Unit 8.8 APUSH (Vietnam War)

Vietnam War (Overview)

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era conflict in which the U.S. supported South Vietnam against the communist North, ultimately resulting in a costly, controversial war that ended with North Vietnam's victory and American withdrawal in 1975.

Timeline leading up to when Ho Chi Minh rises as a leader of the communist revolution in Vietnam

France loses Southeast Asian colony of Indochina to Japanese invaders after WW2 —> France tried to retake it —> French Imperialism —> Native Vietnamese and Cambodians wanted independence —> They resisted —> Increased support for nationalist/communist Ho Chi Minh

Eisenhower's Domino Theory

Eisenhower's Domino Theory was the belief that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would quickly follow like a row of falling dominoes eventually effecting nations like New Zealand and Australia, justifying U.S. intervention in places like Vietnam.

When did the anti-colonial war in Indochina become part of the Cold War rivalry between Communist and Anti-Communist powers?

By 1950

SEATO

South East Asia Treaty Organization: To prevent South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to falling under communism, as in the Domino Theory, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles put together this pact SEATO that was like a Cold War insurance policy that said:

"If communism spreads in Southeast Asia, we'll respond—even if the countries affected aren't in the club."

• It gave the U.S. a legal and diplomatic excuse to get involved in Vietnam under the banner of "collective security."

US Involvement was more minimal under these presidents

Nixon and Kennedy

How many Americans served in the Vietnam War?

~2.7 million

How many Americans died in the Vietnam War?

~58,000

Total deaths from war in Vietnam and related conflicts in SE Asia

2-4 million

Kennedy adopted Eisenhower's _____

Domino Theory

When was JFK President + What was his significance to the Vietnam War

1961-1963; Increased military advisers (who trained SV army and guarded weapons and facilities) in South Vietnam, Believed in containment, Backed a coup that overthrew South Vietnam's president (Ngo Dinh Diem) bad look

By 1963 how many US troops served in South Vietnam, and their role (at this time)

Over 16000 (support NOT combat roles, like advisers/trainers for SV forces helping to create fortified villages/strategic hamlets)

When was Truman president + His significance to Vietnam/Vietnam War

1945-1953; First US support for French efforts to reclaim Vietnam after WW2; Feared communist expansion; Sent financial + military aid to French in the FIRST Indochina War

Indochina Wars (Vietnam Wars)

Between North Vietnam and French. America step in to stop Communist leaders from taking over in Vietnam however they are eventually defeated. French eventually surrendered in Vietnam and Vietnam was now divided in to Communist north and Nationalist South.

When was Dwight D. Eisenhower president + Significance to Vietnam/Vietnam War

1953-1961; Coined the Domino Theory; Backed creation of South Vietnam and supported Anti-communist leader Ngo Dinh Diem; Sent US US military advisors / gave financial aid to Vietnam

When was LBJ President + What was his significance to the Vietnam War

1963-1969; Criticized for giving only weak support to SV fight against Vietcong; Escalated war after Gulf of Tonkin Resolution; Sent over 500,000 troops to Vietnam; Launched Operation Rolling Thunder; Faced massive anti-war protests at home

Why didn't LBJ run for reelection?

Chose to not run for reelection due to Vietnam War's unpopularity

When was Richard Nixon President + His significance in Vietnam/Vietnam War

1969-1974; Promised 'peace with honor', Focused more on foreign affairs than domestic affairs, implemented Vietnamization; Nixon publicly promised peace but secretly expanded the war into Cambodia and Laos via massive, unauthorized bombings.; Signed Paris Peace Accords

Peace Talks

Discussions secret between Nixon and Kissinger and North Vietnam...when talks STALLED, Nixon launched HEAVY bombing of North Vietnam

War Powers Act

1973: Congress restricted presidents ability to send troops WITHOUT approval, passed OVER Nixon's veto AFTER he secretly bombed Cambodia (3500+ times)...

President must...

notify Congress within 48 hrs of Military action and ANY MILITARY INVOLVEMENT NEEDS OVER 60 days of CONGRESS. APPROVAL

Paris Peace Accords

1973 peace agreement between the United States, South Vietnam, North Vietnam, and the Vietcong that effectively ended the Vietnam War, where US troops leave Vietnam + 'ceasefire'....but war continued anyway....

When was Gerald Ford president + What was his significance to the Vietnam War

1974-1977; Oversaw the Fall of Saigon; Couldn't get additional aid to South Vietnam so Congress shut it down; Marked end of war for US

When was Jimmy Carter president + Significance to Vietnam/Vietnam War

1977-1981; President AFTER war, focused on healing and reconciliation, pardoned the Vietnam War draft dodgers as symbol of national unity, redefined post-Vietnam foreign policy emphasizing human rights

Defeat in SE Asia —> Fall of Saigon

Marked the end of the Vietnam War in April, 1975 when North Vietnamese invaded South Vietnam, forcing all Americans left to flee in disarray as the capitol was taken and SV fell under communist rule —> US morale LOW

Richard Nixon resigned when? (NOT a year but more of period...)

BEFORE the war even fully ended

Vietnamization

President Richard Nixons strategy for ending U.S involvement in the vietnam war, involving a gradual withdrawl of American troops and replacement of them / shifting duties with South Vietnamese forces

Operation Rolling Thunder

1965

In reaction to Vietcong attack on US based in Pleiku.

Series of bombing campaign that start in March 1965. Largely trying to cut off the Ho Chi Ming Trail, but it is very very difficult.

Tens of thousands of American troops are being sent to Vietnam. At the peak, there are 536,000 troops in Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

A network of paths used by North Vietnam to transport supplies to the Vietcong in South Vietnam

Vietcong

A group of Communist guerrillas who, with the help of North Vietnam, fought against the South Vietnamese government in the Vietnam War; Armed resistance movement in South Vietnam in resistance to US-supported South Vietnamese government. South Vietnamese Communists

First Indochina War (AKA)

(1946-1954)

AKA French War

Between France (trying to reclaim colonial control) and Viet Minh (led by Ho Chi Minh, freedom fighters for independence)

Summary: Basically after WW2 France tried to reassert control over former colony of Vietnam but Vietnamese nationalists fought back... US funded the French

Battle of Dien Bien Phu

(1954)

Victory of Vietnamese forces over the French in 1st Indochina War, causing the French be trapped, surrender, and to leave Vietnam and all of Indochina; Geneva Peace Accords that followed established North and South Vietnam.

What did the French do after their defeat at Dien Bien Phu?

Tried to convince Eisenhower to send US troops to help but her refused.

2nd Indochina War

1955-1975

Between: North Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh, communists, Viet Cong), South Vietnam (US-backed government), and the USA (among South Vietnam)

Summary: Basically after the French were pushed out, the North wanted to reunify Vietnam under communism and the South wanted to stop it. The US inserted itself with lots of combat troops, helicopters, just lots of military involvement. Ends in American withdrawal and North Vietnam (Vietnam united under communism) victory.

Third Indochina War

1978-1991

Between: Vietnam (newly unified under communism), Cambodia (Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot*EXPAND*), and China

Summary: Vietnam invades Cambodia in 1978 to remove the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, ticked off China which launched a brutal invasion (but short) of North Vietnam in 1979, Vietnam occupied Cambodia until 1989 was fighting Guerilla Warfare & draining economy, Cold War powers kept funding the different sides *EXPAND who supported who until things cooled down in 90s early*.

Tet Offensive

January 30th 1968; National Liberation Front and North Vietnamese communist forces launched a huge coordinated surprise attack on the Vietnamese New Year (Tet, traditionally a ceasefire holiday) on 100+ cities/bases in South Vietnam (including US embassy in South Vietnam), which was defeated after a month of fighting and many thousands of casualties; major defeat for communism, but Americans reacted sharply, with declining approval of LBJ and more anti-war sentiment; turning point in the war—> US had said it was winning, but this war was on TV and the public opinion shifted away from JBJ —> US began towards Vietnamization

Geneva Peace Accords/Geneva Conference of ...

1954

Peace Treaty between French and Vietnamese.

French wanted out of Vietnam, the agreement signed by Ho Chi Minh France divided Vietnam on the 17th parallel, confining Minh's government to the North. In the South, an independent government was headed by Diem.

Summary of Division of Vietnam (Split —> Unity)

Split by 17th parallel temporarily by Geneva Convention until general election held. Divided as in North Vietnam Ho Chi Minh (Communist) Dictator took power and in The South a government under Ngo Dinh Diem, who was supported by anti-Communists, rose. The General election was never held because South was scared Communists would win eventually became fully communist

From ___ to ___ the US gave ____ $ in ____ / _____ aid to ____ Vietnam. and WHY?

1955, 1961, 1 billion, economic, military, South, in order to build a stable anti-communist state

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

1964 Congressional resolution authorizing President Johnson to take military action in Vietnam

Gulf of Tonkin Incident

Alleged attack of US ships by North Vietnamese torpedoes in the Tonkin Gulf on August 4, 1964. Prompted the US to go to all necessary measures to protect US interest in Vietnam —> escalation of the War in Vietnam.

What did critics say about the full scale use of US forces in Vietnam?

Called it an 'illegal war' b/c Congress never declared the war (Constitution requires it) —> But Congress didn't have this concern didn't withdraw

LBJ Political Dilemma W/ Vietnam War

How to stop defeat of government in South Vietnam without making it an 'American war', which would cost his Great Society programs BUT if he pulled out he would be seen as WEAK and lose public support.

US strategy: War of Attrition

Wear down enemy through search and destroy tactics, alienating Vietnamese civilians

General William Westmoreland

Assured the public with lines like 'light at the end of the tunnel;'

Credibility Gap

Public became skeptical about government honesty about war progress caused by misinformation from military/civilian leaders (LBJ); Media coined this term

War Hawks vs. Doves

War Hawks: Supported the war, believed the communism in Vietnam was Soviet backed, Saw Vietnam as broader plan to conquer SE Asia

Doves: Opposed the war, saw it as a CIVIL War, Argued US was supporting CORRUPTION in the South

Antiwar Movement + Eugene McCarthy

Many Americans opposed the war due to...

High $$ and lives cost... thought money could better be spent on America... mostly made up of college students (who were scared of being drafted)

Eugene McCarthy from Minnesota in 1967 1st major Antiwar candidate for 1968 pres. election.

Great Society

President Johnson called his version of the Democratic reform program the Great Society specifically aimed to help poor Americans / Minorities. In 1965, Congress passed many Great Society measures, including Medicare, civil rights legislation, and federal aid to education.

Ngo Dinh Diem

Leader of South Vietnam; Not popular, lost support of peasants in countryside, while protested against (by monks) in Saigon —> was overthrown by South Vietnamese generals.

Henry Kissinger

Nixon's National Security Adviser; Architect of Nixon's foreign policy, especially the "secret" side of things.

Mastermind behind:

• Vietnamization

• Paris Peace Talks

• Détente (easing Cold War tensions with USSR and China)

• Back-channel diplomacy with China, USSR, and North Vietnam

• Famous for:

• Speaking in low, calm, scheming tones.

• Using realpolitik: The idea that practical outcomes matter more than ideology.

• Playing chess on a global board, often secretly.

While Nixon gave public speeches about peace, Kissinger was meeting in secret with Le Duc Tho, North Vietnam's negotiator.

• Their diplomacy led to the Paris Peace Accords (1973)—but only after Nixon bombed North Vietnam in Operation Linebacker II to pressure them.

• Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize (shared with Le Duc Tho), but even he admitted... it didn't bring actual peace.

Operation Linebacker II

Aerial bombing campaign, conducted against targets in North Vietnam during the final period of US involvement in the Vietnam War conducted from 18-29 December 1972.

Under Vietnamization, US troops in SV decreased from

540000 to under 30000

Nixon Doctrine

Future allies must defend themselves with US AID but not US troops

Expansion of war into Cambodia/Genocide

1970 under Nixon to destroy communist bases. 1975 Khmer Rouge (Radical Communists killed 1-2 million people 1/4 of the population) takes over Cambodia ... sparked global refugee crisis —> 10 million displaced —> US failed to prevent it

Cambodia's 'fall' validated WHAT

The domino theory

Asian Tiger Economies

Collective name for the economies of certain East Asian countries—Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China—that experienced massive economic growth after World War II.

US AIR STRIKES IN VIETNAM

Feb 24 1965

On February 24, 1965, the U.S. launched airstrikes in Vietnam's Central Highlands to support South Vietnamese forces after Viet Cong attacks, marking a key step toward the full-scale Operation Rolling Thunder bombing campaign.

Pentagon Papers

(1971) —> Leaked by Daniel Ellsberg, documents showing US deception about involvement in Vietnam...lies about military progress, hidden plans to escalate war...exposed credibility gap, shook trust of government, led to SC Case on freedom of press

My Lai Massacre

1968, in which American troops had brutally massacred innocent women and children in the village of My Lai, also led to more opposition to the war.

Happened BECAUSE of fog of war, dehumanization, leadership failure of Lt. Will. Calley, etc.

Kent State Massacre

4 students killed by National Guard during protest to expansion to Cambodia

Jackson State Massacre

2 students killed in protest due to protest on war expansion to Cambodia

Peace with honor

A phrase U.S. President Richard M. Nixon used in a speech, to describe the Paris Peace Accord to end the Vietnam War.

26th Amendment in relation to War

Lowered voting age to 26; This amendment was directly inspired by Vietnam, with the slogan: "Old enough to fight, old enough to vote."

How'd US military strategy in Vietnam evolve from the early advisory role under Kennedy to full scale combat commitment under LBJ

U.S. military strategy in Vietnam evolved from Kennedy's limited advisory role—focused on training South Vietnamese forces—to a full-scale combat commitment under Lyndon B. Johnson, marked by massive troop deployments and sustained bombing campaigns driven by fears of communist expansion.

What from vietnam war period shows the US was caught in a political dilemma by 1965

By 1965, the U.S. was caught in a political dilemma as it escalated military involvement in Vietnam to contain communism, while facing growing domestic opposition and doubts about the war's legitimacy and winnability.

How did kennedy and eisenhower differ in approaches to dealing with vietnam conflict

Eisenhower focused on containing communism through financial aid and support for the French and South Vietnamese, while Kennedy escalated involvement by increasing the number of U.S. military advisers and backing counterinsurgency efforts.

How does LBJ decision to escalate war reflect Cold War Anxieties

LBJ's decision to escalate the Vietnam War reflects Cold War anxieties by demonstrating his fear that the fall of South Vietnam would trigger a domino effect of communist expansion, undermining U.S. credibility and influence in the global struggle against the Soviet Union.

How did vietnam war affect US political landscape

The Vietnam War deeply fractured the U.S. political landscape by eroding public trust in government, intensifying partisan and generational divides, fueling a powerful antiwar movement, and prompting legal reforms like the War Powers Act to limit presidential authority.

How did expectations/words of US involvement in vietnam contradict reality?

U.S. leaders promised a quick, decisive victory in Vietnam to defend democracy and contain communism, but in reality, the war became a prolonged, bloody quagmire with unclear objectives, mounting casualties, and diminishing public support.

Long term political and social effects of the war

The long-term political and social effects of the Vietnam War include a deep mistrust of government fueled by the "credibility gap," the passage of the War Powers Act to limit presidential military authority, a rise in antiwar and youth activism that reshaped public discourse, and a shift in American foreign policy toward greater caution in military interventions—often called the "Vietnam Syndrome."