The Vietnam War

U.S. CASUALTIES

Iraq War (2003-Present)

Approx. 4,300(Approx. 150 in 2009)

U.S. CASUALTIES

Vietnam War

16, 529 (1968 alone)

FRENCH INDOCHINA-Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam=French Indochina

-Think back to WWII… after France fell to the Germans, what happened to French Indochina?

HO CHI MINH

-born in Vietnam in 1890

-”I’ve been everywhere, man”

-League for the Independence of Vietnam (Vietminh)

HO CHI MINH

-Aug, 1945- Japs surrender

-Sept, 1945- Ho Chi Minh declares the Democratic Republic of Vietnam as an independent nation

BUT THE ALLIES SAY OTHERWISE…

-French Indochina belongs to France!

-Problem: Ho Chi Minh is not a happy man now!

-Vietminh begins fighting French

AMERICA’S RESPONSE

-Truman: supports France b/c Minh is communist

-Ike: domino theory, big supporter of France

-France loses anyway!

GENEVA CONFERENCE

-1954- Vietnam split in 2, divided at the 17th parallel

-”temporary”, elections to be held in 1956 to unite the country

NORTH V. SOUTH

-Ho Chi Minh & Vietminh will control north

-Ngo Dinh Diem will control South Vietnam

PROTESTING DIEM

-mostly Buddhist protestors

-Vietminh in the North supplies protestors

-1960: National Liberation Front Vietcong

JFK

-firm believer in Domino Theory

-embarrassed by Bay of Pigs/Berlin Wall

-1963: Diem is assassinated

JOHNSON’S STRATEGY

-1963: JFK assassinated, Johnson becomes President

-Read “The Tonkin Gulf Resolution” on pages 954-955 & take notes!

OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER

-1st major U.S. attack (1965)

-bombing campaign over North Vietnam

-also targeted the Ho Chi Minh Trail

UNSUCCESSFUL B/C…

(1) did not discourage Vietminh, they actually increased the amount of supplies sent to the South

(2) Damaged roads/bridges repaired quickly

(3) Underground tunnels & bunkers

(4) China & the Soviet Union

HOMEWORK!

Read p. 958-963 in your textbook and answer the following questions on page 963:

1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a

DUE MONDAY!