Download (The Vietnam War Era - Roots of the Vietnam War)

Today’s Objective
We will explain reasons why the United
States got involved in the Vietnam War.
Sub-Objective
We will describe the impact of events such as the
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and the War Powers Act.
The Vietnam War
SEs: 2B, 8D, 8E, 8F, 20A
State Standards
8d (r)
Explain reasons and outcomes for U.S. involvement
in foreign countries and their relationship to the
Domino Theory, including the Vietnam War.
20a (s) Describe the impact of events such as the Gulf of
Tonkin Resolution and the War Powers Act on the
relationship between the legislative and executive
branches of government.
8f (r)
Describe the responses to the Vietnam War such as
the draft, the 26th Amendment, the role of the media,
the credibility gap, the silent majority, and the antiwar movement.
Independent Practice
Create a flow map that identifies and analyzes
the events leading to the U.S. involvement in the
Vietnam conflict.
Key figures in the Vietnam War
Robert McNamara
William Westmoreland
Ho Chi Minh
U.S. Secretary of American commander Communist leader
Defense during the in Vietnam who told of North Vietnam
Vietnam War who American people that who led the efforts
made the American
we were close to
to unify Vietnam,
public feel like we winning the war, even he was a hero to
were winning the war though we weren’t
most Vietnamese
Key figures in the Vietnam War
John F. Kennedy
President of U.S.
during the beginning
of the Vietnam War
who sent advisors to
help the South
Vietnamese
Lyndon B. Johnson
President during
much of Vietnam
War; greatly
escalated the U.S.
soldier involvement
in the conflict
Richard Nixon
President of the
U.S. during the
latter part of the
Vietnam War; he
expanded the war
into Cambodia
French Indochina
For most of the 20th century, southeast Asia - including Vietnam -- was a possession of
France and was known as French Indochina.
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
After hundreds of years of colonial rule, Vietnam
won its independence when it defeated the
French in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954.
Vietnam independence
The person who led the Vietnamese to victory was a
revolutionary by the name of Ho Chi Minh who led a
group of freedom fighters called the Vietminh.
Vietnam Divided
Vietnam was divided into North and South Vietnam
at the 17th parallel at the Geneva Convention of
1954. South Vietnam was a democracy while North
Vietnam established a communist government.
Vietnam in the ’50s
For the next decade,
North and South
Vietnam fought each
other for control of
the government.
Creation of SEATO
Domino Theory
N. Vietnam becoming a communist state made the
U.S. fear that all of Southeast Asia would fall to
communism and we needed to intervene to stop it.
The Domino Theory was the belief that if one
country fell to communism, other nations
around it would eventually fall as well.
U.S. Supports S. Vietnam
The U.S. gave its support to South Vietnam,
a democracy, and its leader, Ngo Dinh Diem
South Vietnam problems
Many South Vietnamese hated Ngo
because he was corrupt, he was
westernized, and he did not govern
in the best interest of the citizens.
South Vietnam problems
Ngo’s harsh treatment of Vietnamese
Buddhists led to some Buddhist monks setting
themselves on fire in protest of Ngo’s rule.
U.S. Supports S. Vietnam
Critics said the United States was worried
about Vietnam only for imperialist purposes
and called Ngo a puppet of the U.S.
U.S. role in Vietnam
Until 1964, the United States did not have any
direct military involvement in Vietnam. We only
acted as advisors to the South Vietnamese.
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
In August 1964, North Vietnam was accused of
firing on two U.S. warships in the Gulf of Tonkin,
which is off the coast of Vietnam.
USS Maddox
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Johnson responded by ordering U.S. airplanes to
attack North Vietnam, marking the first time the U.S.
used military force in the conflict.
Just as in Korea, many Americans believed the
Chinese were behind the North Vietnamese effort
to spread communism throughout southeast Asia.
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Johnson asked
Congress authorize
the use force to
defend American
forces
With the Gulf of
Tonkin Resolution
Congress handed The President had the power
over war powers to to send U.S. troops into battle
without a declaration of war
the president
Small group purposeful talk
The U.S. Constitution says that the
president must ask for Congress to
declare war in order to send U.S.
troops into battle.
Is this still necessary today?
Discuss with a partner and be
prepared to share your thoughts.
Guerrilla Warfare
The Vietnam Conflict was a war of guerrilla
warfare , which is a type of warfare when
unconventional methods such as sabotage and
ambushes are performed by armed civilians.
Vietcong
The Vietcong (also known as the NLF) was the
guerrilla army that used hit-and-run tactics
against the U.S. and the South Vietnamese.
Vietcong
The Vietcong were South Vietnamese
Communists who fought on the side of the North
Vietnamese for Vietnam’s unification.
Vietcong Advantages
 They were familiar with the landscape (rivers,
lakes, etc.)
 They could find a safe haven in Cambodia,
Laos or South Vietnam
 They could often count on the support of the
local population
The Ho Chi Minh Trail
Red line indicates Ho Chi Minh
Trail through Laos and Cambodia
The path that ran from North
Vietnam to South Vietnam
through Laos and Cambodia that
was a supply line for the Vietcong.
Operation Rolling Thunder
U.S. bombing campaign against the North
Vietnam from 1965-1968 that was
intended to get North Vietnam to stop
supporting South Vietnamese guerrillas.
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was the most
intense air/ground battle waged during the
Cold War
Tet Offensive
Heading into 1968,
most Americans
were led to believe
that victory in
Vietnam was just a
short time away.
But on the Vietnamese New Year, known as Tet,
the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese
launched a surprise attack on the South.