Vietnam War

Initial US Involvement

• (1954)Geneva Accords temporarily divied Vietnam with a communist North and a non-communist South

• US did no sign/accept Geneva Accords —feared communists would win planned elections to unify country

Eisenhower Containment

• primary driver — Cold War policy of containment to prevent the spread of communism

• “Domino Theory”

Support for South Vietnam

• US provided economic aid and military equipment to assist South Vietnam in its efforts to prevent a communist takeover

  • supported Ngo Dinh Diem

Vietnam War Causes #1

• French Colonial Rule

  • Strategic Importance - strategic location for natural resources

  • Colonial Exploitation

    • French imposed harsh social and economic policies, which fueled resentment

Vietnam War Causes #2

• The Impact of World War II

  • Japanese occupation - weakend French control and empowered Viet Minh

  • Declaration of Independence — by Ho Chi Minh — North Vietnam

Vietnam War Causes #3

• Viet Minh Strategy

  • Guerilla Warfare — focused on gaining peasant support and building a strong army

  • Chinese Support — received military aid

Vietnam War Causes #3

• Geneva Accords

  • Vietnam was divided at the 17th parallel

  • Elections planned for 1956 to reunify the country

• Division of Vietnam

  • North Vietnam - led by Ho Chi Minh, focused on consolidating communitst power

  • South Vietnam—a pro-Western regime under Ngo Dinh Diem

Eisenhower Overview

Involvement(1953-1961)

• laid groundwork for future U.S. involvement through financial and military aid and covert operations

• avoided direct military intervention

Lack of Intervention - Eisenhower

Dien Bien Phu(1954)

• refused to provide direct military assistance to the French during the battle of Dien Bien Phu

• anti-colonial views influenced this decision - anti-communist stance kept US involved

Support for South Vietnam - Eisenhower

Ngo Dinh Diem(1954-1961)

• invested in creating and maintaining an anti-communist South Vietnam under Ngo Dien Diem

  • after Geneva Accords(1954) split Vietnam

  • provided support to Diem through military weapons, advisors and money

Eisenhower - Impact

• policies established a commitment to South Vietnam’s survival as an independent, non-communist region

• created a government heavily dependent on U.S. support — sowed the seed for later failures

Kennedy Overview

(1961-1963)

• administration significantly increased U.S. military advisory presence in Vietnam — driven by a consistent anti-communist view

  • and belief in “Domino Theory”

Kennedy - Impact

• exapanded U.S. presence and supported the overthrow of Diem

  • created political instabilit in South Vietnam

    • set the stage for further American Involvement and escalation under his successort

Kennedy #1

Focus on Insurgency

• committed to finding an alternative to nuclear weapons

  • wanted to use air power and special forces(Green Berets) to train the South Vienamese in counter-insurgency warfare

Kennedy #2

Support for Diem Regime(1963)

• pressed the Diem government to implement political and economic reforms

• approved the coup that overthrew and assassinated Diem

  • after it became increasingly destabilized by corruption, religious differences and growing Viet Cong Success

Kennedy #3

Increased Military Advisors

• gradually increased U.S. military advisors in SV to over 16,000 by late 1963

• formed the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam

Johnson Overview

(1963-1969)

• presidency was marked by a dramatic escalation of U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, transformed it into

Domestic Dissent

• war led to widespread anti-war demonstrations across the U.S. fueled by live broadacasts, high casualties and the draft

  • significantly impacted U.S. foreign policy

Gulf of Tonkin Resolutiion(1964)

• followed reports of North Vietnamese torpedo attacks on USS Maddox

• granted him broad military powers to repel attacks and prevent further aggresion — wage an undeclared war in Vietnam

Deployment and Bombing Campaigns(1965)

• authorized the deployment of American ground troops to Vietnam and began the systematic bombing of North Vietnam

  • U.S. forces surpassed 5000,000

Impact of Tet Offensive(1968)

• a surprise military campaign led by North Vietnam & North Viet Cong forces

• profoundly shifted (U.S.)public perception and support for the war

• psychological blow for the US

  • damaged troop morale and public support

  • led to Johnson’s decision not to seek re-election in 1968

War of Attrition

• U.S. military aid did not acheive effective progress, facing huge casualties and losses

• bombings and destruction of crops increased support for Viet Cong

Richard Nixon( 1969-1974)

• administration sough to de-escalate and end the Vietnam War

• wanted to pursue “peace with honor” through a gradual troop withdrawal, increased bombing and diplomatic overtures to China & USSR

Vietnamization(1969)

• involved the gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops from SV while simultaneously arming the SV army more heavily

  • reduced 540,000(1968) to 60,000(1972)

Expansion of War to Cambodia and Laos

• increased bombing to compensate for troop reductions

• expanded war to Laos

• invasion of Cambodia(1970)revived student protests — led to Kent State Shootings

Detente & China Rapprochement

Era of “Detente”

• relaxation of strained relations with USSR & China

• contacted Chinese Communist party

  • hoped China would pressure North Vietnam into peace talks

  • drastically changed Cold War — allowed US to use China as political tool

Peace Negotiations and Paris Peace Accords

(1973)

• involved secret negotiations and strategic bombing campaigns

• Paris Peace Accords (1973) led to withdrawal of American troops

Nixon - Impact

• policies ended America’s direct military involvement in Vietnam

• war ultimately discredited Johnson’s presidency and indirectly forced Nixon’s resignation

  • Watergate Scandal

• “domino theory” was disproved — Vietnam became pro-capitalist

Revisionists View #1

established by journalists(e.g. David Halberstam, Stanley Karnow, & Niel Sheehan)

• Wrong War

  • argue the U.S was mistaken to fight the war — America’s vital interests were not at stake

Revisionists View #2

Critique of U.S. Military Actions

• criticise the U.S. military for figting unlawfully and unsuccessfully

• highlight events like the Kent State Massacre and the domestic anti-war movement as evidence of public disillusionement

Revisionists View #3

Ignorance & Optimism

• depict American leaders as ignorant of the realities in SV and overly optimistic about military progress

Orthodox View #1

Justifiable Intervention

• argue that U.S. involvement was a justifiable and moral stand against tyranny,

• assert that Vietnamese communism posed a serious threat to U.S. interests

  • believe war was “necessary

• led by american academic historians and war veterans

Orthodox View #2

“Lost Victory” Thesis

• claim the war could have been won if U.S. employed different strategies or maintained its commitment

  • suggest SV was a viable country and was “winning” until U.S. cut aid i

Orthodox View #3

• offer a more positive portrayl of Diem - argue he was a Vietnamese patriot & a viable alternative to communism

  • his overthrow was a catastrophic error

Orthodox View #4

Refutation of Atrocity

• (e.g. Guenter Lewy)

  • argued that charges of illegal/immoral conduct by U.S. military were largely unsubstantiated

    • criticism was unwarranted