Vietnam War
- Created by: CAugust100
- Created on: 17-05-18 17:26
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- Vietnam War 1 Nov 1955 – 30 Apr 1975
- The French War 1946-54
- Japan occupied Vietnam in 1940 following French defeat
- The French officials collaborated with the Japanese
- Vietnamese nationalists rose during this time
- Roosevelt supported the nationalists as he was anti-colonial
- The US tried to stop the French regaining Vietnam
- Vietnam quoted the US when making its Declaration of Independence
- The US tried to stop the French regaining Vietnam
- Roosevelt supported the nationalists as he was anti-colonial
- Vietnamese nationalists rose during this time
- The French officials collaborated with the Japanese
- France would not accept Vietnamese independence
- France however was seen as holding the line of containment as the Cold War had started
- Despite Ho Chi Min's affection for the US, he was now an enemy of them
- As the French slid to defeat in 1950, the US provided logistical and economic support
- The French withdrew in 1954 however despite this
- France however was seen as holding the line of containment as the Cold War had started
- In 1954 a Geneva peace settlement secured the creation of two states
- It created the communist north state and democratic south
- Unification proposals however never took place
- The US committed itself to limited military assistance and training in South Vietnam
- However John Dulles stated that if China assisted with an invasion of South Vietnam, the US would respond with nuclear weapons
- John Dulles was the Secretary of State
- Between 1955-1960, the US contributed to 60% of South Vietnam's budget
- The army the US created however, was modelled to the US's and wasn't trained to deal with counter-insurgency
- It also had no specialist training
- However John Dulles stated that if China assisted with an invasion of South Vietnam, the US would respond with nuclear weapons
- It created the communist north state and democratic south
- Japan occupied Vietnam in 1940 following French defeat
- Growing US commitment
- In 1961 North Vietnam began to send low level military assistance to the National Liberation Front in South Vietnam
- John F. Kennedy authorised the funding of an extra 20,000 soldiers in South Vietnam
- He also began to send counter-insurgency advisers to South Vietnam
- US intelligence estimated that the NLF was already 12,000 strong and in control of 58% of South Vietnam
- The dispatch of a 400 US counter-insurgency team was the first breach of the Geneva peace settlement
- By January 1962 there were 2,500 "advisers" in South Vietnam
- June 1962: 5,500
- Kennedy's death (November 1963): 16,000
- By January 1962 there were 2,500 "advisers" in South Vietnam
- The dispatch of a 400 US counter-insurgency team was the first breach of the Geneva peace settlement
- John F. Kennedy authorised the funding of an extra 20,000 soldiers in South Vietnam
- In 1961 North Vietnam began to send low level military assistance to the National Liberation Front in South Vietnam
- Lyndon Johnson (1963-1969)
- Whilst Kennedy was cautious, Johnson was more paranoid about communism
- New Chief of Staff, General Taylor stated that "South Vietnam was the pivot of our world-wide confrontation"
- He considered it as the first test of the US's commitment to containing communism
- New Chief of Staff, General Taylor stated that "South Vietnam was the pivot of our world-wide confrontation"
- In 1965 Johnson sent US combat forces to Vietnam with considerable support from the public
- By June 1965, the US had 82,000 soldiers stationed in Vietnam
- General Westmoreland requested an additional 175,000 by the end of 1965 to support the South Vietnamese
- Despite growing concerns from advisers and anti-war movement Johnson authorised the dispatch of 100,000 soldiers by the end of July 1965
- He authorised the dispatch of a further 100,000 in 1966
- By June 1965, the US had 82,000 soldiers stationed in Vietnam
- Tonkin Gulf
- In August 1965 DRV torpedo boats allegedly attacked two US destroyers
- Johnson ordered retaliatory bombings of military targets in North Vietnam
- Congress soon passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
- This gave Johnson broad war making powers and US planes began bombing North Vietnamese targets
- This was coined: Operation Rolling Thunder the following February
- This gave Johnson broad war making powers and US planes began bombing North Vietnamese targets
- By November 1967 the number of American troops in Vietnam was numbering 500,000
- Casualties however had reached 109,527 wounded
- 15,058 killed
- As the war stretched on soldiers became disillusioned as to why they were still in Vietnam
- This was furthered by claims from Washington that the US were winning
- The later years saw increased physical and psychological strains on soldiers
- Mutinies, drug use and attacks by soldiers against officers became more common
- Casualties however had reached 109,527 wounded
- In August 1965 DRV torpedo boats allegedly attacked two US destroyers
- The Tet Offensive 1968
- By the end of 1967 Hanoi's communist leadership was growing impatient
- They sought a decisive blow to force the US to give up hope of winning
- On January 31st 1968, 70,000 Viet Cong soldiers invaded the south
- They were led by General Vo Nguyen Giap
- Though there was initial success, the US and South Vietnamese quickly responded
- The Viet Cong were unable to hold onto taken targets for little more than two days
- The attack targeted more than 100 towns and cities
- Reports of the attacks stunned the US public
- This was furthered by Westmoreland requesting an additional 200,000 troops
- With Johnson's approval ratings dropping he halted bombings in the north
- He promised to use the remainder of his term to seek peace rather than re-election
- When Robert Kennedy announced his standings in the primaries Johnson decided not to stand for re-election
- On January 31st 1968, 70,000 Viet Cong soldiers invaded the south
- They sought a decisive blow to force the US to give up hope of winning
- By the end of 1967 Hanoi's communist leadership was growing impatient
- Whilst Kennedy was cautious, Johnson was more paranoid about communism
- A country devestated
- US policy sought a war of attrition rather than securing areas
- In 1966 large areas of Vietnam had been designated "free fire" zones
- All civilians were meant to be evacuated and only enemies were to remain
- Heavy bombings from B-52 bombers made these areas uninhabitable
- As a result, refugees poured in from these areas to safe zones
- Even as the body count rose, DRV and Viet Cong soldiers continued to fight as they could easily reclaim these territories
- Support from fellow communists also helped strengthen their air defences
- Heavy bombings from B-52 bombers made these areas uninhabitable
- All civilians were meant to be evacuated and only enemies were to remain
- In 1966 large areas of Vietnam had been designated "free fire" zones
- Images of the war led to mass anti-war sentiment back in the US
- In October 1967 there was a 35,000 strong protest outside the Pentegon
- They argued that civilians were the main victims of the war
- There were also arguments that the US were supporting a corrupt regime in Saigon
- My Lai is perhaps the most horrifying example of this
- 400 unarmed civilians were massacred after operatives hid in a village amongst civilians
- This happened in March 1968
- They argued that civilians were the main victims of the war
- Kent State Shootings May 4th 1970
- Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of anti-war demonstrators
- 4 were killed and 9 were injured
- This sparked nationwide student strikes which forces hundreds of universities and colleges to close
- This symbolised the deep social and political divisions in the US
- This sparked nationwide student strikes which forces hundreds of universities and colleges to close
- 4 were killed and 9 were injured
- Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of anti-war demonstrators
- In October 1967 there was a 35,000 strong protest outside the Pentegon
- Peace talks
- Nixon announced a programme of withdrawing troops from Vietnam
- The US would continue artillery and aerial bombardments, but South Vietnam had control of ground operations
- Nixon continued peace talks in 1968
- These were secret talks conducted by the Secretary of State; Henry Kissinger in 1968
- However he failed to find any common ground between the two nations
- Nixon ordered a massive b-52 bombing of North Vietnam to break the deadlock
- Meanwhile he threatened to cut off economic support to South Vietnam if they failed to find an agreement
- Negotiations resumed on January 8th 1973
- An agreement was initiated on January 23rd
- South Vietnam reluctantly signed on January 27th
- This allowed the US to withdraw from Vietnam and bring American POW's home
- However neither the north or south abided by the agreement and the war continued until 1975
- It resulted in a complete North Vietnam victory
- Unlike Korea, this wasn't ambiguous and the US was humiliated
- However neither the north or south abided by the agreement and the war continued until 1975
- This allowed the US to withdraw from Vietnam and bring American POW's home
- South Vietnam reluctantly signed on January 27th
- An agreement was initiated on January 23rd
- Nixon ordered a massive b-52 bombing of North Vietnam to break the deadlock
- However he failed to find any common ground between the two nations
- These were secret talks conducted by the Secretary of State; Henry Kissinger in 1968
- Nixon announced a programme of withdrawing troops from Vietnam
- US policy sought a war of attrition rather than securing areas
- The French War 1946-54
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