The Vietnam War

For 2000 years, the Vietnamese fought for

independence…

Background/Overview• French Colonial Rule:

1800s → WWII– Vietnamese “nationalist”

movement led by Ho Chi Minh

– Post WWII: FR tried to reassert power (1950-1954)

• US Response– Support of FR:

Containment– Lesson of Korea:

Domino Theory

1st Indochina War: 1950-1954• French Forces, US Money

– US “busy” in Korea– 1/3 of FR war paid for by US

• Battle of Dienbienphu– French defeat

• Geneva Accords – Vietnam divided into 2 countries at 17th Parallel

• North Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh (communist)• South Vietnam: Ngo Dinh Diem (anti-communist)

– Elections in 2 yrs to unify the country…

Ike & JFK’s Vietnam Policy• Political Support

– Ease FR out– “Nation Building”

• Economic Support– US aid

• US Dilemma– Free elections?– Corrupt SV gov’t– Need to stand firm

Growing Problems: Internal Revolution

• Aggression from the North• Insurgency in the South

– VC (Vietcong)– Ho Chi Minh Trail

• Buddhist Protests• Diem overthrown

– SV goes through 5 more inept gov’ts Ngo Dinh Diem

LBJ’s War • Limited US involvement– Communists winning?– VC gaining strength

• 1964 – Gulf of Tonkin Incident– US destroyers attacked by

NV gunboats in Gulf of Tonkin

• Gulf of Tonkin Resolution – “Declaration of War” sort-of– Gave President complete

control over what the US did in Vietnam

US Strategy/Policy Goals• Goals & Objectives

– Containment & strength• Attrition

– Search and Destroy• Escalation of troops

– 500,000 max in 1967• Bombing

– Agent Orange & Napalm• Strategic Hamlet Program

– Concentration villages• Vietnamization

– Give the war over to the the SV• Secret War

– Fight across the border• Effects

– No demonstrable effects

Problems/Issues• Tet Offensive

– Coordinated NV & VC offensive– US wins, but psychological victory for

NV/VC• NV support from USSR & China• Lack of US consensus

– Hawks v. Doves– Silent Majority

• Credibility Gap– Pentagon Papers: Secret Defense

Dept study showed LBJ administration lied about the war to win public support

• Student Protest Movement– Kent State: 4 Students killed by

National Guard• My Lai Massacre

– Villagers killed by US troops– American public shocked

                                                                                                       

Picture from the My Lai Massacre

Student Protestors at Kent State University

Exiting the War & the End• Peace talks → 1968

– US/SV Demands:– NV/VC Demands:– Neither willing to compromise

• Peace with Honor, 1969-73– Kissinger & “Realpolitik”

• Re-offensive 1972– Force NV to negotiate

• Final Round, 1972 → – Agreements made on what had

previously been rejected• Vietnam divided

– US withdraws all troops– Nixon promises continued $$$ &

weapons to SV– But Watergate…

• March 1975, NV attack against SV– US does nothing

• April 1975 Vietnam unified– Communist Vietnam today…

Signing the Paris Peace Agreement

North Vietnamese tank entering SV capital of Saigon

The Legacy of Vietnam• 58,000 US casualties• US image tarnished• Shattered public’s trust

in gov’t and military• Shattered belief

American technology and $$$ could bring victory

• Vietnam Vets return to a country that shuns them

• US debates whether it can/should be the “World’s Policemen…”