vietnam: the land
DESCRIPTION
Vietnam: The Land. 1000 miles long 80 miles wide Located in SE Asia Tropical Climate (80/80). Vietnam: The Land. Borders Laos and Cambodia Truong Mts. Western Border Subsistence Agriculture is #1 Economic Activity. Vietnam: The People. Homogeneous Society - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Vietnam: The Land
1000 miles long80 miles wideLocated in SE AsiaTropical Climate (80/80)
Vietnam: The Land
Borders Laos and Cambodia
Truong Mts. Western Border Subsistence Agriculture is #1 Economic Activity.
Vietnam: The People
Homogeneous SocietyOwn distinct culture for over
2,000 years.Cities in the Red River Delta
since before the birth of Christ.
Long History of Conflict
Vietnam was part of China for 1,000 years.
Many rebellions and uprising required to get the Chinese out.
Long History of Conflict
1884 France controls all of French-Indo China.
French consider their colonization of Vietnam to be a Civilizing mission.
Imperialism in Vietnam
French occupation benefited Vietnam, and hindered it at the same time.
French thrown out of Vietnam by the Japanese in WWII.
Imperialism in Vietnam
1945 Japanese Surrender.French return to Vietnam.Viet Minh are fighting for
Independence against the French. (80%)
Viet Minh
Led by Ho Chi Minh.Supported with money and
weapons from China and USSR.
US supports French.
Domino Theory
If Vietnam fell to the communists the rest of SE Asia would also fall to the Communists.
US was committed to containment.
Viet Minh
Consider the war with France to be a war of Independence.
French Defeated at Dien Bien Phu 1954. (12,000)
The Geneva Accords 1954
Peace settlement between France and the Viet Minh.
Ends the War.Divided the Country at the
17th parallel.
The Geneva Accords 1954
Free election to follow in 1956 to unite the entire country under one government. (self-determination)
The Geneva Accords 1954
Provisional govt. set up in South Vietnam under Ngo Dinh Diem.
North Vietnam is ruled by Ho Chi Minh.
The Geneva Accords 1954
US influenced the Accords but did not sign them.
Ho Chi Minh never accepted the division of the country.
Ngo Dinh Diem
Christian (catholic)Born in VietnamEducated in the USCorrupt govt.Unpopular in Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh
Wants Self determination for Vietnam.
Rejected by USTurns to USSR.Communist tendencies
Election
1956 Election does not take place.
Ho Chi Minh would have won.Viet Cong start working to take
over South Vietnam.
Election 1956
Diem asks the US for help against the Communist forces.
Aid, supplies, advisors are sent. (Eisenhower)
Containment
JFK is committed to fighting Communism.
More money and advisors sent to Vietnam.
1960 – National Liberation Front
Viet Cong = Vietnamese Communists.– Want the US out of Vietnam.
War
Fighting between North and South Vietnam from 1956-1964 with the US in an advisory capacity. (war is being lost)
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
US destroyers were attacked by Torpedo boats from North Vietnam in International waters.(12)
Details are dubious.
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
“take all necessary measures to protect US forces and prevent future Vietnamese aggression.”
416-0, 88-2.
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Works as a declaration of war.
Expands the power of the President.
Americanization of the War.
Viet Cong = Defensive War
Can obtain their goal without defeating the Americans.
Viet Cong greatly overmatched.
Viet Cong = Defensive War
Strategy– “If we survive to fight another
day they will get tired, and their own people will demand that the war be ended.”
Tactics = Guerilla War
VC impossible to distinguish.Civilians and militants look
alike.No front lines.War of attrition.
Napalm
Jellied gasoline mixed with White Phosphorous and put into bombs.
Dropped from the air.
Agent Orange
Herbicide/defoliant sprayed on the jungles to make it easier to spot VC from the air.
Birth defects.
Tour of Duty = Americans
Amount of time spent in Vietnam.
365 days.Average age 19.5 years old.3 million serve in Vietnam.
American Advantages
Better weapons.More supplies.More Structured leadership.
Vietnamese Advantages
Familiar with Geography.Soldiers more motivated.Defensive War.Culture/Language.Chinese/Soviet support.
Support for the War
Public support of the Vietnam war was strong from 1964-1968.
Protest against the War
1966-67 A few congressmen begin to question the war.
College Students and Professors begin to question the morality of the war.
Protest against the War
Berkeley Free Speech movement 1964.– First anti war demonstration.– U of C censored student
protest of the war.
Protest against the War
US govt. assures the public that we are winning the war. That the VC are wearing down and progress is being made.
Tet Offensive 1968
Tet = Vietnamese New Year.End of JanuaryA major offensive started by
the VC, and Regular Army of North Vietnam.
Tet Offensive 1968
VC show great strength and gain an early advantage.
US military victory.The offensive was covered
in depth on TV.
Kent State
May 4, 1970Four college students shot
and killed by the National Guard. (9 wounded)
Protests greatly diminish.
Jackson State
Police and protesters clash.Two deadEleven wounded.
Credibility Gap
The difference between what the govt. said was going on in Vietnam and what was really happening.
Credibility Gap
JFKRFKMLKThese assassinations
added to the gap.
Credibility Gap
People did not believe the govt. , and public support for the war greatly diminished.
The Defensive strategy was working.
Pentagon Papers
Department of Defense Report leaked to the press by Daniel Ellsberg.
Reported unethical practices by the govt. regarding Vietnam.
Added to Credibility Gap.
My Lai Massacre
William Calley Jr.400 plus killed.Women, children, old
people.Shot down by rifle fire.
Election of 1968
LBJ chooses not to run again. (unpopular)
Richard Nixon – R- 43.4%Hubert Humphrey-D- 42.7%RFK assassinated
Richard Nixon Campaigns on
Law and OrderLess GovernmentPeace with Honor in
Vietnam.
Lottery System
A new approach to the draft.Ended college deferments.Ended economics as an
issue in the draft.
Vietnamization
US troops slowly being withdrawn.
SV must take over the burden of the fighting again.
Bombing of NV intensified.
Vietnamization
War is now being lost again.Last Americans leave in
1975.South Vietnam is overrun
shortly after.
War Powers Act 1973
Notify congress within 48 hours of sending in combat troops.
Must end combat in 60 days unless congress permits more.
Congress can over ride President with legislation.
Robert McNamera
Secretary of Defense for Kennedy and Johnson.
Reflections on the war question our strategy and presence there.
William Westmoreland
US General in charge in Vietnam.
Time Magazines man of the year 1968.
Henry Kissinger
Secretary of State, and National Security Advisor for Richard Nixon.
Nobel Peace Prize 1973 for ending Vietnam War.
Carlos Hathcock
Marine Sniper in Vietnam.
93 confirmed kills.
Longest one at over 2500 yards.
Barry Sadler
Medic for the Green Berets.Wrote the Ballad of the
Green Berets.Pro war song.