IMPORTANT PEOPLE OF THE VIETNAM WARS The following are important
people associated with the French and American Vietnamese Wars
(1946 - 1974) Slide 2 The French-Indochinese War (1946 - 1954)
Slide 3 Ho Chi Minh Ho Chi Minh (1890 - 1969) Leading Vietnamese
revolutionary. Born Nguyen Sinh Cung. AKA: Nguyen Tat Thanh, Van
Ba, Nguyen Ai Quoc (Nguyen the Patriot). Founded the Indochina
Communist Party (1929). Ho was the political leader of the Viet
Minh and the undisputed leader of North Vietnam after the Geneva
Accords (1954). A steadfast nationalist he was determined to
reunify Vietnam. An extremely popular leader of the Vietnamese,
affectionately called Uncle Ho. He skillfully cultivated the
support of the two major communist powers Russia & China. Slide
4 Vo Nguyen Giap (1911 - ) The most famous Vietnamese general. A
former history teacher, he led the Viet Minh army to victory over
the French. The architect of the defeat of the French at Dien Bien
Phu, he was also the chief strategist for the war against the
Americans until 1972 when he was replaced by Gen. Van T. Dung. He
was a disciple of Mao Tse-tungs guerilla warfare tactics.
Considered one of the great military leaders of the 20th Century.
Slide 5 Pham Van Dong Pham Van Dong (1906 - 2000) After Ho Chi Minh
and V. N. Giap, the most influential leader of Vietnam. He was
active in both the French and American Indochinese Wars as a
political leader. He was Premier of North Vietnam (1950-75). Dong
was the head of the Viet Minh delegation to the Geneva Conference
(1954) and was the unseen force behind the secret Paris Peace talks
(1970). After Hos death in 1969 he became the most public political
leader in North Vietnam. Slide 6 Emperor Bao Dai Emperor Bao Dai
(1913 - 1997) The last of the Nguyen Emperors, he was educated in
France and spent many years there, acquiring a taste for French
wine and women. He became Emperor in 1926. He was essentially a
French puppet who could not compete with Ho Chi Minh for the
loyalty of his people. He briefly led South Vietnam after the
partition in 1954 but was defeated by his appointed Premier, Ngo
Dinh Diem, in a rigged election in 1955. He spent his remaining
years living in a chateau near Cannes, France. Slide 7 John Foster
Dulles John Foster Dulles (1888 - 1959) Secretary of State under
Eisenhower (1953-59) and a chief proponent of the so-called Domino
Theory. He favored strong action against communism throughout the
world and supported massive aid programs to help the French fight
the Viet Minh. He also helped establish the South East Asia Treaty
Organization (SEATO) in an effort to get non-communist countries to
back US efforts against communist regimes and insurgencies in SE
Asia. Slide 8 Jean de Lattre de Tassigny Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
(1889 - 1952) French general, WW II hero, he commanded French
forces in Indochina (1950-51). He advocated the creation of
Vietnamese army units to help fight the Viet Minh, termed le
jaunissement or the yellowing of the army. His enthusiastic
leadership combined with the Viet Minhs premature decision to fight
conventional battles caused many casualties on both sides but gave
the French forces some temporary tactical victories. He appealed
successfully for more US logistical support. He died of cancer
January 1952. Slide 9 Henri Eugene Navarre Henri Eugene Navarre
(1898 - 1993) French commander in Indochina (1953-54). He is
chiefly remembered as the final architect of the failed French
effort and the loser of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. He attempted
to take the war to the Viet Minh by creating large, mobile forces.
He never believed he could win but hoped to create an honorable end
to the war with a stalemate. Slide 10 Christian Marie de Castries
Christian Marie de Castries (1902 - 1991) The commander of the
French garrison at Dien Bien Phu. A flamboyant cavalry officer, he
named the strong points around the central garrison after his many
mistresses. Sensing defeat, he became reclusive and depressed and
his executive officer more or less took over command of the doomed
garrison. He was released after four months as a prisoner of the
Viet Minh to become a French national hero. Slide 11 The American
Vietnam War (1960 - 1975) Slide 12 Peter Dewey Peter Dewey (1916 -
1945) The first American killed in Vietnam, he was a Lt. Colonel in
the OSS (Office of Strategic Services), which later became the CIA.
He was killed driving an unmarked jeep near the Saigon golf course.
He was ambushed by the Viet Minh who may have mistaken him for a
French officer. Slide 13 John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy (1917 -
1963) President of the United States (1960-63). He was a advocate
of counter insurgency and encouraged the development of special
warfare capabilities. His Vietnam policies were an extension of
preceding presidents policies of containing communism, the
so-called Domino Theory. He was assassinated soon after the
overthrow of Diem in 1963. It is unclear whether or not he planned
to expand the US role in Vietnam. He did increase the funding and
number of US advisors during his presidency. Slide 14 Edward G.
Lansdale Edward G. Lansdale (1908 - 1987) An American Lt. Colonel
considered the father of US counterinsurgency theory. He was one of
the few people outside Diems family that had influence with Ngo D.
Diem. He was the inspiration for two novels: The Ugly American and
The Quiet American. He was part of the CIAs operations in South
Vietnam after the Geneva Accords. His propaganda campaign
encouraged large numbers of Northerners to regroup south and he
supervised a largely ineffective covert effort to sabotage and
undermine the communist North Vietnamese government. His influence
dropped after the death of Diem. He retired a Major General. Slide
15 John Paul Vann John Paul Vann (1924 - 1972) U. S. Army officer
critical of the military strategy and the effectiveness of the
Vietnamese military leadership. After participating in the Battle
of Ap Bac (Jan 2, 1963), he went public with his criticism and was
reassigned to the Pentagon, where his reports fell on deaf ears. He
returned to Vietnam in 1965 as a civilian and subsequently became
the highest ranking civilian advisor in the central highlands for
the Agency for International Development (AID). He was killed in a
helicopter crash in the highlands on 9 July 1972. Slide 16 Ngo Dinh
Diem Ngo Dinh Diem (1901 - 1963) President of Vietnam from
1954-1963. He was a devout Catholic and an anti-French nationalist.
He depended heavily on his family for support. He was killed in a
US-sanctioned coup detat. His government was characterized by
corruption, anti-Buddhist activities and nepotism. He was resistant
to US efforts to reform his government and heavily depended upon
the advice his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu. Slide 17 Ngo Dinh Nhu Ngo Dinh
Nhu (1910 - 1963) The younger brother of Ngo D. Diem. He was the
infamous Madame Nhus husband. He was the head of the security
forces under the Diem regime. He brutally kept the power within the
family and persecuted the Buddhists, students, and any other
political opposition as well as the Vietnamese communists. Highly
eccentric, he espoused an obscure French philosophy called
personalism. He was killed along with his brother during the
November 1963 coup detat. Slide 18 Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu (Tran Le
Xuan) Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu (Tran Le Xuan) (1924 - ) The wife of
Diems brother Ngo Dinh Nhu. Famous for her outspoken nature and
cultured French manners. She was constantly in the media eye for
both her beauty and her willingness to talk. Her most infamous
remark about the Buddhist immolations: what have the Buddhists
donethey barbecued a monk caused world-wide horror and promoted
second thoughts among US policymakers about the viability of the
Diem regime. Slide 19 Henry Cabot Lodge Henry Cabot Lodge (1902 -
1985) U. S. Ambassador to Vietnam (1963-64 and 1965-67). He
replaced Fredrick Nolting just prior to the coup detat that
overthrew the Diem regime. He was an advocate of the coup after
Diem refused to oust his brother N. D. Nhu. He later became one of
the Wise Men who advised President Lyndon Johnson on the Vietnam
War. Slide 20 Duong Van (Big) Minh Duong Van (Big) Minh (1916 -
2001) Nicknamed Big Minh due to his height, he was a South
Vietnamese general. He took power briefly after the death of Diem
but was quickly removed in a coup by Gen. Khanh. He played little
or no role in the government of South Vietnam until the final days.
After Thieu resigned (April 1975) it was thought that Minh would be
more acceptable to the victorious communists. He surrendered the
government to the North Vietnamese (April 30, 1975). Slide 21
Nguyen Chi Thanh Nguyen Chi Thanh (1914 - 1967) Senior general in
the Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN). He was the head of the Central
Office for South Vietnam (COSVN) the headquarters for the Viet Cong
in South Vietnam. He advocated victory on the battlefield at all
costs and is credited with formulating the plan for the Tet
offensive (1968). He died of a heart attack or in a US bombing
raid. Slide 22 Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson (1908 - 1973)
President of the United States after the assassination of John
Kennedy. A consummate politician who wanted to create a Great
Society by passing a series of laws that would help eliminate
poverty and social inequities. He inherited the war in Vietnam from
Kennedy and was fearful be being perceived weak on communism if he
failed to pursue to war against North Vietnam. His policies of
gradualism failed and he lost support for his war policy and chose
not to run for reelection in 1968. Slide 23 Robert S. McNamara
Robert S. McNamara (1916 - ) Secretary of Defense under Kennedy,
then LBJ. He was a former president of Ford Motor Co. He was
initially in favor of a vigorous prosecution of the war and tried
to use statistics to indicate favorable progress. He became
increasingly disillusioned with the war and his inconsistencies
caused Johnson to replace him. He resigned in 1967 to become
President of the World Bank. He later admitted that he
misunderstood the nature of the war in Vietnam. Slide 24 McGeorge
Bundy McGeorge Bundy (1919 - 1996) One of Kennedys Whiz Kids who
was Special Assistant for National Security under Kennedy, then
Johnson. He was a key figure in the development of an aggressive
military policy in Vietnam. He soon questioned US escalation and
the military buildup and resigned in 1966. He later favored an
increased effort in the pacification area. He later became one of
the Wise Men (a group of ex-officio advisers to President Johnson).
Brilliant, but many considered him arrogant. Slide 25 George W.
Ball George W. Ball (1909 - 1994) An Undersecretary of State under
JFK, he became a close advisor to LBJ. He was against the bombing
of North Vietnam as a strategy to defeat the North Vietnamese. He
became an avowed dove and favored getting out of Vietnam. He
believed that the more important international arena was in Europe.
Slide 26 William C. Westmoreland William C. Westmoreland (1914 -
2005) Commander of all US forces(MACV) in South Vietnam from
1965-68. Influenced by the Battle of the Ia Drang, he favored
search and destroy operations and the belief that attrition would
destroy the ability of the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong to
continue fighting. His appeals for larger and larger troop
increases unnerved the politicians and policy-makers in Washington.
After the Tet Offensive in 1968 he was made Army Chief of Staff.
Slide 27 Robert W. Komer Robert W. Komer (1922 - 2000) Deputy for
Civil Operations to Gen. William Westmoreland (1967-68). He headed
the Civil Operations Revolutionary Development Support (CORDS).
Nicknamed Blow Torch due to his intensity and abrasiveness. He
created the Hamlet Evaluation System (HES) which was a computerized
effort to delineate which villages were on the side of the S.
Vietnamese government and which were VC controlled. The results of
his pacification programs were of limited effectiveness. Slide 28
Creighton Abrams Creighton Abrams (1914 - 1974) American general
who took command of MACV (1968-1972) after Gen. Westmoreland. He
emphasized smaller unit operations and greater efforts at
pacification. He oversaw the gradual withdrawal of American troops
and an increase in operational responsibility of the South
Vietnamese forces (ARVN). He became Chief- of-Staff of the US Army
(1972) and concentrated in rebuilding morale and developing a
professional fighting force. Slide 29 William L. Calley Jr. William
L. Calley Jr. (1943 - ) US Army Lieutenant who was the officer in
charge of troops from C Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry
Regiment, 23rd Infantry Division (Americal) who were involved in a
massacre of over 100 Vietnamese civilians at My Lai village. His
case caused widespread publicity and further divided the nation.
The ambiguous nature of the combat conditions and the morale
problems of the soldiers were at issue. Calley was paroled after 40
months of house arrest. Many Americans viewed Calley as a
scapegoat. Slide 30 Nguyen Van Thieu Nguyen Van Thieu (1923 - 2001)
President of South Vietnam (1967-75). A former general, he combined
with N. Cao Ky (South Vietnamese Air Force Vice Marshall) to govern
South Vietnam. He attempted to fight the rampant corruption in the
government and improved land reform. He was, however, concerned
about the secret negotiations with North Vietnam and did not
broaden the base of government. He felt that the US betrayed their
trust and left him ill- equipped to fight against the communists
after US withdrawal in 1972. Slide 31 Nguyen Cao Ky Nguyen Cao Ky
(1930 - ) Vice Marshal of the South Vietnamese Air Force, briefly
Premier, and finally Vice President of South Vietnam under Thieu
(1967-71). He was critical of Thieus leadership throughout the war
and particularly during the communist final offensive. He fled
Vietnam (1975) and moved to Los Angeles, California and opened a
liquor store. He filed for bankruptcy in 1985. Slide 32 Le Duan Le
Duan (1907 - 1986) The de facto leader of North Vietnam after the
death of Ho Chi Minh. He was an avowed Marxist who consistently
recommended escalation of offensive actions against the South
Vietnamese government and the US forces. He advised the infusion of
North Vietnamese troops into the south and increased support of the
Viet Cong. He supported a hard line during the Paris Peace talks,
insisting on a reunified Vietnam. Slide 33 Richard M. Nixon Richard
M. Nixon (1913 - 1994) President of the US (1969-74). Promised to
withdraw US forces from Vietnam. Accelerated the program of
Vietnamization already in place. He initiated better relations with
communist China. The Cambodian incursion and secret bombing in
Cambodia helped unleash a civil war and dramatically increased war
protest in the United States. He increased the bombing of North
Vietnam to force the communist government to negotiate a peace
agreement. Left office in disgrace as a result of the Watergate
scandal. Slide 34 Henry Kissinger Henry Kissinger (1923 - )
National Security Advisor (and later Secretary of State) under
Nixon. A brilliant scholar from Harvard, he was instrumental in
negotiating the final peace agreement that led to the end of US
involvement in Vietnam. (1969-73). He won the Noble Peace Prize
(1973) for this (along with Le Duc Tho, the negotiator for North
Vietnam). A controversial figure, Kissinger was probably the second
most powerful man in the country after the President between
1970-73. Slide 35 Le Duc Tho (1910 - 1990) The principle negotiator
for the North Vietnamese at the Paris Peace Talks (April 1968 -
January 1973). On February 21, 1970, Le Duc Tho and Henry Kissinger
started to meet secretly to discuss a way out of the stalemate.
After many problems resulting from North Vietnams insistence on the
removal of the Thieu regime and other issues compromises were
reached and a settlement signed on 27 January 1973. Awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize, Tho refused to accept it because the war
continued until 1975. He retired from public life in 1986. Slide 36
General Van Tien Dung General Van Tien Dung (1917- 2002) A peasant
who rose through the ranks to become second in command to Vo N.
Giap. He took over from Gen. Giap during the final phase of the
Vietnam War and was the architect and commander of the Final
Offensive (1974-75) that took Saigon and ended the war in Vietnam.
He also commanded the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia and the
Sino-Vietnamese border war (1979). He subsequently expelled from
the Politburo in 1986 and fell into obscurity. Slide 37 Daniel
Ellsberg Daniel Ellsberg (1931- ) A US intelligence analyst with
the Defense Department and the RAND Corporation (1964-68). He
became increasingly disenchanted with the continuation of the war
and joined in the anti-war movement. In 1970 he leaked a secret
history of US involvement in Southeast Asia undertaken by the Dept.
of Defense under McNamara, known as The Pentagon Papers to a New
York Times reporter, Neil Sheehan. This helped to increase public
sentiment against the war. Slide 38 Prince Norodom Sihanouk Prince
Norodom Sihanouk (1922 - ) Leader of Cambodia (1960-93) who
skillfully kept Cambodia out of the Vietnam War until 1970. The
demands of the North Vietnamese to use his country as a sanctuary,
as well as provide logistical support and increasing US bombing of
the eastern part of Cambodia, provoked a brutal civil war. He was
overthrown in a military coup by his leading general, Lon Nol. He
returned to Cambodia as a virtual prisoner (and puppet) of the
victorious Khmer Rouge who defeated Lon Nols army and seized power
(1975). Slide 39 Lon Nol Lon Nol (1913 - 1985) Cambodian general
who seized power from Prince N. Sihanouk in 1970. He played on the
Cambodian peoples animosities toward the Vietnamese and their
occupation of the western provinces to increase the size of the
small Cambodian army and gain US support for his government. His
weak forces were no match for the North Vietnamese who supported
the insurgent communist Khmer Rouge. After this defeat fled the
country and moved to California Slide 40 Pol Pot Pol Pot (1928 -
1998) Cambodia leader of the Khmer Rouge (communist revolutionary
party). He is responsible for the program of genocide after the
Cambodian civil war (1970-75). He envisioned a utopian agrarian
collectivist society and forced people into the countryside in
which an estimated 2 million people died of overwork, starvation
and political murder. He died somewhere in the Dangrek mountains
(western Cambodia) under suspicious circumstances while under house
arrest.
