Historical Background of Vietnam• Vietnam has been

fighting for its independence since 208 B.C.• 1862-Asked Lincoln for

help against the French• 1918-Asked Wilson for

help against French

• 1940-Vietnam fell to the Japanese during WWII

Why not help the Vietnamese?• 1949-Asia became

important• France was an ally during

the war (NATO)• Anti-communist FoPo

• Stay consistent-Korea, Eastern Europe

• USSR Detonates the A-bomb• 1st American killed-Sept.

1945• Ho sent apology in letter

Truman cont.

• June 27, 1950• US gave 3 billion + 300

Advisors to South Vietnam• President of SV was

Buddhist Monk (Bao Dai)

B. Ike

• US supplied 80% of the French War• 500,000 total troops in

Vietnam

• US paying to keep Vietnam in French Hands• A Tiger vs. An Elephant?

Dien Bien Phu

• March 13- May 7, 1954• French took the low ground

& had no aircraft!• Ike would not use nukes!• Congress would not

authorize strike without UK.• Ridgway- to win in

Vietnam, draft almost 1 million men• French Forces leave

October 9, 1954

Election of 1956

• US Support-Ngo Dinh Diem• Lived in New Jersey

• Election of 1956• Diem (Red-Good Luck)• Bao Dai (Green-Bad Luck)• If vote red, receive a treat• If still voted green, followed,

beaten, pepper spray, water down throat

• Diem 98%, Bao Dai 2%

End of Ike

• Aid - $7 Billion• Advisors - 700

JFK cont.

• Can we win in Vietnam?• Yes, 150,000 troops +

nuclear weapons

• “We failed & so will you”-Charles De Gaulle

• Can-do-ism-Americans can do anything• Panama Canal

Quiet Escalation of the War

• Ike- 700 advisors• JFK- 16,000 advisors

• Quang Duc-Buddhist monk that self-immolates• June 11, 1963• JFK- “They hate us,

they’re going to kick our ----- out there.

Assassination of Diem

• November 1, 1963• Diem captured and murdered• US knew and supported it!• JFK did not know

assassination was coming.

• “In the final analysis it is their war. They are the ones who have to win it or lose it. • Thought about troop

withdrawal, did bring home 1000