Download Vietnam - Images

Vietnam
A young Marine private soon after arriving in Da
Nang during the escalation, 1965.

A former French colony in Southeast Asia that was
divided into North and South Vietnam in 1954
The French withdrew in 1954

North Vietnam

Controlled by the communist government
 Led by Ho Chi Minh


South Vietnam
Controlled by non-communist government supported
first by France and then by the United States.
 Led by Diem

North Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh
President Eisenhower and Secretary of State John
Foster Dulles greet President Ngo Dinh Diem in
Washington.
Vietcong

Known as the National Liberation Front (NLF)

South Vietnamese Communist Guerrillas
2 Goals of the Vietcong:

1.) Overthrow Diem’s government
2.) reunite North and South Vietnam
A Marine from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines,
moves a Viet Cong suspect to the rear during a
search and clear operation.


Viet Cong Fighter
1968
U.S. soldiers searching a village for
NLF
Propaganda leaflets urging the defection
of NLF and North Vietnamese to the
side of the Government of Vietnam.
Military Advisors



Eisenhower and Kennedy responded by sending
military advisors to South Vietnam.
By 1963 Kennedy increased the number of
advisors to 16,000.
Diem’s government suffered because:
Arguments over U.S. supplies to South Vietnam
 His imprisonment of Buddhists (opposed his government.


He was eventually murdered by Vietnamese while
trying to escape his country.
Thích Quảng Ðức photographed during his selfimmolation. Journalist Malcolm Browne won the
1963 World Press Photo of the Year for this image.
Gulf of Tonkin

August 2, 1964


August 4, 1964


North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked U.S.S.
Maddox in Gulf of Tonkin.
U.S.S. Turner Joy attacked in gulf
Johnson’s response:

The attacks were unprovoked and ordered
immediate air strikes against North Vietnam.
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution



Calling the attacks unprovoked, Johnson asked
Congress to authorize bombing of North
Vietnam.
Senate and House quickly passed the resolution.
(415 to 0, 88 to 2)
Authorized the President to take “all
necessary measures” to stop aggression in
Vietnam.




Johnson used the resolution to send 500,000
troops to Vietnam. ( Police Action )
Throughout the war the United States never
declared war on North Vietnam.
The resolution was the legal basis for the
escalation that followed, although Congress
approved funding for the war until 1973.
General William Westmoreland, was named the
commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam.
Tet Offensive - 1968



President Johnson, Westmoreland and the media
assured Americans the U.S. was winning.
Tet was the Vietnamese New Year.
During the celebration the Vietcong launch attacks on
major cities in South Vietnam.



They attacked Saigon, Hue (imperial capital of
Vietnam) and the U.S. embassy.
Attacked over 100 cities
Attacked General Westmoreland’s Headquarters.
National Chief of Police Nguyen Ngoc Loan, executes an
NLF officer in Saigon during the Tet Offensive. This photo
turned many Americans against U.S. Military action.
Significance of Tet


1.) Westmoreland promised the end of the war
was near – Tet proved the Vietcong were strong.
2.) T.V. coverage shook American confidence.


Westmoreland was denied a request for additional
200,000 troops
3.) March 1968 Johnson stops all bombing in
North Vietnam.
The body of a VC lies in the streets of Saigon hardly
noticed by the daily business on the first day of the
Tet Offensive.
A U.S. EB-66 Destroyer and four F-105
Thunderchiefs dropping bombs on North
Vietnam.