THE VIETNAM WAR Where Is Vietnam USA Vietnam

THE VIETNAM WAR

Where Is Vietnam ? USA Vietnam Where is the United States of America?

French Vietnam • As early as the 1700’s France was interested in Vietnam • The French imposed harsh taxes • They also limited the peoples political freedom • When combined with neighboring Laos and Cambodia it was called French Indochina

Fighting The French • 1900 began the fight for independence • Nguyen That Thanh or Ho Chi Minh meaning “He Who Enlightens” was the most successful Nationalist against the French. • He believed the only way to drive out Imperialist France was with a Communist Revolution

• The United States supplied French Troops hoping to stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia • The US feared that countries were falling to Communism (China and North Korea) like a row of dominoes. They nicknamed it “The Domino Theory” • The Vietminh weakened French Troops using hit and run guerrilla attacks and ambushes • On May 7, 1954 after the bloody battle of Dien Bien Phu the French surrendered

Vietnam Divides in Two • North Vietnam • Communist • Led by Ho Chi Minh • South Vietnam • Democratic • Led by Ngo Dinh Diem It was agreed upon to divide Vietnam in two in the Geneva Accords

Civil War Erupts • In the late 1950’s North Vietnam supplied and funded the Vietcong (Communist Guerrilla Forces) in South Vietnam • Diem’s Army of the Republic of Vietnam battled the Vietcong • US President Eisenhower provided economic support and military advisers to South Vietnam

The US Gets Involved • In August 1964 a North Vietnamese ship fired torpedoes at the USS destroyer Maddox, President Johnson declared it an act of war. • Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution to give the President the authority to take whatever means necessary to repel attacks against US forces. .

The US followed a policy of Escalation in Vietnam during the 1960’s Escalation meant more U. S. soldiers were sent to Vietnam to fight

OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER • President Johnson ordered a series of air strikes to attempt to destroy war industries in North Vietnam

The Ho Chi Minh Trail was a series of roads, paths and tunnels used by the Vietcong to supply and move their troops in and Around South Vietnam

The United States Divides • Back at home in the US the country was divided on the issue of the war in Vietnam. • Those opposing the war were called Doves. • Those supporting the war were called Hawks • Protests and Anti-War rallies were held all over the United States

Veterans Anti War Protest In the United States

MAI LAI MASSACRE • On March 16, 1968 the angry and tired men of Charlie Company entered the village of Mai Lai. • Under the Command of Lt. William Calley they proceeded to Search and Destroy the Vietcong. • What surfaced was in fact the massacre of 300 unarmed women, children and elderly • The conduct of American Soldiers was called into question • A military commission investigating the My Lai massacre found widespread failures of leadership, discipline, and morale among the Army's fighting units • Lt. Calley was tried and convicted of murder. He was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the Mai Lai massacre

TET OFFENSIVE • Despite the protests back home the war in Vietnam raged on. • January 30, 1968 enemy forces launched a major attack against US forces called the TET Offensive. TET is the Vietnamese New Year. In previous years a cease fire was observed during TET. • This surprise attack led many Americans to believe that the war would not end any time soon and that officials could not be trusted

US ANTI WAR PROTESTS CONTINUE “ 4 Dead in OHIO” • On May 4, 1970 at Kent State University National Guardsmen fired 67 bullets at an unarmed group of students protesting the war in Vietnam • 4 students were killed and 9 others injured • Kent State serves as a reminder of how turbulent the period of The Vietnam War was

May 4, 1970 Kent State

PEACE WITH HONOR • President Nixon and National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger created a policy to bring “Peace with Honor” • This policy would slowly turn the fighting over to the South Vietnamese Army • This policy was called Vietnamization • The U. S. would continue to supply and train the South Vietnamese Army

Paris Peace Accords • January 27, 1973 • The USA, North Vietnam and South Vietnam were negotiating The Paris Peace Accords which hopefully would end the war. • In 1974 fighting between North and South erupted again but the USA had already begun to bring it’s troops home. The U. S. vowed not to send any troops to South Vietnam.

Saigon Falls Into Communist Control April 1975 the North Vietnamese take control of Saigon the capital city of South Vietnam

U. S. PRESIDENTS IN VIETNAM Eisenhower Truman Economic Aid Military Advisers Johnson Nixon Military Aid Escalation Vietnamization Kennedy Military Aid

Effects of The Vietnam War • Many thousands of Americans and Vietnamese Killed and Injured • Vietnam is Reunited as a Communist Nation • Political Divisions were created in the USA • U. S. Veterans suffer from physical, emotional and psychological ailments

Over 2000 American Soldiers are still Missing in Action

VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL

Remembering the women in the Vietnam war Washington D. C.

Vietnam Wall Washington DC