The Vietnam War (1955-1975)By William Scott

Background Information • The Vietnam War emerged out of the Indochina War (1946-

1954). The outcome of this war was that the Viet Minh (led by Ho Chi Minh) pushed the French out of North Vietnam and in 1954, the country was partitioned into the communist North Vietnam and the capitalist South Vietnam.

• The Indochina War eventually escalated into the Vietnam War (1955- 1975).

• The Vietnam War was one of many proxy wars. • The USA became involved as they feared that the communist

ideas from North Vietnam would flow down into South East Asia and eventually Australia. This became known as the ‘Domino Theory’ (Eisenhower).

• The Truman Doctrine and the policies of containment played a role in the USA’s justification of getting involved in Vietnam.

Early Vietnam War

• American military advisors started arriving in Vietnam during the late 1950s

• In 1964, the ‘Gulf of Tonkin Incident occurred.• South Vietnam were in a bad place, as Ho Chi Minh marched

along what became known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail.• The North Vietnamese attacked an American destroyer of the

coast of Vietnam. –No serious damage.• This gave America and the newly elected President Johnson to

step up American involvement in the war.• The first combat troops arrived in 1965.• By 1968, 500 000 troops had arrived in Vietnam.

The Tet Offensive (1968)• Seen as turning point of Vietnam War• At this point the American people supported US actions in Indochina.• During the Vietnamese holiday of Tet (Supposedly a day of ceasefire), the

North Vietnamese and Viet Cong simultaneously attacked the 5 major cities of the south.• In Saigon, they attacked the airport, the presidential palace and the US

embassy.• The USA needed to send an additional 200 000 troops to Vietnam, which

eroded public support.• Vietnam had become a quagmire and an anti-war movement in the USA

emerged.• American citizens divided into ‘hawks’ and ‘doves’ regarding their stance

on the US involvement in Vietnam.• One of the reasons the USA would not be successful is that the North

Vietnamese would continue to fight until victory or death and it was unlikely that they would run out of people.

US withdrawal from Vietnam• Nixon was elected after Johnson did not run for re-election.• Henry Kissinger was in charge of foreign policy.• Policy developed into two main ideas:• Vietnamization: South Vietnam would take a greater role in the war and the USA

would gradually withdraw.• Traditional diplomacy: Kissinger engaged in diplomacy with the North Vietnamese

(although it was kept secret from public). He proposed that USA and North Vietnam would both withdraw but this was rejected by Tho (North Vietnam’s leader).

• In 1973, Kissinger and Tho brokered a deal that became known as the Paris Peace Accord that stated that the USA would withdraw completely and South Vietnam would agree to a ceasefire.

• After the USA withdrawal, the South Vietnamese were given the opportunity to decide their political future and any unification of Vietnam would occur peacefully.

• USA promised to retaliate against the North if they continued to attack the South, they didn’t and the South was left to their own devices.

• Saigon fell to the North in June 1975 and unification took place under the North’s rule.

Impacts and aftermath of the Vietnam War• America had lost a war against a relatively small but determined

nation- This made them seem weak.• Agent Orange was a chemical used to kill the forests and the

deforming effects can still be seen in Vietnamese children today.• The North Vietnamese attempted to re-educate millions of South

Vietnamese, those who couldn’t handle it attempted to escape on boats. It is estimated that 200 000 – 400 000 boat people died on the seas.

• 700 000 war veterans suffered psychological effects. It thoroughly changed the way America approached military action.

• Two million died in Vietnam, three million were wounded and hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese children were left deformed or as orphans.