The Vietnam War

By: Emma Coyle

Also known as…

• Second Indochina War

• The Vietnam Conflict

• American War

United States in Vietnam1955-1975

Facts About the War…….• Cold war

• Occurred in Vietnam, Laos, & Cambodia

• November 1, 1955- April 30, 1975

• Between communist North Vietnam, South Vietnam, & their allies

Aid

• North Vietnam:– Communist nations

• South Vietnam– The U.S.– Other anti-communist

nations

U.S. enters the warU.S. enters the war

• To prevent a communist takeover of South To prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam as part of containmentVietnam as part of containment

• U.S. involvement doubled in the 60’sU.S. involvement doubled in the 60’s

• After Laos & Cambodia were bombed, After Laos & Cambodia were bombed, U.S. forces were withdrawn as part of U.S. forces were withdrawn as part of VietnamizationVietnamization

• Despite Paris Peace Accords, signed by Despite Paris Peace Accords, signed by all parties, fighting continuedall parties, fighting continued

U.S. Troops Strengths

Domino TheoryDomino Theory

Proposed by the Eisenhower administration

If one country fell to communist forces, all of the surrounding countries would follow

Case-Church Amendment

• Prohibited the use of American military after August 15, 1973

• Unless the president secured congressional approval in advance

End of the War

• Ended with the capture of Saigon by the North Vietnamese army

• April 1975

• North & South Vietnam were reunified the following year

Who are the Viet Cong?

Lightly armed South Vietnamese communist controlled common front

They fought a guerilla war against anti-communist forces

1961- facts…

Johnson returns to the U.S. from a visit to Southeast Asia

Gives Kennedy a report on his trip

He claimed that the U.S. must provide aid Southeast Asia or retreat its defenses to San Francisco

Johnson Reports To KennedyMay 23,1961

1961-Kennedy & Diem meet

After meeting, Kennedy agrees to increase the number of American military advisors by 465

1962- The U.S. begins to use Herbicides

Operation Ranch Hand to deny the Viet Cong the use of the road & trails

The herbicide was called Agent Orange Over 10% of Vietnams vegetation was

destroyed & caused severe disabilities among Vietnam veterans

1962- The Geneva Conference(the Laos agreement)

Signed in Geneva to reestablish Laotian neutrality

The compliance, which was agreed to by the U.S. & the Soviet Union temporarily ended the civil war in Laos

1963- Government Troops Fire on Buddhists

South Vietnamese troops enforce ban on the Buddhist multicolored flag by firing on 20,000 Buddhists at Hue

This attack begins a series of intense protests by Buddhists against the gov.

1963- Troops Attack Buddhist Temples

Diems troops dress as regular troops & attack Buddhist temples & sanctuaries

Kennedy condemned these attacks Some Buddhist monks even set

themselves on fire in protest

1963- Diem Overthrown Overthrown in a military act with approval

from the U.S. Diem & his brother were killed during this

coup The U.S. hoped that by overthrowing

Diem, it would strengthen opposition to the communist Viet Cong

1964- Viet Cong Troops Cross Border and Seize Hamlets

Over 500 Viet Cong troops cross the border & seize 3 strategic villages

They are forced to withdraw after a 14hr. Gun fight with the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)

1964- U.S.S. Maddox Attacked1964- U.S.S. Maddox Attacked

Attacked by North Vietnamese PT boatsAttacked by North Vietnamese PT boats 3 torpedoes were fired3 torpedoes were fired There was a second attack which led to air There was a second attack which led to air

strikesstrikes This swayed the Congress to approve the This swayed the Congress to approve the

Tonkin Gulf ResolutionTonkin Gulf Resolution This authorized the president to “take all necessary This authorized the president to “take all necessary

measures” to repel attacks against U.S. forces & to measures” to repel attacks against U.S. forces & to “prevent other aggression” in the area“prevent other aggression” in the area

1965- ARVN Defeated at Binh Gia

A 6-day battle in Binh Gia ends in ARVN defeat

200 of their best troops are killed, 300 wounded

5 Americans killed, 3 missing

1965- US Bases Attacked

The Viet Cong troops attack a helicopter base at Camp Holloway

They killed 8 Americans & wounded 126 President Johnson orders an attack on

North Vietnam

1965- Rolling Thunder Begins

The U.S. launches Rolling Thunder 100 U.S. Air Force planes & 60 South

Vietnamese planes bomb North Vietnam It continued on & off from 1965-1968

1965- First Campus Sit-In

The first anti- Vietnam War campus sit-in took place at the University of Michigan

First B-52 Raids Launched

June 17, 1965 Launched against the Viet Cong targets in

South Vietnam

1965 First Major US Offensive

Taken by 300 troops of the 173rd Airborne Division & 800 Australian troops

The sweep failed to make any contact with the Viet Cong

August 21, 1965 Operation Starlite Begins

1st major action fought by only U.S. forces U.S. marines destroy a Viet Cong base

area near Van Tuong The attacks are introduced by massive

artillery & air assault U.S. forces successfully capture the Viet

Cong positions & overthrow the communist forces

U.S. Raid Hits 115 Targets In North Vietnam

One of the heaviest raids of the war U.S. aircraft raid 115 points in North

Vietnam to destroy supply lines

Operation Cedar FallsOperation Cedar FallsJanuary 8-26, 1967January 8-26, 1967

Purpose of the operation: ruin Viet Cong Purpose of the operation: ruin Viet Cong base camps in the Iron Trianglebase camps in the Iron Triangle

American commanders hoped that the American commanders hoped that the Viet Cong forces would stand & fightViet Cong forces would stand & fight

The Viet Cong do not choose to fightThe Viet Cong do not choose to fight 750 Viet Cong, 72 Americans & 11 ARVN 750 Viet Cong, 72 Americans & 11 ARVN

are killedare killed

1967- Operation Junction City1967- Operation Junction City The largest U.S. operation of the war American troops invade most of the area before

encountering heavy resistance There are 3 major battles, each launched by the

Viet Cong: Ap Bau Bang Fire Support Base GoldAp Gu• In each battle, the Viet Cong attack U.S. forces & are

repelled• Again, the Viet Cong headquarters (one of the targets

of the operation) is not captured & once U.S. troops withdraw, the area is reoccupied by communists

April 20,1967First Bombing of Haiphong

U.S. aircrafts bombed Haiphong for the first time, with 86 planes taking part in the raid

Before, raids on Haiphong had been put off by the fear of hitting foreign ships

1967- U.S. Victory in Hills Around Khesan

U.S. marines defeat North Vietnamese troops on the hills near the airstrip at Khe Sanh

160 U.S. servicemen are killed & 764 men wounded

The Communists lose over 940 men as the US forces capture their position

1967- Base Camp at Con Thien Attacked

U.S. base camp Attacked by North Vietnamese troops 44 marines & 177 North Vietnamese

troops are killed

1967- Con Thien Attacked 9th Marine Division is heavily attacked

near Con Thien, a small outpost that overlooks Communist supply lines

Reinforcements sent by helicopter 12 days of fighting 159 Americans died & 45 were wounded Con Thien is attacked again in September,

but the attacks are repulsed, & the North Vietnamese lose 2,000 men

September 4-7, 1967 Que Son Valley

4-day battle 114 men in the U.S. 5th Marine Regiment

were killed

October 29- November 3,1967 Viet Cong Repelled at Loc Ninh

U.S. special forces at Loc Ninh are attacked by the Viet Cong’s 273rd Regiment

The special forces are quickly reinforced, & more than 900 Viet Cong are killed during the attack

November 3-22, 1967 November 3-22, 1967 Bloody Battle Near Dak ToBloody Battle Near Dak To

One of the bloodiest battles of the warOne of the bloodiest battles of the war 4,500 troops of the U.S. 4th Division & 4,500 troops of the U.S. 4th Division &

173rd Airborne Brigade face off 6,000 173rd Airborne Brigade face off 6,000 North Vietnamese troops of the 174th North Vietnamese troops of the 174th regimentregiment

The North Vietnamese forced to withdraw The North Vietnamese forced to withdraw with 1,455 dead troops with 1,455 dead troops

U.S. causalities: 285 killed & 985 woundedU.S. causalities: 285 killed & 985 wounded

January 20-April 14, 1968Khe Sanh

The North Vietnamese begin intense bombardment of the U.S. base camp at Khe Sanh

The Marines base can only be reinforced by air & the Americans land 5,000 bombs in defense of the troops at Khe Sanh

Tet OffensiveTet Offensive January 30, 1968January 30, 1968 On the first day of the Tet truce, the Viet On the first day of the Tet truce, the Viet

Cong launch their biggest offensive of the Cong launch their biggest offensive of the warwar

1,000 Viet Cong troops invade the city of 1,000 Viet Cong troops invade the city of SaigonSaigon

The Communist troops capture the The Communist troops capture the Citadel at Hue & seize part of the U.S. Citadel at Hue & seize part of the U.S. embassy in Saigonembassy in Saigon

It takes nearly 2 weeks to completely rout It takes nearly 2 weeks to completely rout out the Viet Cong troopsout the Viet Cong troops

Viet Cong victoryViet Cong victory

Peace Talks BeginPeace Talks Begin

May 10, 1968 despite low expectations between U.S. & the Democratic Republic

of VietnamJohnson gave orders to halt bombing of

Vietnam

December 24, 1968 Bombing Halts

The United States stop the bombing in North Vietnam

During this halt, the U.S. engaged in a massive peace offensive aimed at finding an end to the war

North Vietnam doesn't correspond & Johnson announces that they will continue bombing

March 31, 1968 Johnson Will Not Run Again

Johnson announces a independent bombing halt

After this announcement, Johnson stuns the nation by announcing that he will not run for a second full term as president

B-52 Raids Near Cambodian B-52 Raids Near Cambodian BorderBorder

November 8-9, 1968November 8-9, 1968 B-52 bombers conduct heavy raids B-52 bombers conduct heavy raids

against targets near the Cambodian against targets near the Cambodian borderborder

These raids reflect a pattern of increased These raids reflect a pattern of increased bombing in South Vietnam along supply bombing in South Vietnam along supply lines since the end of the bombing of lines since the end of the bombing of North Vietnam North Vietnam

Communists End Tet Ceasefire

Ends with attacks on Saigon and 115 other cities

Attacks take place throughout Vietnam total of 1140 American deaths

Nixon takes Office

Nixon Doctrine: his plan to build up the ARVN, so that they could take over the defense of South Vietnam

Otherwise known as Vietnamization Nixon withdrew thousands of troops from

Vietnam

Anti- War Movement

Gaining strength across the U.S. Nixon appealed to the “Silent Majority” of

Americans to support the war The exhibition of the My Lai Massacre

angered national & international outrage

Secret Bombing of Laos & Secret Bombing of Laos & CambodiaCambodia

March 18, 1969- May 26, 1970 Otherwise known as Operation Menu Purpose: wipe out NLF & North

Vietnamese base camps along the border Nixon ordered the invasion of Cambodia

by United States troops, claiming it was necessary to protect the security of American units

The secret bombing was purposely operated without the consent of Congress, which violated the constitution

The secret bombing of Cambodia escalated the war

Nixon would have been impeached, however he resigned before he could be impeached

Paris Peace AccordsParis Peace Accords

To show support for Hanoi & force Thieu back to the negotiating table, Nixon ordered Operation Linebacker II

This was a massive bombing of Hanoi & Haiphong

The offensive destroyed most of the remaining economic & industrial capacity of North Vietnam

Nixon pressured Thieu to accept the terms of agreement, by threatening to cut off American aid

The Paris Peace Accords ended the war & restored peace in Vietnam

Signed January 27, 1973