Background + War before August 1964

Before WW2, Vietnam was a French colony, called Indochina

In WW2, Japan occupied Vietnam

  • in 1941, a Communist forced called the Viet Minh, led by Ho Chi Minh, began fighting the Japanese

  • 1945- Vietnam declared independence

After WW2, France wanted Vietnam back

  • French forces fought Viet Minh for 9 years

  • US funded France ($500M), fearing Communism in Vietnam

Viet Minh defeated France in 1954, at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu

  • Geneva Peace Accords split Vietnam temporarily, along 17th Parallel, until elections could be held

    • Communist Viet Minh got NV

    • SV created an anti-Communist government, with a free election in 1956 to decide who permanently governed it.

South Vietnam (non-Communist)

North Vietnam (Communist)

Nho Dihn Diem

Ho Chi Min

unpopular

corrupt (rigged elections)

Catholic, persecuted Buddhists

respected, known as ‘Uncle Ho’

backed by USA

backed by USSR

War in Vietnam before direct US involvement

1954

US supported SV’s refusal to hold elections

  • they knew Communists would win + fears Domino Effect

1957

Viet Minh attack SV

  • establish Ho Chi Minh train to transport weapons to the South

1959

Ho Chi Minh declared full-scale war against Army of Republic of Vietnam

  • intention: to overthrow Diem’s non-Communist government

1960

Ho Chi Minh created National Liberation Front (Vietcong)

  • made up of NV Communists + SV peasants

late 1961

JFK (just after election) launches Operation Beef Up:

  • to help Diem counter Viet Minh

  • US soldiers

  • Military Assistance Control

  • encouraged Diem to make reforms for popularity

  • allowed US to help ARVN

Diem’s unpopularity increased:

  • 1962’s Strategic Hamlets Program

    • aimed to make fortified villages to keep people ‘safe’ from Vietcong influence

    • actually ended up forcing people to move- pushing support to Vietcong

  • poor treatment of people

    • discriminating against Buddhists

    • giving rich landlords land taken from peasants

    • running a corrupt, nepotistic government

By 1963

clear in US that Diem stood no chance of uniting the country

JFK cut off aid to SV Diem

Nov 1963

A coup against Diem by SV generals

JFK assassinated, Lyndon B. Johnson sworn in as President.

1964

Johnson elected in his own right.

Lyndon B. Johnson

Reasons

Reforms

Had planned significant reform (poverty, civil rights)

had to downscale to fund Vietnam

Committed to intervening in Vietnam

SEA key for US defence

Domino Theory

Preventing spread of Chinese influence

Didn’t want to repeat JFK’s mistakes (not escalating)

Respect JFK’s memory