The vietnam war
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Transcript of The vietnam war
• Why was Vietnam divided?• Why did the United States become
involved in the conflict?• Why did many Americans oppose the
war?• How did the youth and counterculture
affect government policy?• How did the Johnson and Nixon
Administrations differ in their war goals?• How did this loss change American Cold
War policies
Nov 1, 1955-Apr 30, 1975 Neighbor of Red China Ho Chi Minh the leader of N Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem was the leader of S
Vietnam 17th parallel
North Vietnam=Communist South Vietnam=Republic (backed by the
U.S.) Vietcong=rebels in South Vietnam that
supported communism
Stop the spread of communism 16,000 troops in Vietnam by 1963 Diem loses his people’s support and he is
assassinated in 1963 Secretary of defense believed in cutting
cost by modernizing the armed forces
“I am not going to lose Vietnam” “We’re not sending over American boys
to do what Asian boys should be doing” Gulf of Tonkin had a major impact on the
U.S. involvement in Vietnam By 1965, the Vietcong, had a strong hold
in South Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh trail allowed supplies to get through Vietnam easily
1965 saw tremendous growth of U.S. presence in Vietnam
Jungle warfare with the Vietcong and bombing of North Vietnam
Tet offensive by the Vietcong
Who is the enemy? U.S. soldiers walked through jungles with
10ft. Tall elephant grass across flooded rice paddies
Fought leaches, fever, jungle rot, and snakes
U.S. harmed civilians with bombs, agent orange, and napalm
Village that supposedly housed 250 Vietcong
Instead had women and children U.S. solders given the order to kill them
all 175 killed and more than 400 wounded Helicopter crew stopped them
Many student protests Pentagon lied about Vietnam Resistance to war
Draft Couldn’t afford college, you most likely would
be drafted People used excuses such as physical
disabilities to avoid being drafted Some left the country
Racial war? Others supported the war Many bumper stickers
Counterculture Sex, drugs, rock and roll, hippies, and dress There is a sexual revolution as many couples
begin to live together outside of marriage Illegal drugs become more prominent Rock and roll events get out of control
Vietnamization-removing American troops and replacing them with Vietnamese soldiers
Severely decreased the military between 1968-1972
Kent St. Sign an agreement in Paris in January
1973 withdrawing all forces within 60 days
Fighting continues after the treaty April 30, 1975, Saigon is surrounded and
South Vietnam surrenders and Vietnam is reunited
58,000 Americans died 150 billion dollars spent in direct
expenses Cambodia and Laos also fall to
communism No love for the troops