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The vietnamwar
The Vietnam War began as a conflict between North and South Vietnam following their division in 1954. The U.S. initially sent advisors and then troops to support South Vietnam against communist North Vietnam and Viet Cong forces. Despite massive U.S. bombing and troop deployments, the Tet Offensive in 1968 showed the war was not going well. Growing domestic opposition led to U.S. withdrawal under Nixon and the fall of South Vietnam to communist forces in 1975. The human and financial costs for the U.S. and Vietnam were immense. The war left deep scars and lessons about the difficulties of asymmetric warfare.
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The vietnamwar
- 1. The Vietnam War1954 - 1975
- 2. Background to theWarFrance controlled “Indochina” since the late 19th century
- 3. Japan took controlduring World War II
- 4. With U.S. aid,France attempted re-colonization in the postwar periodBackground to the WarThe French lost control to Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minhforces in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu
- 5. President Eisenhower declinedto intervene on behalf of France.Background to the WarInternational Conference at Geneva
- 6. Vietnam was dividedat 17th parallel
- 7. Ho Chi Minh’snationalist forces controlled the North
- 8. Ngo Dinh Diem,a French-educated, Roman Catholic claimed control of the SouthBackground to the WarA date was set for democratic elections to reunify Vietnam
- 9. Diem backed outof the elections, leading to military conflict between North and SouthU.S. Military Involvement BeginsRepressive dictatorial rule by Diem
- 10. Diem’s family holdsall power
- 11. Wealth is hoardedby the elite
- 12.
- 13. Torture, lack ofpolitical freedom prevail
- 14. The U.S. aidedDiem’s government
- 15. Ike sent financialand military aid
- 16. 675 U.S. Armyadvisors sent by 1960.Early Protests of Diem’s GovernmentSelf-Emulation by a Buddhist Monk
- 17. U.S. Military InvolvementBeginsKennedy elected 1960
- 18. Increases military “advisors”to 16,000
- 19. 1963: JFK supportsa Vietnamese military coup d’etat – Diem and his brother are murdered (Nov. 2)
- 20. Kennedy was assassinatedjust weeks later (Nov. 22)Johnson Sends Ground ForcesRemembers Truman’s “loss” of China Domino Theory revivedI’m not going to be the president who saw Southeast Asia go the way China went.
- 21. Johnson Sends GroundForcesAdvised to rout the communists by Secretary of State, Robert S. McNamara
- 22. Tonkin Gulf Incident 1964(acc. to Johnson, the attacks were unprovoked)
- 23.
- 24. “The Blank Check”*U.S. Troop Deployments in Vietnam
- 25. The Ground War1965-1968No territorial goals
- 26. Body counts onTV every night (first “living room” war)
- 27. Viet Cong suppliesover the Ho Chi Minh Trail
- 28. The Air War1965-19681965:Sustained bombing of North Vietnam
- 29. Operation Rolling Thunder(March 2, 1965)
- 30. 1966-68: Ongoing bombingof Hanoi nonstop for 3 years! Esp. targets the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
- 31.
- 32. Carpet Bombing –napalmThe Air War:A Napalm Attack
- 33. Who Is theEnemy?Vietcong:
- 34. Farmers by day;guerillas at night.
- 35. Very patient peoplewilling to accept many casualties.
- 36. The US grosslyunderestimated their resolve and their resourcefulness.The guerilla wins if he does not lose, the conventional army loses if it does not win. -- Mao Zedong
- 37. Who Is theEnemy?
- 38. The Ground War1965-1968GeneralWestmoreland, late 1967:We can see the“light at the end of the tunnel.”
- 39. The Tet Offensive,January 1968
- 40. The Tet Offensive,January 1968N. Vietnamese Army + Viet Cong attack South simultaneously (67,000 attack 100 cities, bases, and the US embassy in Saigon)
- 41. Take every majorsouthern city
- 42. U.S. + ARVNbeat back the offensive
- 43.
- 44. N. Vietnamese armydebilitated
- 45. BUT…it’s seen asan American defeat by the mediaThe Tet OffensiveUS troops defending the AmericanEmbassy in Saigon
- 46. Impact of theTet OffensiveDomestic U.S. Reaction: Disbelief, Anger, Distrust of Johnson Administration
- 47. Hey, Hey LBJ! How many kids did you kill today?
- 48. Johnson’s popularity droppedin 1968 from 48% to 36%.
- 49. Impact of theVietnam WarJohnson announces (March, 1968):…I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President.
- 50. American Morale Beginsto DipDisproportionate representation of poor people and minorities.
- 51.
- 52.
- 53. Officers in combat6mo.; in rear 6 mo. Enlisted men in combat for 12 mo.Are We Becoming the Enemy?Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 20th InfantryMylai Massacre, 1968
- 54.
- 55. Lt. William Calley,PlatoonLeaderAnti-WarDemonstrationsColumbia University1967
- 57. Hell no, wewon’t go!
- 58. Anti-War DemonstrationsStudent Protestorsat Univ. of CA in Berkeley, 1968Democratic Convention in Chicago, 1968
- 59. “Hanoi Jane”Jane Fonda: Traitor?
- 60.
- 61. 4 students shotdead.
- 62.
- 63.
- 64.
- 65. 2 dead; 12woundedKent State University
- 67. Nixon on VietnamNixon’s1968 Campaign promised an end to the war: Peace with Honor
- 68. Appealed to thegreat “Silent Majority”
- 69.
- 70. Expansion of theconflict The “Secret War”
- 71.
- 72.
- 73. Agent Orange(chemical defoliant)“PentagonPapers,” 1971Former defense analyst Daniel Ellsbergleaked govt. docs. regarding war efforts during Johnson’s administration to the New York Times.
- 74. Docs. Govt. misledCongress & Amer. People regarding its intentions in Vietnam during mid-1960s.
- 75. Primary reason forfighting not to eliminate communism, but to avoid humiliating defeat.
- 76. New York Timesv. United States (1971) *The Ceasefire, 1973Peace is at hand Kissinger, 1972
- 77.
- 78. Most Massive U.S.bombing commences
- 79. 1973: Ceasefire signedbetween
- 80. U.S., South Vietnam,& North Vietnam
- 81. Peace with honor(President Nixon)Peace NegotiationsUS & Vietnamese argue for 5 months over the size of theconferencetable!Dr. Henry Kissinger & Le Duc Tho
- 82. The Ceasefire, 1973Conditions:U.S.to remove all troopsNorth Vietnam could leave troops already in S.V.North Vietnam would resume warNo provision for POWs or MIAsLast American troops left South Vietnam on March 29, 1973
- 83. 1975: North Vietnamdefeats South Vietnam
- 84. Saigon renamed HoChi Minh CityThe Fall of SaigonSouth Vietnamese Attempt to Flee the Country
- 85. The Fall ofSaigonApril 30, 1975America Abandons Its Embassy
- 86. The Fall ofSaigonNorth Vietnamese at the Presidential Palace
- 87. A United VietnamFormerlySaigon
- 88. The Costs3,000,000 Vietnamesekilled58,000 Americans killed; 300,000 woundedUnder-funding of Great Society programs$150,000,000,000 in U.S. spendingU.S. morale, self-confidence, trust of government, decimated
- 89. The Impact26th Amendment:18-year-olds vote
- 90. Nixon abolished thedraftall-volunteer army
- 91. War Powers Act,1973٭
- 92. President must notifyCongress within 48 hours of deploying military force
- 93. President must withdrawforces unless he gains Congressional approval within 90 days
- 94. Disregard for Veterans seen as “baby killers”
- 95. POW/MIA issue lingeredSomeAmerican POWs Returned from the “Hanoi Hilton”Senator John McCain(R-AZ)
- 96. 2,583 American POWs/ MIAsstill unaccounted for today.
- 97. Andin the End….HoChi Minh:If we have to fight, we will fight. You will kill ten of our men and we will kill one of yours, and in the end it will be you who tires of it.
- 98. Lessons for FutureAmericanPresidentsWars must be of short duration.Wars must yield few American casualties.Restrict media access to battlefields.Develop and maintain Congressional and public support.Set clear, winnable goals.Set deadline for troop withdrawals.
- 99. The Vietnam Memorial,Washington, D.C.
- 100. Memorial to USServicemen in Vietnam
- 101. Memorial to USNurses in Vietnam
- 102.
- 103. President Clinton formallyrecognized Vietnam on July 11, 1995
- 104. Where Were Youinthe War, Daddy?This war haunts us still!
- 105. AND TODAY…..The “Light”at the End of This Tunnel?2003 to ?: “Operation Iraqi Freedom”1700+ dead and counting…?
- 106. Another Vietnam?ORA transformationof the Middle East?Only time & history can tell!
- 107. BibliographyNash, Gary, etal. The American People, Harper & Row, 1986
- 108. Compton’s Encyclopedia 2000Deluxe, Broderbund, 1999.
- 109. The Americans, McDougalLittell, 1998
- 110. A myriad ofweb sites on the internet