How did the USA become involved in Vietnam?
What was decided at the Geneva Conference of 1954?
Why did Ngo Dinh Diem refuse to hold promised to hold promised elections in 1950?
Why did Ngo Dinh Diem refuse to hold promised elections in 1956?
How did President Kennedy widen the conflict?
Why did President Johnson continue the Vietnam War?
How did President Nixon achieve "peace with honour"?
- Indochina (Vietname, Cambodia, Laos) French colony
- Nationalist movement led by communist Ho Chi Minh, Vietminh, attacked Japanese
- After 1945 he declared independence of Democratic Republic of Vietnam - French fought Vietminh in 1946 to retain control
- Cold War intensified
- Truman administration began emphasising Ho Chin Minh's communist credentials
- Assumed he was controlled by Moscow - USA sent military aid to help France in March 1950
- Einsenhower continued
- Believed in Domino Theory
- USA funded 80% of war by 1954
- French finally defeated batter of Dien Bien Phu in 1954
What was decided at the Geneva Conference of 1954?
- Geneva Accords
- France would withdraw
- Vietnam divided at 17th parallel
- Ho Chi Minh given control of North
- "Free elcetions" to unite Vietname in 1956
- No foreign bases
- Laos and Cambodia recognised as independent areas - USA refused to sign accords
- Started to strengthen south of Vietnam and non-communist government led by Ngo Dinh Diem
- Established SEATO in 1954 and had protected areas (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia)
- USA and SEATO allies would respond to an attack on these areas
Why did Ngo Dinh Diem refuse to hold promised to hold promised elections in 1950?
- October 1955, Diem proclaimed the Republic of Vietnam (South) as President
- US gave $$ in economic support and trained South Vietnamese Army (ARVN)
- 1000 US military advisors by 1960 - Dien (US educated and Catholic) and his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu (Chef of Police) were ruthless
- Created a dictatorship
- Crushed opposition
- Refused land
- Reforms
- Promoted Catholic fait - 1956, DIem refused to hold elections
- With US support
- Claimed Communists couldn't be trusted to hold fair elections in North
- In reality he was afraid elections would have led to Communist victory, estimated Ho Chi Minh had 80% support
Why did Ngo Dinh Diem refuse to hold promised elections in 1956?
- Military opposition to Diem only option left in South
- Communists formed military groups known as "Vietcong"
- Communist political wing became known as "National Liberation Front"
- North Vietnam supported VC as well as local population
How did President Kennedy widen the conflict?
- Kennedy elected in November 1960
- Policy towards containment called "flexible response"
- Expanded mean of fighting against Communist - Increased military advisors in South (17,000 by 1963)
- Sarted counter-insurgency operations against VC in SOuth
- "Search and Destroy" missions
- Spraying chemical defoliants like Agent Orange to destroy jungles; resettled villagers in the "Strategic Hamlets Programme"
- Created "Green Berets"
- Guerrilla fighting force
- Encouraged Diem to introduce social and political reforms - Methods just alienated Vietnamese local peasants
- Diem continued unpopular policies including anti-buddhist policies
- Self-immolations - Madam Nhu "let them burn and we shall clap our hands
- Kennedy cut off aid to Diem
- However Diem and Ngo killed in 1963 coup
- Known about by CIA
Why did President Johnson continue the Vietnam War?
- LBJ took over in November 1963
- Inherited Kennedy's problems and advisors
- He would continue war, determined to win war against communism
- Stop domino effect - Situation deteriorating in 1964
- Needed Congressional and Public Support for increase in troops
- Gulf of Tonkin incident: 2nd August 1964
- US destroyer Maddox fired upon by North Vietnamese Patrol boats
- Two days later happened again
- All without evidence
- Johnson immediately bombed North Vietnam, addressed congress the next da - Passed "Gulf to Tonkin Resolution"
- President can "take all necessary measure to repel any armed attack against the forces of the US and to prevent further aggression - US launched "Operation Rolling Thunder"
- Continual bombing of North Vietnam
- 100,000 troops to South Vietnam in 1965
- Led by General Westmoreland
- Napalm attacks - War diverted Johnson's attention away from his domestic "Great Society" agenda
- Civil rights, poverty, healthcare and education
- Failure led to "credibility gap"
- Hid what was happening in Vietnam away from public debated
How did President Nixon achieve "peace with honour"?
- Nixon elected in November 1968
- Wanted withdrawal
- Wanted settlement that guara