9 THE VIETNAM conflict THE VIETNAM WAR 1955

9. THE VIETNAM conflict

THE VIETNAM WAR 1955 -1975 ? ? ? ? ?

Beginning… • NO CLEAR BEGINNING OF U. S. INVOLVEMENT IN VIETNAM Ø SERIES OF STEPS 1950 -1965 • REASONS WHY AMERICA GOT INVOLVED Ø VIETMINH, NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT AND NORTH VIETNAM’S GOVERNMENT = ENEMY Ø COMMUNISM AS ANTITHESIS § Definition: the doctrine of the conditions of the liberation of the proletariat § PROLETARIAT: A person who’s living depends on the sale of their labor o Everything depends on the demand of labor o Working class Ø DOMINO THEORY § if one country in SE Asia fell to communism surrounding countries would also fall • HOW THE U. S. SAW COMMUNISM (CONTAGIOUS DISEASE) Ø DID NOT WANT IT TO SPREAD TO OTHER COUNTRIES § SCORNED DEMOCRAZY § VIOLATED HUMAN RIGHTS § MILITARY AGGRESSION § STATE ECONOMIES

Beginning… Ho Chi Minh • 1890 LEFT VIETNAM TO FRANCE • • VIET MINH 1920 - FOUDING MEMBER OF THE FRENCH COMMUNIST PARTY • • • 1924 LEFT TO CHINA • • • TO ORGANIZE EXILED VIETNAMESE COMMUNISTS • 1927 EXPELLED BY CHINA RETURNED TO VIETNAM IN 1941 AFTER TRAVELING EXTENSIVELY VIETNAMESE GUERILLA ORGANIZATION JAPAN AND FRENCH AGAINST VIETNAMESE • • FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE 1945 JAPAN EXECUTED FRENCH OFFICIALS IN VIETNAM FIRST INDOCHINA WAR • MAO ZEDONG’S CHINESE COMMUNISTS AND VIET MINH AGAINST FRENCH (AIDED BY U. S. ) AND ANTICOMMUNIST VIETNAMESE FORCES

Beginning… Ho Chi Minh • 1954 • FRENCH SUFFERS HGUE DEFEAT • PROMPTS PEACE NEGOTIATIONS AND DIVISION OF VIETNAM • 17 TH PARALLEL • LATE 1950’S • ORGANIZED COMMUNIST GUERRILLA CALLED VIET CONG • VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST • DECLARED VIETNAMESE INDEPENDENCE AFTER JAPAN’S SURRENDER IN WWII • “ALL MEN ARE BORN EQUAL: THE CREATOR HAS GIVEN US INVIOLABLE RIGHTS, LIFE, LIBERTY AND HAPPINESS!”

NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT (nlf) “viet cong” • Before the NLF was created in 1960 there were multiple group, without leadership, that killed Diem supporters • When Ho unified all the group the NLF was created • One leader- Hua Tho • Needed to gain the support of the south vietnamese • Not allowed to abuse the peasant farmers • Took land from the rich and gave it to the poor • Not allowed to steal or damage the peasants property • Promised to remove Diem from power • Introduce a government that represented everyone

Ho Chi Minh Division of vietnam Viet minh Viet cong

Us support: Kennedy administration

Us support: Kennedy administration “Pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend…to assure the survival and success of liberty ”. • Lack of military/combat experience • • Key Advisers were graduates or teachers of ivy league schools Foolish to get involved in another war in Asia • Could not abandon American involvement in preservation of non-communist Vietnam • Harry Truman and losing China • “If I tried to pull out completely now from Vietnam we would have another Joe Mc. Carthy red scare on our hands” • Wanted to contain communism • Continue to support government of Diem in South Vietnam • Supported the “Domino Theory” • if one country fell to communism surrounding countries would also fall • 1961 • America should finance an increase of size in south Vietnamese army • 150, 000 to 170, 000 • Send an additional 1000 American advisors • Not made public because it broke the Geneva agreement

Us support: Kennedy administration • “Strategic Hamlet” program • Separate the people from the guerillas in the jungles • Relocation of 500, 000 farmers to “New villages • • Given provisions for five months Supplies to build a new house • The communists/guerillas forced to come out of jungle for food • “New Villages” enforced entry and exit • Communists were given food voluntarily by the villages “New village”

South Vietnamese troops watch demonstration by US military group Capture guerilla troop

Us support: Kennedy administration • When the failure of the program was made apparent Kennedy sent more advisors to Vietnam • 12, 000 • 300 helicopters • Told to avoid military combat • Impossible to fulfill • Buddhist monks • Response to diem’s government • Burned themselves to death June 11, 1963 Rev. Quang Duc, 73, Public Suicide, Protesting persecution of Buddhists

Lyndon b. Johnson’s Policies and challenges

Lyndon b. Johnson’s Policies and challenges “If we quit Vietnam tomorrow we’ll be fighting in Hawaii and next week we’ll have to be fighting in San Francisco. ” • Also supported the “domino Theory” • Support South Vietnam against NLF • General Khanh told Johnson the South Vietnamese could not handle the NLF • Believed sending troops would be a negative political move • Told Khanh he would not send troops until the election of 1964 was over (Reelection) • Operation Plan 34 b • Sent Asian mercenaries to North Vietnam • Sent USS Maddox • Attacked by three north Vietnamese torpedo boats • If he did not respond to this he would be seen as a weak president • “Repeated acts of violence against the armed forces of the United States must be met not only with alert defense, but with a positive reply. That reply is being given as I speak tonight. ” • Congress supported his decision

Lyndon b. Johnson’s Policies and challenges After reelection: • Operation Rolling Thunder • February 24, 1965 • Bomb North Vietnam and the NLF Territory in South Vietnam • Supposed to last for eight weeks • Lasted 3 years • NLF Began to attack US bases • March 8, 1965 • Sent 3, 500 Marines (combat troops)

Richard m. Nixon Wind down

Richard m. Nixon Wind down • His advisor said the US involvement was hopeless • Withdraw troops • Nixon still had hope that they could win • 543, 000 American soldiers 1969 • “Vietnamization” • Gradual withdrawal of US troops • expansion of south Vietnamese army • American pilots dominate skies over South and North Vietnam, Laos and CAmbodia • Tried to reach out to Soviet Union and Communist China in hopes they could persuade the north Vietnamese to bargain • My Lai • Frustration from war led some American Soldiers to seek revenge on Vietnamese Civilians • Covered up • Seymour Hersh • March 15, 1968 • Blamed civilians for aiding enemy • Murdered 400 civilians • Men, women, children, elderly

My lai

Richard m. Nixon Wind down • Operation Menu • Secret Bombing Campaign • Border Regions of Cambodia • Leak • Illegal wire taps ordered by Nixon to figure out how leaked the secret • Could be first step leading to the Watergate scandal • Ho Chi Minh dies September 3, 1969 • Successors did not want to lose • Troop Withdrawls • 65, 500 -1969 • 140, 000 -1970 • 160, 000 -1971 • 157, 000 -1972 • Death • 9, 414 -1969 • 4, 204 -1970 • 1, 386 -1971 • 300 -1972

Richard m. Nixon Wind down • Fall of 1972 Agreement • • Nixon delayed in signing agreement Communists dropped insistance that a new coalition governemtn must be built in South Vietnam • South Vietnam believed the agreement meant the US would no longer help • For reassurance Nixon sent arms shipments • America dropped demand that the North Vietnamese from South Vietnam American Troops were pulled out Launched Operation Linebacker II • • Bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong Late December 11 day • AKA Christmas Bombing • Heaviest Bomb raidings

Le Duc Tho of N. Vietnam Henry Kissinger OF US Meet to reach an agreement Operation Linebacker

Richard m. Nixon Wind down • January 27, 1973 • Paris Peace Accord signed • Same terms that had been outline before “Christmas Bombing” • Officially ended the war in Vietnam • No Celebrations • Only an armed truce that would not last long

Us reaction: protests

Paris peace conference

CIA Influence: