QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

It began with the French sending Priests to the area

The priests wanted people to convert and go to their churches. This happened during the 1600s…

This went on for a long time… that is,

until the rulers of the area decided they wanted the French GONE!

GET OUT!

The French decided they were not going anywhere-

They decided to bring in warships to protect their priests

In 1862 the emperor was forced to sign an agreement with France.

This agreement protected the priests and allowed the French to trade in the area!

Sounds fishy to

me!

This began the era of French colonialism in the area.

The area was rich in natural resource like gold, silver, coal, tin, silk and so much more

SO- How did this war begin?

• By 1893 France had control of Indochina!

What is Indochina you say?

Well, it’s a place between IndiaAND China

Indochina Included the states of:

• Cambodia• Laos• Tonkin, • Annam• Cochin-

China

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

In 1930 & 1931 the local people, (who were by now pretty tired of the French and the way they were being treated) decided to rise up against the French.

The results… were not good

Luckily (or not) World War II broke out in Europe in 1939

Germany took over France in 1940

So the French had to leave Indochina to go defend their country.

1945: Japan takes over Indochina!

Dude…Imperialism

Rocks!

That MIGHT have worked except that Japan had other things to worry about…

The Atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima

And a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki

That put an end to WWII

What does that have to do with the United States and Vietnam?

France Returns!

No, that is not a misprint… France was back and they

wanted to regain control of the area.

Enter--

I’m baaaaack

Ho Chi Minh “He who Enlightens”

• A young communist who declared himself president of Vietnam in 1945

• He wanted Vietnam to be controlled by the Vietnamese people

• Later that year the French landed in the south and quickly took control back

• Ho Chi Minh controlled the north

The French control the south and Ho Chi Minh controls the communist north?

…ok, sounds like a plan…

But NOOOOOOO

Each side wanted control of the WHOLE of Vietnam

French vs. Ho…Round 3

1946

This time the French get their berets knocked off

(after 8 years of fighting)!1954

Here it is… the moment you have been waiting

for…

What does this have to do with the UNITED STATES?

May 1954-Americans send troops to support the south after the French forces find themselves surrounded in North Vietnam at a place called Dien Bien Phu

Here we come to save the

day!

July 1954, a peace conference in Geneva temporarily divides Vietnam in two: a pro-communist North and an anti-communist South.

President Truman

Premier Stalin

Prime Minister Churchill

These were the leaders at that conference:

1956-

The North wants Vietnam to be unified and begin fighting with the south Hey, that sounds

really familiar… where have I heard that

before?

The United States sends advisors to help South Vietnam because they do not want the communists to take over the area.

1961President John F. Kennedy says the US will do all it can to keep South Vietnam from going to the Communist North

I will send troops to help South Vietnam

1963 President Kennedy is assassinatedPresident Johnson pledges to continue supporting South Vietnam

I will keep the status quo

1964North Vietnamese torpedo USS Maddox is in the Gulf of Tonkin

Our ships will take whatever steps are necessary that are

appropriate for their defense.

President Johnson states:

1965

•Operation “Rolling Thunder” begins (air attacks against the North)

•Chinese government warns that they will enter the war if American troops invade North Vietnam

•US offers North Vietnam $1 billion aid package to develop Mekong Delta region in SE Asia if they DON’T take over South Vietnam

•North Vietnam says, “No thanks, we can win this war”

The American Experience1965-1975

•

58,000 Dead

304,000 wounded

1968•Richard Nixon elected President

•Policy of Vietnamization- transferring combat roles to South Vietnamese troops

•Tet offensive begins (N Vietnam launches attacks all over S Vietnam)

1973

•US, North Vietnam, South Vietnam sign Paris Peace Accords

•Cease-fire goes into effect

•US troops begin to withdraw

1975•South Vietnam surrenders to North Vietnam

•The country is unified under communist rule

•United States imposes embargo on ALL of Vietnam