Download Chapter 29 Section 1 Origins of the Vietnam War

Chapter 29 Section 1
Origins of the Vietnam War
History of Vietnam
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Ruled by China from 111 BC until the early 10th century
Independent from 938 AD until the mid-1800’s when it was colonized by France along with the
rest of Indochina (Laos, Cambodia)
French rule was very harsh
French Rule
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The French administration imposed significant political and cultural changes on Vietnamese
society.
A Western-style system of modern education was developed, and Roman Catholicism was
propagated widely in Vietnamese society.
Most of the French settlers in Indochina were concentrated in the southern third of Vietnam based
around the city of Saigon.
Vietnamese Nationalism
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Developing a plantation economy to promote the export of tobacco, indigo, tea and coffee, the
French largely ignored increasing calls for Vietnamese self-government and civil rights.
A nationalist political movement soon emerged, with leaders such as Ho Chi Minh fighting or
calling for independence.
Japanese Occupation
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The French maintained control of their colonies until World War II, when the war in the Pacific
led to the Japanese invasion of French Indochina in 1941.
With the defeat of France in Europe in 1940, the French were forced to surrender control of
French Indochina to Japan.
The natural resources of Vietnam were exploited for the purposes of the Japanese Empire's
military campaigns.
The Viet Minh
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In 1941, the Viet Minh – a communist and nationalist liberation movement – emerged under the
Ho Chi Minh, who sought independence for Vietnam from France and the end of the Japanese
occupation.
Following the military defeat of Japan in August 1945, the Viet Minh occupied Hanoi and
proclaimed a provisional government, which asserted national independence on 2 September. [
The French Return
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In the same year (1945), France sent troops to pacify the Vietnamese liberation movement and to
restore French colonial rule.
On 23 November 1946, French vessels bombarded the port city of Haiphong, and the Viet Minh's
guerrilla campaign against French forces began soon after.
The resulting First Indochina War lasted until 20 July 1954.
U.S. Involvement
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The U.S. supported the decolonization of Asian territory by European countries
However, the U.S. wanted France as an ally against the USSR in the Cold War
President Truman therefore decided to support French rule.
The U.S. contributed $2.6 billion in aid between 1950 and 1954.
Dien Bien Phu
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The French established a major base in the mountains of North Vietnam
The Viet Minh, led by General Giap, surrounded the French garrison
The siege lasted 55 days, with the French suffering over 15,000 casualties
The French were forced to surrender
The next day, France sued for peace
The Geneva Accords
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The French setback at the Siege of Dien Bien Phu allowed Ho Chi Minh to negotiate a ceasefire
from a favorable position at the Geneva Conference of 1954.
The colonial administration ended and French Indochina was separated at the 17th parallel by the
Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone.
Communists controlled North Vietnam, and a government friendly to the US was established in
South Vietnam
SEATO
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In 1954, the US and seven other countries formed the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
(SEATO) to stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia
The US was thus able to provide economic and military aid to South Vietnam
Partition of Vietnam
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The partition of Vietnam, with Ho Chi Minh's Democratic Republic of Vietnam in North Vietnam,
and Emperor Bao Dai’s State of Vietnam in South Vietnam, was not intended to be permanent.
However, in 1955, the State of Vietnam's Prime Minister, Ngo Dinh Diem, overthrew Bảo Đại and
proclaimed himself president of the Republic of Vietnam.
The Geneva Accords mandated nationwide elections by 1956, which Diem refused to hold, despite
repeated calls from the North for talks to discuss elections.
Opposition to Diem
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1957saw the establishment of the National Liberation Front (NLF), a communist organization
dedicated to a united Vietnam
NLF guerilla fighter was known as Vietcong, or VC
Diem, a Roman-Catholic, signed anti-Buddhist legislation that angered Buddhists
U.S. Involvement
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In 1961, President Kennedy sent Special Forces (Green Berets) to advise the South Vietnamese
Army (ARVN)
By 1963, more than 15,000 U.S. advisers were in Vietnam
Overthrow of Diem
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Opposition to Diem continued to grow
The U.S. became aware of a plot to overthrow Diem by the military
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President Kennedy chose to allow the coup to happen rather than help Diem
President Diem was overthrown and executed, along with his brother, on 2 November 1963.
Diem was followed by a series of corrupt military regimes that often lasted only months before
being toppled by other military officers.
With South Vietnam paralyzed by instability, the communists began to gain ground
Tonkin Gulf Incident
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On August 2, 1964, North Vietnamese gunboats attacked the American destroyer USS Maddox
This incident prompted President Johnson to order airstrikes on North Vietnam
He also asked Congress to authorize the use of force to defend U.S. troops
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
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Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution
This allowed the President to use military force without declaring war
President Johnson was now able to escalate the war without going back to Congress for a formal
declaration of war.
Chapter 29 Section 2
U.S. Involvement Grows
“Americanizing” the War
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Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and General William Westmoreland, Commander US Forces
in South Vietnam believed the US needed to increase its military presence in South Vietnam beyond
the role of advisors to the South Vietnamese Armed Forces (ARVN)
This called for more troops and airstrikes against targets in North and South Vietnam
Rolling Thunder
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In March 1965, following a Vietcong attack on US troops at Pleiku, President Johnson ordered the
bombing of North Vietnam
Code named “Operation Rolling Thunder”
Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps warplanes attacked strategic targets in North Vietnam and
Vietcong strongpoints in South Vietnam
Lasted until November 1968
Agent Orange
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Agent Orange is a chemical used by the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971 to remove
forest cover, destroy crops, and disrupt agriculture food production.
It is called “Agent Orange” because of the orange band that identifies the barrel the chemical came
in. There were also Agents Purple, Green, and Pink.
The U.S. military dumped some 20 million gallons of Agent Orange and other herbicides on about a
quarter of former South Vietnam between 1962 and 1971.
The defoliant decimated about 5 million acres of forest — roughly the size of Massachusetts — and
another 500,000 acres of crops, the report said.
The chemical have been shown to cause serious skin diseases as well as a vast variety of cancers in
the lungs, larynx, and prostate. Other effects include cleft palate, mental disabilities, hernias, and
extra fingers and toes.
The scariest impact is that the disease and deformities caused by the chemical can span across
generations.
The Marines Land
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On March 8, 1965, US Marines arrived to defend the airbase at Da Nang. More troops soon
followed.
By the end of 1965, there were 184,300 US troops in Vietnam
636 Americans had been killed in the war to date
The Vietcong
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The Vietcong (VC) were South Vietnamese communists fighting for unification with North Vietnam
They waged guerilla warfare, dressed as civilians and hid after attacking US troops
They were supplied by the North Vietnamese by the Ho Chi Minh Trail that went through Laos and
Cambodia
The VC were highly motivated and suffered great hardships
Mounting Costs
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By the end of 1968, 500,000 US troops were in country
Over 30,000 Americans had been killed
Friend or Foe?
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The VC looked no different from the average civilian
Women and children were often used to attack US troops
The VC used booby traps, mines and human bombs to kill US troops
Vietcong & NVA Strategy
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The VC and NVA knew they could not match US firepower
They relied on hit-and-run tactics to harass American forces
Many attacks occurred at night
The goal was to erode American’s will to fight through attrition
U.S. Troops Fulfill Their Duty
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Americans served in Vietnam for a variety of reason
Many volunteered to serve their country
Some fought to stop communism
Some fought to protect the South Vietnamese
Many were drafted and had no choice but to serve
Morale Declines
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Morale declined for many reasons
– The majority of troops after 1965 were draftees
– Losses continued to mount
– US Troops felt the South Vietnamese people were indifferent to their presence and should be
defending their own country
– A growing anti-war movement at home undermined morale
Economic Problems at Home
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Johnson’s Great Society programs were very expensive
The cost of fighting in Vietnam was also very high
Massive government spending had lowered the unemployment rate but inflation was very high
These factors led to increased taxes
The Anti-War Movement
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By 1967, opposition to the war was widespread
Two camps had emerged, Doves and Hawks
Doves questioned the war. They included liberal politicians and students who saw the conflict as a
localized civil war.
Hawks supported Johnson’s war policies. They were mostly conservatives who believed the war was
crucial to a U.S. Cold War victory.
Chapter 29 Section 3
The War Divides America
Antiwar Protests Increase
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As more troops died and no clear victory emerged, increasing numbers of Americans opposed the
Vietnam War.
Many people opposed the policies of the draft. More than 1.5 million young men were drafted during
the Vietnam War.
Many argued the draft unfairly gave deferments to students.
Most of the draftees came from a poor or working-class background.
African Americans and the Vietnam War
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The number of African Americans fighting in Vietnam was disproportionately high.
African Americans were less likely than whites to become commissioned officers.
They were more likely to serve, and die, in combat positions.
Changes to the Selective Service System
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Inequalities in the draft led to widespread resistance against the war.
In 1969, the draft was restructured to introduce a lottery system.
Students’ Opposition to the War Grows
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Colleges and universities became centers of antiwar activism.
Many upper middle-class students opposed the war
Many working-class students generally supported the war.
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) campaigned to end the war in Vietnam.
More American Oppose the War
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Beyond college campuses, more and more Americans also opposed the war.
TV news showed the war’s horrors.
The difference between government reports and news stories created a credibility gap
Westmoreland’s Bold Claim
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In November 1967, General Westmoreland addressed the nation’s concerns about the war.
He claimed the Vietcong had weakened and could no longer mount a major attack.
The Tet Offensive
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Tet is the Vietnamese New Year
In early 1968, the Vietcong and North Vietnamese launched the Tet Offensive.
The Tet Offensive was an attack on major cities and bases in South Vietnam, including the U.S.
Embassy in Saigon.
The fighting was fierce, but American and South Vietnamese forces eventually drove back the
Vietcong.
The War After Tet
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After the Tet Offensive, U.S. military leaders became less certain that the war could end quickly.
The new Secretary of Defense, Clark Clifford, recommended that President Johnson pursue peace,
rather than victory, in Vietnam
Johnson Steps Down
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Johnson announced he would not run for another term as president.
Democratic Senator Eugene McCarthy, who opposed the war, made a strong showing in the New
Hampshire primary.
Robert Kennedy, a Democratic Senator from New York, also announced his candidacy.
1968: Violence Stuns the Nation
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In April, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis.
Senator Robert Kennedy was assassinated in June, just after he’d won the California Democratic
primary.
Police used rough tactics to break up student protests outside the Democratic Convention in Chicago.
The 1968 Presidential Election
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Eventually the Democrats chose Hubert Humphrey, Johnson’s Vice President as their presidential
candidate.
Republicans held a more peaceful convention, choosing Richard M. Nixon as their presidential
candidate.
Nixon Wins
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He called for peace with honor in Vietnam.
He appealed to the “silent majority” — people who were not protesting.
He benefited because Democrats were split between Humphrey and George Wallace, a third-party
candidate from the South.
Chapter 29 Section 4
The War’s End and Impact
Peace Talks Stall
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Formal peace talks began in May, 1968 in Paris
US wanted all VC out of South Vietnam and release of POW’s
North Vietnam wanted halt to bombings, withdrawal of US troops, and recognition of NLF (Vietcong)
as a political party
Neither side would budge on negotiations
Both sides argued over shape of the negotiating table.
Peace With Honor
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Nixon believed he could achieve “peace with honor”
This was a U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam on honorable terms
US troops were gradually being pulled out of Vietnam
Vietnamization
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Nixon expressed his faith in the South Vietnamese Army (ARVN) to assume the burden of the war
This was called Vietnamization
The idea was to transfer front-line fighting to the South Vietnamese
Bombing of Cambodia
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The North Vietnamese were continuing to supply the Vietcong by way of the Ho Chi Minh Trail
The trail ran through neutral Laos and Cambodia
Nixon secretly ordered the bombing of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Cambodia to reduce the flow of
supplies to the Vietcong
American Troops Attack Cambodia
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Nixon was growing impatient at the pace of peace negotiations
In order to break the negotiations stalemate, Nixon ordered a ground attack by U.S. soldiers on North
Vietnamese bases in Cambodia
He also hoped to aid the pro-American Cambodian government in its fight against the communist
Khmer Rouge
Nixon addressed the nation on TV and informed them of the invasion
Although large quantities of supplies were seized, the North Vietnamese continued their struggle
Anti-war activists immediately criticized Nixon for expanding the scope of the war
Students Protest
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At Kent State University in Ohio, four students were shot by National Guardsmen.
A similar confrontation at Jackson State University in Mississippi left two students dead.
Counter protests were held by those supporting Nixon and the war efforts.
My Lai
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In 1971, Americans were stunned to learn about the My Lai massacre.
Four years earlier, U.S. soldiers searching for Vietcong in the village of My Lai had killed hundreds of
unarmed civilians.
The unit commander, Lt. William Calley, claimed he had been following orders.
The military was criticized for covering up the incident and not performing an adequate investigation.
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Lt. Calley was convicted by a military court and sentenced to life imprisonment,
President Nixon commuted sentence to house arrest and later granted him a pardon.
The Pentagon Papers
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The publication of the Pentagon Papers further shocked the nation.
The report revealed that American leaders had lied to Congress and failed to inform the public fully
about the American involvement in Vietnam.
Nixon tried to stop publication of the Pentagon Papers, but The New York Times published the report in
1971.
Nixon Wins in 1972
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In October 1972, the US and North Vietnam came to terms on a peace settlement
Nixon won reelection one month later
North Vietnam refused to sign the agreement
Nixon ordered the bombing of North Vietnam to force the Vietnamese to resume negotiations
Paris Peace Accords
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In January 1973, the war finally ended with the signing of the Paris Peace Accords.
The United States, South Vietnam, North Vietnam, and the Vietcong would stop fighting.
U.S. troops would withdraw from South Vietnam.
North Vietnamese troops would remain in South Vietnam.
South Vietnam’s noncommunist government would remain in power.
US POW’s would be returned
The Fall of Saigon
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For the United States, the war was over, but fighting continued in Vietnam despite the peace agreement.
In the spring of 1975, North Vietnam captured Saigon and won the war.
More Problems in Southeast Asia
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In Cambodia, the communist Khmer Rouge unleashed a genocide, killing more than 2 million people
A communist government took control in Laos
Vietnam, now unified and communist, attacked Cambodia who were supplied by the Chinese and
supported by the US
The Cost of War
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More than 58,000 Americans died in Vietnam.
It would be years before Vietnam veterans were acknowledged for their sacrifices.
The war undermined Americans’ trust in their leaders.
Americans became reluctant to intervene in other nations’ affairs.
Veterans Finally Remembered
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The Vietnam Veteran’s memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. in 1982
It lists the name of all Americans killed in Vietnam in the order in which they died
Vietnam Changes American Policies
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The cost of fighting a war effectively killed Johnson’s Great Society programs
Congress passed the War Powers Act in 1973.
The act restricted the President’s ability to send the nation to war.
Chapter 29 Section 5
Nixon and the Cold War
How did Richard Nixon change Cold War diplomacy during his presidency?
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After the Vietnam War, President Nixon developed a new approach to the Cold War.
He redefined America’s relations with the Soviet Union and China.
President Nixon redefined U.S. foreign policy.
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He did not divide the world into “us” (democratic countries) and “them” (communist countries).
He practiced realpolitik — foreign policy based on concrete national interests rather than ideology.
He concluded that there was no united worldwide communist movement.
Henry Kissinger
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Henry Kissinger was President’s Nixon’s leading adviser on national security and international affairs.
Together they altered America’s Cold War policy, improving the country’s relations with China and the
Soviet Union.
China
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A political realist, Nixon wanted to establish diplomatic relations with China.
The United States stood to gain much by recognizing China.
Diplomatic relations with China would bring economic opportunities to the United States.
An improved relationship with China would weaken China’s ties to the Soviet Union.
China might pressure North Vietnam to accept a negotiated peace to end the Vietnam War
Ping Pong Diplomacy
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China invited a U.S. ping pong team to play in a tournament.
Kissinger used that opportunity to work behind the scenes, talking with Chinese leaders and ironing out
sensitive issues.
Nixon Visits China
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In February 1972 President Nixon visited China and met with Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai.
Benefits of Nixon’s China Visit
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Nixon’s visit to China resulted in several benefits to the United States.
Trade thrived between the U.S. and China.
American tourists began to visit China.
Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev invited President Nixon to visit Moscow.
Nixon Visits Moscow
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In May 1972 Nixon met with Brezhnev in Moscow.
They signed SALT 1, the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, a major step towards ending the nuclear
arms race.
The two leaders agreed to reduce pollution and undertake a joint U.S.–Soviet space mission.
Détente
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Nixon’s policy of détente, the easing of Cold War tensions, replaced the old policy based on suspicions
and distrust.
His foreign-policy breakthroughs moved the world closer to the end of the Cold War.