War in Southeast Asia
A Chronology of Events
The War in Southeast Asia
n
n
n
n
America’s most unpopular war
America’s longest and most expensive
war
The best technical war money could buy
America hardly ever lost a tactical battle
A war America did not win
Vietnam: Part 1: A Framework
OBJECTIVE: Know the significant events surrounding
the U.S. Air Force’s involvement in the war in
Southeast Asia.
Samples of Behavior:
Describe U.S. involvement in Vietnam between World War II
and the Gulf of Tonkin Incident in August 1964
Define the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)
Describe significance of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, August
1964
Samples of Behavior (Continued):
Describe the “graduated response” strategy the U.S. adopted in
Vietnam between 1965 and 1968
Describe the significance of the Tet Offensive of 1968
State the purpose of President Nixon’s “Vietnamization”
program
Describe the fate of South Vietnam following the U.S.
withdrawal in 1973
Overview
n
n
n
n
Video
Background
Highlight major events…framework
Discussion
The War in Southeast Asia
(Some Similarities with Korea)
n
Japanese had occupied in WWII
u Artificially divided at conclusion
n
n
n
n
Communists wanted to unify
Doctrine of Containment brought US involvement
Heavily supported by China and the Soviet Union
Occurred within framework of Cold War
(with nuclear implications)
u
Limited war with political restrictions
But Vietnam War left far greater scars on political
and military landscape…many lessons to be learned
The War in Southeast Asia
The French Era -- 1940 to 1954
n
n
Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia originally a French
colony -- 19th century
Japanese occupied SEA at start of WW II
u Opposed by guerrilla force led by Ho Chi Minh
u US backed Ho Chi Minh’s efforts to oust Japan
n
n
At end of WW II, Ho declared Vietnam an
independent nation
Allies ignored Ho and divided Vietnam at the 16th
parallel -- Potsdam Conference
The War in Southeast Asia
The French Era (Cont)
n
French filled
Ke power vacuum after WW II
yE
ve
France and Vietminh began
u Fighting between
nt
in 1946
u US supports French…$2.5 B mil aid
n
French defeated at Dien Bien Phu in 1954
u Requested US air support -- nuclear if
necessary -- didn’t get it
n
France withdrew from Indochina--for good
Geneva Accords -- July 1954
n
n
Officially ended France-Vietminh struggle
Divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel
u Separated by a demilitarized zone (DMZ)
n
Partition was to be temporary
u Elections planned for 1956 -- didn’t occur
u President Diem (South Vietnam) feared Ho Chi
Minh of North Vietnam would win
With the French gone…who would stop communism?
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
SEATO
n
n
Initiated by the US in Sept 1954 to prevent spread
of communism -- “Domino Theory”
8 Member nations:
u US, UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand,
Philippines, and Pakistan
n
n
Politically justified US actions in S Vietnam
Unlike NATO, didn’t require participants to
support each other with military force
u Only Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand sent troops
US Involvement -- 1955 to 1964
n
US reluctantly filled power vacuum…in
advisory capacity
1959 -- North Vietnam increased actions to
unify North and South
K
ey
Ev
e
n
nt
u Green Berets arrive Oct 1959 -- to train only
u US increased action to prevent a North victory
n
Aug ‘64 -- N Vietnamese gunboats attack 2
US destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin
Why was it key? Because…
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution --Aug ‘64
n
Passed by Congress 7 Aug 1964
u Radically altered the War in SE Asia
u Empowered President Johnson to:
“To take all necessary steps to repel
armed attack against US forces”
“To take all necessary steps, including force, to
assist S Vietnam and any member of SEATO”
…Committed US to fight for South Vietnam
US Build-up -- 1965 to 1968
n
1965 – Marines/Army arrive
u AF “Rolling Thunder” bombing campaign began
n
n
n
n
By 1969, US troop strength reached 543,000
Ke from other Asian
(+500,000 supporting war
yE
countries and Pacific bases)ve
nt
US engaged in a guerrilla war
Seige of Khe Sanh
30 Jan ‘68 -- North launched Tet Offensive
Tet Offensive of 1968
The Beginning of the End
n
n
North attacked 12 US bases and Embassy
A tactical failure -- a huge strategic success
u American public’s confidence in war effort
plummeted…ceased to believe we could win
America’s first “Television War”
Opposition to the war increased significantly
After Tet, US objective was to get out…with honor
Vietnamization
The US Withdrawal
n
n
Nov 1968 –Johnson doesn’t run; Nixon elected on
promise to end the war in Southeast Asia
Nixon’s Vietnamization program was to return the
war to the South Vietnamese
u US to provide advice, training and material
u Returned US and S Vietnam to pre-1965 roles
n
US forces began withdrawing in June 1969
u US morale dropped / winning no longer a goal
Events Surrounding the
Paris Peace Talks
n
Talks began in ‘68 but achieved nothing
u North Vietnam knew time was on their side
n
US units continued to withdraw
u By 1972, 200K US troops had left Vietnam
n
March ‘72-- North launched its “Easter
Offensive” against South Vietnam
u US airpower repelled attack (Linebacker I)
Events Surrounding the Paris
Peace Talks (Cont)
n
n
Talks resumed, but they again stalled
Dec 1972, Nixon ordered massive bombing
of North Vietnam (Linebacker II)
u B-52s pummeled the North
u North then negotiated in earnest
n
Peace Accords signed Jan ‘73
u US withdrew all units by Mar ‘73
15
Epilogue: The Fall of South
Vietnam
n
After ’73 -- North continued to build
u US refused to help
n
Feb ‘75, North launched Ho Chi Minh campaign
u South easily defeated without US air support
n
Laos and Cambodia fell quickly thereafter
The War in Southeast Asia
Costs to the US
n
n
n
n
6.3 million tons of bombs
(12 x Korea; 2 x WW II)
2,257 aircraft lost ($3.1 billion value)
$141 billion spent
58,135 Americans killed
So besides cost…how did Vietnam change America?
The War in Southeast Asia
(Some of the ways we were changed)
n
n
n
n
n
n
US reluctance to engage in conflicts that don’t
directly threaten national interests
Congress restricted President’s ability to commit
US military forces How?
Some public animosity towards military (and
government)
The all-volunteer military force
18-yr-olds got the vote
Increased emphasis on military resources, training
and weapons
Test Your Understanding
(Conclusion)
1. What was the US’s involvement in Vietnam
prior to the Gulf of Tonkin incident in ’64?
2. What was the purpose of SEATO?
3. What was the biggest difference between
SEATO and NATO?
4. What was the significance of the Gulf of Tonkin
incident in Aug ’64?
Test Your Understanding
(Conclusion)
5. What was the “graduated response” strategy
adopted by the US between ’65 and ’68
6. What was the significance of the Tet Offensive?
7. What was the purpose of Nixon’s
Vietnamization program?
8. What was the fate of South Vietnam after the US
withdrew in 1973?
Trivia Question
Where is this?