THE EARLY YEARS

America and Vietnam

Background

Long history of foreign powers ruling Vietnam: Chinese, Japanese, French

French Indochina= Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam

Background

Vietnamese Nationalism Attempts to fight for independence

against colonial governments Ho Chi Minh

Presented petition for independence to Versailles Peace Conference in 1919- denied

Visited USSR, became communist Set up Indochinese Communist Party

in Southeast Asia Vietminh (1941)- nationalist group to

expel Japanese US sent aid to Vietminh

Supporting the French

Japanese surrender in 1945Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam independentFrench troops return to reclaim colony- fight

the VietminhFighting escalates French ask US for help

US opposes colonialism + communism= difficult positionChina falls to Communism + Korean War=

Truman sends aid to French in Vietnam Containment Domino Theory- if Vietnam falls to Communism, the rest

of Southeast Asia will fall

Dien Bien Phu

French troops frustrated by guerrillas Guerrilla warfare- hit-and-run and ambush tactics by

troop who blend in to the civilian populationFrench attempt to take-over mountain town

of Dien Bien Phu Cut off Vietminh supply lines Vietminh forces surround Dien Bien Phu May 7, 1954, French are defeated, withdraw from

Indochina

Geneva Accords

Peace negotiationsVietnam divided along

17th Parallel Ho Chi Minh and Vietminh

control North Vietnam (Communist)

US as protector of new government, led by Ngo Dinh Diem (anti-Communist)

Plans for 1956 election to reunite Vietnam

Cambodia and Laos independent

Geneva Accords

French troops leave Indochina

Diem becomes president of Republic of South Vietnam Refused to permit 1956

election due to fear of Ho Chi Minh winning

Eisenhower approves, increases aid to South Vietnam (SEATO)

Vietcong

Ngo Dinh Diem refuses to hold elections and cracks down on communist groups in South Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh + nationalists begin armed struggle to reunify Vietnam

Vietcong- guerrilla army of South Vietnamese Communists

Vietcong

Fighting between Vietcong and South Vietnamese troops Eisenhower sends “military advisers” to train South

Vietnam’s armyVietcong grows many Vietnamese oppose

DiemVietcong Terrorism

Assassinate thousands of government officials

Control countrysideDiem needed more help from US

Kennedy and Vietnam

During his presidency, Kennedy increased troops in Vietnam

2,000 15,000Diem failed to take US suggestions to create

democracy Diem unpopular and corrupt Introduced some reforms

Strategic Hamlets- villages protected by machine guns, bunkers, trenches, and barbed wire

Extremely unpopular

Opposition to Diem

Diem (Catholic) discriminated against Buddhists Banned traditional religious flags Protests 9 protestors killed, 14 injured Buddhist monks poured gasoline on himself and lit

themselves on fire Horrified Americans Demonstrated extreme opposition to Diem

Opposition to Diem

Military coup to overthrow Diem (November 1, 1963) Executed him

Made South Vietnam’s government weak and unstable America has to take heavier role in order to maintain

stability Three weeks later Kennedy is assassinated