Vietnam War

1954 - 1975

French Indochina(Current countries: _______________________)

• Location:– Southeast Asia– Near British colonies– South of China

• __________ economy:– Rice– Tobacco– Tea– Coffee– Rubber

French Indochina

French Indochina• France conquered Cambodia, Laos, and

Vietnam in the 19th century• They exploited the areas natural resources

and used the natives for slave labor• Thousands died from overwork and related

illnesses• Rebellions were put down by

French Indochina

• Invaded by Japan during WWII– Primarily for

• After World War II:• 1945 - Ho Chi Minh declared an independent

_____________________________• Requested assistance from ____________• Truman declined and supported the reoccupation

by the French• In 1946, the French resumed control of the area.

Cambodia

1953 – Cambodia declared independence

1954 – French acknowledged their independence

(Cambodia had few natural resources and was never as important to the French as Vietnam)

Cambodia suffered from its own Civil War, in which over 1.7 million people were murdered by the Khmer Rouge.

The genocide was documented by the film, ______________.

1978 - Cambodia was invaded by Vietnam , which helped to end the genocide.

1993, Norodom Sihanouk was restored as King of Cambodia

2010 – War trials began for the _____________.

They are currently trying to rebuild their country.

Laos

• Accounted for 1% of French Indochina exports• Declared independence in ______• French granted them full independence in

_____________• Civil War between communist and nationalist

forces• Assisted North Vietnam during war• USA bombed them average of every ___

minutes from 1964 to 1973• Currently remains communist country

Laos• Large number of unexploded bombs left

over from Vietnam era– Average of 1 person has died each day for the

last 30 years from leftover bombs, __________ total to date

– UN is clearing 100,00 per year; will take _________ years at this rate

VietnamFrench occupation with puppet government of King Bao Dai

____________established by Ho Chi Minh to fight for independence

1950 – ____________recognized by Soviet Union and China

Supplied with weapons and advisors

1950 – USA gave French ___________for war effort; US service men supervised equipment and supplies

1953 – Eisenhower became president; war aid increased to 80% of the total cost

VietnamConflicts between Communist forces and the French continued for 8 yearsFrench people tired of expense and problems1954

__________________scheduled to discuss cease-fire between French & Viet MinhFrench set up ambush at _______________

Disaster at Dien Bien Phu • French forces arrived in the valley to reinforce

positions along the Laos border• Viet Minh waiting, ambushed them• 2 month siege followed, with Viet Minh shelling

the French with heavy artillery • Supplies were flown in to French until Viet Minh

brought in ___________________• Humiliating surrender by the French (May 7, 1954)• High casualties on both sides• __________________among the casualties

VietnamGeneva Accords

Divided Vietnam at ___________________________________

Ngo Dinh Diem electedSupported by USA

_________________________Led by Ho Chi MinhSupported by China & USSR

President _______________• Took land from peasants and gave it to

wealthy landowners• Lived in luxury while his country was starving• Clash with ________ that killed 9• Sister-in-law refers to incidents as

“_______________” • Result:– Loses support internationally– _____________established in the South to aid Viet

Minh

US Involvement in Vietnam War

• Eisenhower administration – –

• Kennedy administration– _______________trained S. Vietnamese forces– Participated in _________missions– De Gaulle warned Kennedy that he was sinking

"step by step into a bottomless _____________.“– Supported overthrow of Diem by a military coup

Gulf of Tonkin Incident• Aug. 2 – 4, 1964– 2 American destroyers were fired on by the North

Vietnamese navy– Ships were in international waters – Attacked without provocation– Infuriated Americans and gained support for the war

**Later shown that they were in a North Vietnamese port ____________________________

**No damage to USS Maddox or USS C Turner Joy**Severely damaged or sunk N. Vietnamese vessels

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution• Aug. 7, 1964– Allows the president, as _______________, to

take military action against a perceived threat– Does not require a declaration of war

• Why would Congress want to give up their constitutional responsibility and authority?

US Involvement• __________________________– Began March 2, 1965– Sustained bombing of North Vietnam– General Curtis LeMay, “we should bomb them

back into the stone age.”• US Combat troops– 1st arrive March 8, 1965– By 1968, ___________ would be stationed there

_______________• Jan. 30, 1968– Surprise attack by Viet Minh & Viet

Cong(NLF)–During Vietnamese New Year–Attacked over 100 towns simultaneously – Eventually defeated, with great losses to

the communists–American intelligence questioned

_______________ ________–Attacked during Tet that led to a month

long battle, occupation, and withdrawal–Massacre of civilians by __________–Mass graves discovered with people

tortured, murdered, and at times buried alive

The Draft• _______ – reinstated after brief stop after WWII– Registration ages 18-25– President determines fair & equitable system– Exemptions made for college, sole survivors– Update 5 times but few significant changes until 1968

• _______ – Lottery drawing 1st of every year– Eligibility changed to 19 years old– 12 month eligibility – Still exempt for college, joining National Guard *if exempt at 19, could be eligible later

The Draft

• 1971 - Most student deferments were eliminated.

• 1973 - Registration continued but draft ended.

• 1976 – Registration was discontinued. • 1980 – Registration was reinstated and has

continued to today. There is currently no active draft.

Anti-War Movement• Escalation of the war increased anti-war

movement• Appealed to students on college campuses– 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, Il– Protesters against Hubert Humphrey’s nomination– Mayor Daley sent police in to break up protests– 100’s arrested and several injured– Famous trial of __________makes international

headlines

1968 Election• Democrats– _____________– opposed the war

• Assassinated in 1968

– _____________– opposed the war– _____________– thought we could win

• Republicans– _____________– opposed the war– Wanted to negotiate from a position of strength

• _______________

– Pledged to withdraw ground forces

_________________

• March 16, 1968 (not revealed until 1969)

• US forces massacred over 300 civilian men,

women, and children

• Victims were beaten, raped, and shot

• __________________only person convicted

– Released within 4 years on appeal

• Government accused of cover-up

Photos like this one, showing a South Vietnamese officer executing a Viet Cong prisoner in cold blood, made many Americans question our involvement in

this war.

Feb. 1, 1968

President Nixon• 1969

• 1970

__________________• May 2, 1970– –

• May 3, 1970–

• May 4, 1970– National Guard orders them to disburse and throws tear gas– Demonstrators throw bottles and rocks at the National

Guard– National Guard opens fire on unarmed students–

Pentagon Papers• Documents leaked concerning the Vietnam War• June 13, 1971• Published in ______________________ _______________________• Nixon Administration tried to stop them from publishing

them but lost at the Supreme Court

Easter OffensiveMarch 30 – Oct. 22, 1972

• NVA troops cross 17th parallel• Fighting with conventional army on 3 fronts• South Vietnamese (ARVN) forces were forced

to retreat• Americans lost several strategic fire bases• Eventually NVA is defeated and ground is

regained by Americans and ARVN• Both sides look to ________________to end

the war

_________________

• Jan. 27, 1973– Cease fire– Withdrawal of foreign troops within– Release of all– Assistance with repatriating the dead– South Vietnam: _____________would have free

& democratic elections– _____________: "carried out step by step

through peaceful means."

Final Assault• March 1975 – NVA launched a brutal assault on

South Vietnam and Saigon• Remaining US ________________personnel had

to be evacuated• Thousands of South Vietnamese had been

promised passage to the USA• April 29, 1975 – Airport is closed due to

advancing army• Final evacuees had to be rescued by

___________