Moving Toward Conflict in Vietnam Chapter 30 Section

Moving Toward Conflict in Vietnam Chapter 30 Section 1

French Rule In Vietnam n French ruled most of Indochina from late 1800 s to World War II. n Much Vietnamese opposition to French rule.

Ho Chi Minh Vietnamese revolutionaries organize in China under Ho Chi Minh (1924) n Forms Indochinese Communist Party n Ho Chi Minh returns in 1940 and forms Vietminh n

Vietminh Organization who worked for Vietnam’s independence from foreign rule n These fought against the Americans n

US aid to France n French troops tried to take Vietnam again n U. S. gave $15 million in aid to France in 1950 – year that it entered the struggle

Continued Support n Eisenhower kept policy of supporting French war effort. n 1954 – domino theory – countries all falling to Communism n French finally overran at Dien Bien Phu

US Presidents n None wanted the label of having “lost Vietnam” n LBJ 1964 – “another Korea…don’t think it’s worth fighting for…don’t think we can get out…just the biggest damned mess that I ever saw”

By last troops leaving in ‘ 73 n Cost taxpayers $150 billion n 58, 000 US deaths, 300, 000 wounded n 570, 000 “draft dodgers” n 563, 000 less-than-honorable discharges n Most divisive American issue since Civil War

Geneva Accords n Temporarily parallel divided Vietnam along 17 th

Ngo Dinh Diem South Vietnam’s president n Cancelled elections (w/ US support) n Sets up corrupt gov’t. n – Restricted Buddhism – Eventually assassinated (with US knowledge)

Vietcong n Communist opposition group in the South n Fought against the US n Supported by Ho Chi Minh n Fought guerrilla warfare – Used network of paths called Ho Chi Minh trail

Kennedy increases aid n President Kennedy increased financial aid to Ngo Dinh Diem n By end of 1963, 16, 000 US troops in S. Vietnam

Buddhism Diem attacked Buddhism, imprisoning and killing Buddhist clerics n Many protested n

Withdrawal? n Kennedy had announced plans to withdraw from Vietnam n Johnson increases involvement

Gulf of Tonkin (N. Vietnamese Coast) n North Vietnamese patrol boat fires torpedo at American destroyer (missed) n USS Maddox fires back and inflicts heavy damage n USS Maddox allegedly fired on again n Johnson launches bombing strikes on N. Vietnam

Tonkin Gulf (continued) n Also C. Turner Joy n Destroyers had been monitoring S. Vietnamese attacking 2 N Vietnamese islands n LBJ asked Congress for more military powers in Vietnam

Tonkin Gulf Resolution n Congress approves and passes Tonkin Gulf Resolution – only 2 Senators voted against n By Feb 1965, LBJ orders sustained bombing of N. Vietnam n By June 1965, 50, 000 US soldiers in Vietnam

Operation Rolling Thunder Feb 1965 – VC kill 8 and wound 126 Americans at Pleiku n More attacks later in week n LBJ orders first sustained bombing of N. Vietnam n

General William Westmoreland

n 1988 – Charleston, SC’s most famous resident – And Gen. Westmoreland