963 DIEM BANNED THE
TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS FLAGS FOR
BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY.
• WHEN BUDDHISTS TOOK TO THE
STREETS IN PROTEST, DIEM’S POLICE
KILLED 9 AND LEFT 14 WOUNDED.
• A BUDDHIST MONK SET HIMSELF ON
FIRE IN THE STEET ALONG WITH
SEVERAL OTHERS
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• IN AUGUST 1963 BECAUSE OF DIEM’S
UNPOPULARITY, SEVERAL
S.VIETNAMESE GENERAL DECIDED TO
OVER THROW DIEM AND EXECUTE
HIM.
• THIS MADE MATTERS WORSE, EVEN
THOUGH DIEM WAS NOT POPULAR HE
WAS A RESPECTED NATIONALIST AND
A CAPABLE ADMINISTRATOR.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• DIEM’S DEATH MADE S.VIETNAM’S
GOVERNMENT INCREASINGLY
WEAKER.
• THREE WEEKS LATER PRESIDENT
KENNEDY WAS ASSASSINATED,
PUTTING ALL THE PRESSURE OF THE
VIETNAM CONFLICT ON LYNDON B.
JOHNSON.
VIETNAM
INDEPENDENCE
• AT FIRST PRESIDENT JOHNSON
REPEATEDLY PROMISED “WE SEEK NO
WIDER WAR.”
• BUT HE WAS DETERMINED NOT TO
ALLOW SOUTH VIETNAM TO BECOME
COMMUNIST
• STATING “ THE BATTLE AGAINST
COMMUNISM MUST BE JOINED WITH
STRENGTH AND DETERMINATION.”
GULF OF TONKIN
RESOLUTION
• ON AUGUST 2, 1964 NORTH
VIETNAMESE TORPEDO BOATS HAD
FIRED ON T WO AMERICAN
DESTROYERS IN THE GULF OF TONKIN.
• ON AUGUST 4, 1964 A SIMILAR ATTACK
TOOK PLACE ON AMERICAN
DESTROYERS.
GULF OF TONKIN
RESOLUTION
• PRESIDENT JOHNSON WAS ON THE
CAMPAIGN TRAIL TRYING TO GET
REELECTED WHEN THESE ATTACKS
HAPPENED.
• JOHNSON DID NOT WANT TO LOOK
SOFT ON COMMUNISM, SO HE
ORDERED U.S. AIRSTRIKES ON NORTH
VIETNAMESE SHIPS AND NAVAL
FACILITIES.
GULF OF TONKIN
RESOLUTION
• JOHNSON WENT TO CONGRESS
ASKING THEM TO AUTHORIZE THE USE
OF FORCE IN NORTH VIETNAM.
• REPUBLICAN REP. ROSS ADAIR OF
INDIANA STATED “ THE AMERICAN
FLAG HAS BEEN FIRED UPON. WE WILL
NOT AND CANNOT TOLERATE SUCH
THINGS.”
GULF OF TONKIN
RESOLUTION
• ON AUGUST 7, 1964 THE SENATE AND
HOUSE PASSED THE GULF OF TONKIN
RESOLUTION, AUTHORIZING THE
PRESIDENT TO “TAKE ALL NECESSARY
MEASURES TO REPEL ANY ARMED
ATTACK AGAINST THE FORCES OF THE
U.S. AND TO PREVENT FURTHER
AGGRESSION.” THIS HANDED
CONGRESS’S WAR POWERS TO THE
PRESIDENT.
U.S.VS VIETCONG
• THE VIETCONG BEGAN TO ATTACK
BASES IN SOUTH VIETNAM WERE
AMERICAN ADVISERS WERE
STATIONED.
• IN FEBRUARY 1965, ATTACKS ON A
BASE IN PLEIKU, SOUTH VIETNAM LEFT
7 AMERICANS DEAD AND MORE THAN
100 WOUNDED.
U.S.VS VIETCONG
• LESS THAN 14 HOURS AFTER THE
ATTACK ON PLEIKU.
• PRESIDENT JOHNSON SENT AIRSTRIKES
INTO NORTH VIETNAM.
• AFTER THIS JOHNSON’S APPROVAL
RATING JUMPED FROM 41% TO 60%.
U.S.VS VIETCONG
• UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE GEORGE
BALL DIDN’T LIKE PRESIDENT
JOHNSON’S CALL FOR AN AIRSTRIKE.
• HE BELIEVED THE U.S. HAD BECOME TO
INVOLVED IN VIETNAM. STATING “
ONCE ON THE TIGER’S BACK, WE CAN
NOT BE SURE OF PICKING THE PLACE
TO DISMOUNT.”
OPERATION
ROLLING THUNDER
• IN MARCH 1965, JOHNSON EXPANDED
AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT BY CALLING
FOR A SUSTAINED BOMBING
CAMPAIGN AGAINST NORTH VIETNAM.
• IN MARCH 1965, JOHNSON ALSO
ORDERED THE FIRST COMBAT TROOPS
INTO VIETNAM, FOR THE FIRST TIME
AMERICAN SOLDIERS ARE FIGHTING
ALONG SIDE SOUTH VIETNAMESE.
VIETNAM WAR
• BY THE END OF 1965, MORE THAN
180,000 U.S. COMBAT TROOPS WERE
FIGHTING IN VIETNAM.
• IN 1966 THAT NUMBER DOUBLED TO
360,OOO COMBAT TROOPS.
• AMERICA BELIEVED BECAUSE OF ITS
MILITARY STRENGTH. IT WAS
IMPOSSIBLE TO FAIL.
VIETNAM WAR
• EVEN THOUGH THE VIETCONG DID
NOT HAVE THE FIRE POWER OF THE
U.S. ARMY.
• THE VIETCONG HAD YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE FIGHTING IN THE
JUNGLES USING, AMBUSHES, BOOBY
TRAPS, AND GUERRILLA TACTICS.
• THESE TACTICS WOULD FRUSTRATE
AMERICAN TROOPS.
VIETNAM WAR
• THE VIETCONG WOULD ATTACK
SOLDIERS IN BIG CITIES AND THEN
VANISH INTO THE CROWDS OF
PEOPLE. THIS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO
KNOW WHO WAS FRIENDLY AND
WHO WAS THE ENEMY.
• THE U.S. USED SEARCH AND DESTROY
MISSIONS TO TRY AND BRING THE
ENEMY INTO OPEN COMBAT.
VIETNAM WAR
• THE U.S. ALSO SOUGHT TO TAKE AWAY
THE THICK JUNGLE HIDING SPOTS
AWAY FROM THE VIETCONG BY USING
TO METHODS.
• NAPALM - A JELLIED GASOLINE THAT
EXPLODES ON CONTACT DROPPED
FROM PLANES.
• AGENT ORANGE - A CHEMICAL THAT
STRIPS LEAVES FROM TREES AND SRUBS.
VIETNAM WAR
• THE U.S. BELIEVED THEY COULD BREAK
THE MORALE OF THE VIETCONG BY
CONTINUOUS BOMBING AND KILLING
LARGE NUMBERS OF VIETCONG.
• THE VIETCONG HAD NO INTENTION
OF SURRENDERING. THEY WERE
WILLING TO ACCEPT HUGE LOSSES OF
HUMAN LIVES.
VIETNAM WAR
• EVEN THOUGH THE VIETCONG WERE
MOSTLY SOUTH VIETNAMESE, THE
NORTH PROVED THEM WITH
WEAPONS AND ADVISEMENT.
• NORTH VIETNAMESE REGULARS
WOULD ALSO FIGHT IN SOUTH
VIETNAM AGAINST THE U.S. TROOPS.
VIETNAM WAR
• HO CHI MINH TRAIL - A JUNGLE TRAIL
THE NORTH VIETNAMESE USED TO
SUPPLY TROOPS IN SOUTH VIETNAM.
THE TRAIL WOUND THROUGH THE
JUNGLES OF CAMBODIA AND LAOS, BY
PASSING THE BOARDER OF NORTH
AND SOUTH VIETNAM.
• BECAUSE THE TRAIL WENT THROUGH
COUNTRIES NOT INVOLVED IN THE
WAR JOHNSON REFUSED ATTACK.
VIETNAM WAR
• WAR OF ATTRITION - A STRATEGY OF
DEFEATING THE ENEMY FORCES BY
SLOWLY WEARING THEM DOWN.
• JOHNSON FEARED IF HE ORDERS A
FULL SCALE ATTACK ON NORTH
VIETNAM IT WOULD FORCE THE
CHINESE TO ENTER THE WAR, LIKE
THEY DID IN KOREA.
VIETNAM WAR
• WAR OF ATTRITION FORCED U.S.
TROOPS TO COUNT BODIES AFTER
EVERY BATTLE TO SEE HOW MANY OF
THE ENEMY WERE DESTROYED.
• BETWEEN 1965 AND 1967 220,000
VIETNAMESE HAD BEEN KILLED BY U.S.
BOMBING. NEVERTHELESS VIETCONG
AND NORTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS
SHOWED NO SIGN OF SURRENDER.
VIETNAM WAR
• BY THE END OF 1966 MORE THAN 6,700
AMERICAN SOLDIERS HAD BEEN
KILLED.
• AS THE K.I.A. NUMBERS FOR U.S.
TROOPS CONTINUED TO RAISE THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE LOST HOPE IN A
QUICK AND DECISIVE VICTORY.
• THEY BEGAN TO CALL FOR AN END
TO THE WAR.