Chapter 26The Vietnam War

1954-1975(America Involved 1964-1973)

Background-Vietnam, in South East Asia, was a French

territory• Known as French Indochina

-Prior to WWII, Ho Chi Minh is nationalist leader of Vietnam (communist)

• Indochinese Communist Party

-During WWII, Japan seized control of Vietnam• Ho Chi Minh organized the nationalist

group called the Vietminh to fight them

Background-French retook the Vietnam territory following WWII

-The Vietminh fought back against the French -Wanted to remain independent

-*Remember* Ho Chi Minh is a communist & the U.S. policy towards communism

Background-1947, Truman aids France

-Eisenhower continues to help France and defended his decision with what became known as the domino theory

-domino theory - fear that if Vietnam fell to communism, the rest of the South East Asia would follow

Background-French are defeated by Ho Chi Minh’s

communist troops at Dien Bien Phu in 1954-Convinced France to make peace and

leave Vietnam-The Geneva Accords divided the country

along the 17th parallel - North Vietnam and South Vietnam

-North Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh and the Vietminh (communist)-South Vietnam – Ngo Dinh Diem, pro Western, (non communist)

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American Involvement

-Ho Chi Minh begins armed struggle to unify the country into a communist country

-Organizes a powerful guerilla army called the Vietcong

-Eisenhower sends aid to South Vietnam

American Involvement

-JFK continues to support South Vietnam

-Ngo Dinh Diem is assassinated by Vietnamese troops in 1963

-Makes matters worse for the U.S.-Gov’t left unorganized

American Involvement

-August 2, 1964 - President Johnson announces North Vietnamese boats torpedoed two American Destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin

-August 7, 1964 – Gulf of Tonkin Resolution -president to “take all necessary measures … to prevent further aggression.”

American Involvement

-Vietcong begins to attack bases where American advisors are stationed in South Vietnam

-March 1965, Johnson orders bombing of North Vietnam (Operation Rolling Thunder)

-Sends first combat troops the same months

A Bloody Stalemate-Vietcong showed no signs of surrender

-North Vietnam sent arms and supplies south by way of a network of jungle paths known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail

A Bloody Stalemate-U.S. feared a large scale invasion would bring China into the war

-Placing limits on the war made it hard to win (who’s winning by casualties)

-U.S. troops forced to fight a war of attrition