World History Lecture Notes

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Chapter 24
The Vietnam War (19541975)
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Section 1 War Unfolds
Section 2 Fighting the War
Section 3 Political Divisions
Section 4 The End of the War
Section 5 The Counterculture
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Section OneThe War Unfolds
Pages 792-796
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The War Unfolds

• What events led to the war between North Vietnam
  and South Vietnam?
• What were the Vietnam policies of President
  Kennedy and Robert McNamara?
• How did President Johnson change the course of
  the war?

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The Players in Vietnam

• South Vietnam
• North Vietnam
• United States

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American Foreign Policy Rationale

• Domino theory? if one Southeast Asian nation fell
  to communism, others would soon follow.

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French Indochina

• Historically, the French had controlled Vietnam
  and much of southeast Asia.
• During WWII, the French lost Vietnam and after
  the war they wanted to regain their lost colony.

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• Ho Chi Minh, a pro-Communist leader in Vietnam.
• Led a group called the Vietminh against French
  control of his nation before, during, and after
  World War II.

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• Dien Bien Phu? the Vietminh successfully defeated
  the French (1954).
• Geneva Accords divided Vietnam into Communist
  North Vietnam and anti-Communist South Vietnam.
• The country would be divided at the 17th
  parallel.

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The Siege of Dien Bien Phu

1. Describe the images that you see.
2. How many French soldiers were left at the end of
   the battle?
3. How many soldiers did the Vietminh lose?

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• 4. Who is helping the French?
• 5. Who is helping the Vietminh?
• 6. What is the prize?
• 7. What did the French commander order his men to
  do?

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Ho Chi Minh led North Vietnam.
Ngo Dinh Diem led South Vietnam.
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Truman and Ikes Vietnam Policies
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• Truman began providing economic aid to the French
  in Vietnam in 1950.
• In 1960, Eisenhower sent hundreds of military
  advisors to help South Vietnams struggle against
  the North.

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JFKs Vietnam Policies
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• Diems Downfall
• During the early 1960s, Ngo Dinh Diems policies
  lost him the support of his people.
• Diem was a Catholic controlling a Buddhist
  nation.
• Political corruption.
• Political favors for families

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• President Kennedy told South Vietnamese military
  leaders that the United States would not object
  to Diems overthrow.
• In November 1963, military leaders seized control
  of South Vietnam and assassinated Diem.
• United States was upset over the assassination of
  Diem.

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• McNamaras Role
• Robert McNamara, President Kennedys Secretary of
  Defense,
• Influential in shaping American policy toward
  Vietnam (chief architect).

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• McNamara used his strong business background to
  cut costs while modernizing the armed forces.
• In the coming years, McNamara would push for
  direct American involvement in Vietnam.

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LBJs Vietnam Policies
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• Shortly after Diems assassination in November
  1963, President Kennedy was assassinated, and
  Vice President Johnson assumed the presidency.

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• In South Vietnam, the military leaders who had
  taken over the government were unsuccessful and
  unpopular.
• As a result, Communist guerrillas in South
  Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong, made gains in
  both territory and loyalty.

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• The Viet Congs political wing was known as the
  National Liberation Front.

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Expanding Presidential PowerThe Gulf of Tonkin
Resolution

• In August 1964, Johnson announced that North
  Vietnamese torpedo boats had attacked American
  destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin.
• Gulf of Tonkin Resolution? Gave Johnson authority
  to send troops to Vietnam.

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• Under the resolution, the President had authority
  to take all necessary measures to repel any
  armed attack against the forces of the United
  States and to prevent further aggression.

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Map of Vietnam
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