VietnamVietnam

French Indochina WarFrench Indochina War

France controlled France controlled “Indochina”“Indochina”– 1800-WWII1800-WWII

Plantation colonyPlantation colony– Rice, rubberRice, rubber

Peasant unrest, Peasant unrest, uprisingsuprisings

French crushFrench crush– Free speech, jailFree speech, jail

Indochinese Communist Indochinese Communist PartyParty

Founded 1930Founded 1930 Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh Ran away from Ran away from

Vietnam to USSR Vietnam to USSR and Chinaand China– French want deadFrench want dead

Returns 1941Returns 1941 Form VietminhForm Vietminh

– Pro-IndependencePro-Independence

Events of WWII/post-WWIIEvents of WWII/post-WWII

Japanese control VietnamJapanese control Vietnam Forced to leave in 1945Forced to leave in 1945 Minh declares independence in HanoiMinh declares independence in Hanoi French send troops in 1946, take French send troops in 1946, take

control of southern half--warcontrol of southern half--war Truman sends $15 mill. In 1950 for Truman sends $15 mill. In 1950 for

French effortFrench effort 1950-1954-$2.6 billion1950-1954-$2.6 billion

Eisenhower continues Eisenhower continues support of Frenchsupport of French

Domino TheoryDomino Theory May ’54 Dien Bien PhuMay ’54 Dien Bien Phu

– Vietnimh beat FrenchVietnimh beat French France surrenders, France surrenders,

begins to pull outbegins to pull out May-July ’54-Peace treaty May-July ’54-Peace treaty

in Genevain Geneva Geneva AccordsGeneva Accords

– Divide according to 17Divide according to 17thth parallelparallel

– 1956 election to unify 1956 election to unify countrycountry

ProblemsProblems Minh brutal, but Minh brutal, but

gives peasants land. gives peasants land. National hero for National hero for

beating Japanese beating Japanese and Frenchand French

U.S. supplies U.S. supplies military and military and economic aid to S. economic aid to S. VietnamVietnam

Ngo Dinh Diem Ngo Dinh Diem opposes elections opposes elections 19561956

Eisenhower promises aid to Diem if Eisenhower promises aid to Diem if reforms gov’treforms gov’t

S. Vietnamese corruption, anti-S. Vietnamese corruption, anti-BuddhistBuddhist

1957- opposition group, Viet-cong 1957- opposition group, Viet-cong formsforms– Assassinates thousands of Vietnamese Assassinates thousands of Vietnamese

officialsofficials National Liberation FrontNational Liberation Front

– Support of Ho Chi MinhSupport of Ho Chi Minh U.S. “sink or swim with Ngo Dinh U.S. “sink or swim with Ngo Dinh

Diem”Diem”

Kennedy and DiemKennedy and Diem

Sends military advisors to train S. Sends military advisors to train S. Vietnamese troopsVietnamese troops

1963- 16,000 American soldiers in 1963- 16,000 American soldiers in VietnamVietnam

Diem starts moving peasants for Diem starts moving peasants for their protection, more upsetstheir protection, more upsets

Attacks on BuddhismAttacks on Buddhism Buddhist ProtestBuddhist Protest

CoupCoup

Nov 1, 1963Nov 1, 1963 Coup on DiemCoup on Diem

– ExecutedExecuted Leads to instability in gov’tLeads to instability in gov’t North Vietnamese push harder for North Vietnamese push harder for

Communist unificationCommunist unification

EscalationEscalation

Kennedy planning on withdrawing?Kennedy planning on withdrawing? Johnson afraid of looking “soft on Johnson afraid of looking “soft on

communism”communism”

Tonkin GulfTonkin Gulf Aug 2, 1964Aug 2, 1964 North Vietnamese North Vietnamese

fired on USS Maddoxfired on USS Maddox Aug 4, N. Aug 4, N.

Vietnamese fire two Vietnamese fire two torpedoestorpedoes

Johnson orders Johnson orders Bombing raids and Bombing raids and asks Congress for asks Congress for helphelp

Aug 7, Tonkin Gulf Aug 7, Tonkin Gulf ResolutionResolution– Military powers to Military powers to

JohnsonJohnson

The ProblemThe Problem

Maddox was a spy boatMaddox was a spy boat The two torpedoes never happenedThe two torpedoes never happened Maddox fired on VietnameseMaddox fired on Vietnamese Johnson had Tonkin resolution Johnson had Tonkin resolution

prepared for monthsprepared for months

WarWar

By end 1965- By end 1965- 180,000 U.S. 180,000 U.S. troops in Vietnamtroops in Vietnam

General General WestmorelandWestmoreland

Little confidence in Little confidence in S. Vietnamese S. Vietnamese ArmyArmy

1967- 500,000 U.S. 1967- 500,000 U.S. troopstroops

Agent OrangeAgent Orange