5.8.13

Vietnam Conflict 1950-75

French Connection

During the World War 2, French worked with the Nazi in Vietnam
After WW2 war broke out between Vietnam and French
French lost to the Vietnamese, which we thought would cause Vietnam's freedom but it didnt
We were helping the war with money
The Korean War was just ended.
Ho Chi Minh was traded to start up Communism, enemy during Vietnam

Geneva Conference

which was in Geneva, Switzerland
Vietnam was slipt at the 17th parallel
North = Communist
South = not
Diem was against 90% his people in his country, which caused JFK to okay the assassination of him
Set up elections to unify the country by July 1, 1956
The election didn't happen because they were scared they were going to lose.
we fought with north Vietnam against south and Vietcong

President Involvement:

President Truman began US involvement by sending money to help the French
French started fighting the Communist
President Ide continued sending money and miltary advisiors
Kennedy continued sending money and miltary advisiors and added special operation forces (green berets)
Johnson got us involved big time, he sent more and more and more troops
Richard Nixon called for the "vietnamization" of the war, where we started pulling out troops slowing out of the war, and let them fight the war.
Nixon wanted "peace with honor", which meant leave so that south vietnam was not Communist
Nixon expanded the war to Laos and Cambodia, which made the Americans mad
January 15, 1973, all offesive action is stopped, Nixon said

Gulf Tokin Resolution-

On August 7th, 1964, the Congress gave the President Johnson power
Only two people in Congress voted against
This was election year and during his campaign said he said we aren't going to send American boys to do what Asian boys should do.
Johnson keep saying they need more troops to win the war
Named after the lunar new year festival which is most important Vietnamese holiday in South Vietnam
The war turn negative in 1968
Even though this was a lost, we crushed them military
Vietnamese knew the only way they could win was fight until we left
American People figured out that the government had been lying it was not close to being over
This war was hard to get out of

Operation Thunder Rolling

Why were so many against?

Tet Offensive
Pentagon Papers- were a top secret document that was leaked to press, said that the Government was lying to the people about the war
Injuring/ killing innocent people
Supporting a bad government in South
The power of the press

Kent State- Ohio

My Lai Massacre March 1968

How did you get out of serving?

War Over

Paris Peace Accords were later signed on January 27, 1973 which officially ended US involvement.
When troops returned, they were spit on and bullied, they were not heroes
The peace agreement didn't last long
North invaded the South and South was not strong enough, which led to communist.
We lost 58,202 - North lost 1,100,000

War Powers Act 1973

President can not send troops for someone for more than 60, without Congress approval

Jimmy Carter 1977-1981 (39th)

Background

Blogs