Vietnam War Background

Ms UnderhillMay 12, 2011

Do Now- pg 217

• Attach timeline into your notebook on pg 217

Objective and Agenda

• I can describe main events leading up to the Vietnam War and U.S. involvement.

• I can take a position on whether the U.S. should have gotten involved in the Vietnam war.

Agenda1. Notes- background and overview2. Hawks vs. Doves debate3. Processing- Should the U.S. have

gotten involved?

Friday:

Homework is Due!

Short quiz tomorrow: • Communism vs. Capitalism• Containment

Vietnam Quick Facts• US involved from 1950- 1973• US Combat troops from 1964- 1973• 58,000 casualties • US helps South Vietnam fight against

Communist North Vietnam (War of Communist Containment)

• Most unpopular war in US history and only war the US has ever “lost”

• ESSENTIAL QUESTION: Which factors contributed most to the American defeat in Vietnam?

1945- Vietnam Declares Independence• Ho Chi Mihn declares independence for

Vietnam “All men are created equal. They are endowed by their

Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life,

Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”

1946- 1st Indochina War

• France fights for former colony back• Communists help Ho Chi Mihn’s independence

movement• U.S. Helps France for the fear communism will

spread• US Military aid to French Indochina & $100

mill by 1951• French defeated and withdraw

1954 Geneva Peace Conference• US Fears “Domino Theory” – if one country

falls to communism, all will.• Vietnam divided at 17th parallel– North= Viet Minh’s communism– South= US anti- communist govt.

Communist North Vietnam

Anti-communist (US) S. Vietnam

Domino Theory

• “Once one falls, they all will”

1955- South Vietnam Govt.

• US puts anti-communist Ngo Dinh in control

• US promises aid + training to keep Vietnam stable and democratic

• Dinh was unpopular – Anti- Buddhist – Loosing war against

Communist North

1960- Viet Cong

• Viet Cong fighters (From the north) attack the South

• Guerilla Warfare• Kennedy sends more advisors/aid

to help South Korea “win its own war”

• 1963- US coup assassinates Diem, S. Vietnam very unstable

• NO US COMBAT YET

August 2, 1964- Gulf of Tonkin

• N. Vietnamese fire torpedo at US ship, but missed

• Congress passes Gulf of Tonkin Resolution- Gives President Johnson power “take all necessary measures… to prevent further aggression”

• Begins combat of US Soldiers

1965- Sending Ground Troops

•1965: 185,000 troops•1967: 500,000 troops

Draw T-Chart- pg 118Doves (non involvement) Hawks (involvement)

Activity Instructions:1. Read your excerpt2. Choose a side- get involved with Vietnam or Not?3. Write your reason on your paper4. Present your point to the class

Exit Ticket• Vote at the National Security MeetingShould President Johnson send troops to Vietnam in

order to stop the spread of Communism?

YES NO

Your Reason: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NAME___________________

Exit Ticket• Vote at the National Security MeetingShould President Johnson send troops to Vietnam in

order to stop the spread of Communism?

YES NO

Your Reason: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NAME___________________

1945: WWII ends

Japan looses

Vietnam

1954 Geneva Peace Conference

1945:

Ho Chi Mihn declares Vietnam independent(former France colony)

1960- Viet Cong

1955- South Vietnam Govt.

August 2, 1964- Gulf of Tonkin

1965

- Firs

t US

troo

ps in

Vi

etna

m18

5,00

0 tr

oops

500,

000

troo

ps b

y 19

67

1946- 1st Indochina War: