THE VIETNAM WARTHE VIETNAM WAR

Explain whether you think there are similarities between the Vietnam War and the wars the U.S. has been fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq since 9/11.

DO NOW

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND Since 1887, the Indochina peninsula was a

French colony. Today it is formed by Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

1940 – France was under Nazi dominance and allowed Japan to access North Vietnam, facilitating also China’s entry into that territory.

End of WWII– France controlled again Indochina’s territory.

The Viet Minh, a communist organization from North Vietnam fought independence of Vietnam under the the communist leader Ho Chi Minh.

1954 – France was defeated at Dien Bien Phu battle. Victory for Viet Minh.

DOMINO THEORYDOMINO THEORY

The Geneva Peace Accords Temporary partition of

Vietnam at the 17th parallel, with national elections in 1956 to reunify the country.

In the North, a communist regime, supported by the USSR and China.

In the South, Ngo Diem a non-communist was supported by the U.S.

Opposition to Geneva Accords The United States prevented the

elections that were promised under the Geneva Accords.

Secretary of State Dulles thought the Geneva Accords granted too much power to the Communist Party of Vietnam.

A New Nation in the South In 1955, with the help of massive

amounts of American military, political, and economic aid, the government of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) was born.

In 1956, Ngo Dinh Diem, a staunchly anti-Communist figure from the South, won a dubious election that made him president of South Vietnam

Desire of reunification

fromNorth Vietnam

Refusal to the reunificationfrom the South

side.

The Vietcong was the military arm of the

National Liberation Front (NLF), created by the

North Vietnamese communists to escalate the armed struggle in

South Vietnam.

War breakout1956

Referendum forreunification was

cancelled.

CAUSE OF THE WARCAUSE OF THE WAR

The USA’s purpose

Stop the expansion of communism

NATO

Marshall Plan

TrumanDoctrine

INTERVENTION OF THE INTERVENTION OF THE USAUSA

The USA got involved in the war.

Vietcong Guerilla army in S.

Vietnam Supplied by N. Vietnam

(Ho Chi Minh Trail) U.S. sends military

advisors. Diem’s Government

Unpopular corrupt

INSURGENCY IN THE INSURGENCY IN THE SOUTHSOUTH

VIETCONG TUNNELSVIETCONG TUNNELS

VIET CONG TRAPSVIET CONG TRAPS

Overthrow of Diem Unpopular leader Condoned by the U.S.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident Possible N. Vietnamese attack Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

War intensifies Unconventional warfare Causalities increase

ESCALATION IN VIETNAMESCALATION IN VIETNAM

A Viet Cong base camp burns

Anti-War movement emerges 1968: The Pivotal Year

Tet Offensive Johnson leaves office Violence at Democratic Convention Nixon wins Presidency

My Lai Massacre Invasion of Cambodia Pentagon Papers

VIETNAM DIVIDES THE VIETNAM DIVIDES THE NATIONNATION

Vietnamization policy Peace Settlement (1973)

U.S. withdrawal of troops Exchange of prisoners Vietnam still divided

North Vietnam invades the south (1975) Impact of Watergate scandal Congress refuses to aid S. Vietnam Saigon falls (April 30,1975)

Legacy of Vietnam?

WAR COMES TO AN ENDWAR COMES TO AN END

Political consequences.

Country reunification by the communist regime.

EFFECTS IN VIETNAMEFFECTS IN VIETNAM

Social, economical and environmentalconsequences.

70 % of the Infrastructurewas shattered

Forests were destroyed Deeply damagedcrops

Mass exodusto cities 830,000 dead

900,000 wounded

EFFECTS IN VIETNAMEFFECTS IN VIETNAM

Consequences

Damaged imageof the USA

Laos and Cambodiacame undercommunist rule.

EFFECTS IN THE WORLDEFFECTS IN THE WORLD

1. Is A Vital U.S. Interest At Stake?Before the United States goes to war, there must a clear risk to national security

2. Will We Commit Sufficient Resources To Win?Force, when used, should be overwhelming and disproportionate to the force used by the enemy.

3. Are Our Objectives Clearly Defined?In addition, there must be a clear exit strategy from the conflict in which the military is engaged.

4. Will We Sustain the Commitment?Is the government prepared to sustain the effort if things go wrong.

5. Is There an Expectation that the Public and Congress Will Support the Operation?There must be strong support for the campaign by the general public.

6. Have we exhausted our other options?Military action should be used only as a last resort.

LESSONS OF VIETNAM WARLESSONS OF VIETNAM WAR

TIME LINETIME LINE