““America’s Longest America’s Longest War”War”

THE HOW THE HOW We Got We Got

HERE…HERE…““The Most Unpopular The Most Unpopular War”War”““The First Televised The First Televised War”War”

Cold War Attitudes…yup still there• America continued its belief in

containing communism• In an effort to stop the spread of

communism, the US supports France’s effort to control Vietnam

• With the defeat of France and the Geneva Accords splitting Vietnam– Communist North – Pro-Western South

• The US decided to step in aid South Vietnam as tensions heat up

• By the early 1900’s nationalism had been on the rise in Vietnam

• Several nationalist political parties were formed

• One of leaders of the nationalist movement was: Nguyen Tat Thanh

Better known by his alias Ho Chi Minh “Bringer of Light”

• fought with the US against the

• Japanese in WWII• then against the French, • and finally against the US

before dying in 1979… • May 1954, with two

children who presented him with flowers

• “Uncle Ho” loved to be photographed with children, improving his status as a caring leader

• At the age of 21 he spent time traveling, including to the Soviet Union

• Ho Chi Minh became an advocate supporter of Communism

• Helped form the Indochinese Communist Party and to overthrow the French rule

• Ho Chi Minh’s activities made him a wanted man

• He fled for a time to China and the Soviet Union

• Ho Chi Minh returned with a new political group

• Vietminh, this group united both Communists and non-Communists against Japan

• With the defeat of Japan in WWII, it would leave a void in leadership for Ho Chi Minh to fill

• Ho Chi Minh quickly announced that Vietnam was independent

• Even created a Vietnam Declaration of Independence, quoting directly from our own Declaration

• France however had no intention of seeing this happened and maintain its empire

• Led by Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnamese fought back

• France’s request for support put the US in a difficult position• We did not support colonialism, nor did we want to see

another Communist government established• We had already seen the fall of China and the Korean War

had convinced us that the Soviet Union was making a push to support Communism in East Asia

• We feared Vietnam would be that next “domino”

• This “Domino Theory” was the belief that if Vietnam fell to communism, so could other nations of Southern Asia

• Despite significant help from the United States, the French struggled against the Vietminh

• The French were frustrated by hit and run tactics

• Guerillas- irregular troops, who usually blend into the civilian population

• Turning point: Dien Bien Phu

• The huge Vietminh force’s over ran the French trenches and took the hill

French soldiers being marched away

• To end the conflict, negotiations were held in Geneva, Swiz.• It would divide Vietnam along the 17th Parallel • The North would be lead by Ho Chi Minh, communist• The South would be lead by Ngo Dinh Diem, pro-West

American Officials Decide to Support South Vietnam

• (notice how similar this is to Korea!)

• Ho Chi Minh wasted no time trying to consolidate power against South Vietnam

• Organized his followers into a new guerilla army, the Vietcong

• Despite American assistance the Vietcong grew in power

• Diem looked increasingly to US for help in keeping South Vietnam from collapsing

• Upon taking office Kennedy continued the policy of supporting South Vietnam

• Kennedy saw the Southeast Asian country as vitally important in battle against communism

• Kennedy needed to appear tough on communism…since it looked like we lost on China during Truman’s presidency

Eisenhower with Diem

Kennedy Explains the Situation in Vietnam

• From 1961 to 1963 the US military in Vietnam jumped from 2,000 to around 15,000

• American officials believed that the Vietcong continued to grow in power because Diem’s government was unpopular and corrupt

• American urged Diem to make reforms, but only small and ineffective reforms were ever produced

Vietcong assemble against Diem

• Diem had made himself unpopular by discriminating against Buddhism

• In the spring of 1963 Diem banned the traditional flags used to celebrate Buddha's birthday

• When Buddhists took to the streets in protest, Diem policed killed 9 people and injured 14 others

• Perhaps the most famous example and photo of this protest is that of a Buddhist monk setting himself on fire in protest

• It would appear in newspapers and on televisions around the world

• August of 1963 out American ambassadors had learned that Diem’s policies and unpopularity had alarmed several of his military generals and planned to overthrow him

• America expressed our sympathy for their cause• In November, the generals would lead a coup of

Diem and seize control of South Vietnam• Diem’s overthrow, only made matters worse• Even though he was unpopular, he was seen as a

good nationalist and leader

• After Diem’s death, South Vietnam’s government grew increasingly weak and unstable

• In addition, only three weeks after the death Diem, President Kennedy was assassinated

• The Presidency and the growing problems in Vietnam now belonged to Kennedy’s Vice-President, Lyndon Johnson