OBJECTIVES: TLW…
1)
2)
3)
Summarize Vietnam’s history as a French
colony and its struggle for independence.
Examine how and why the U.S. became
involved in the Vietnam conflict.
Describe the expansion of U.S. military
involvement under President Johnson.
THEMES
1) EXPANDING DEMOCRACY:
America’s mission in Vietnam was to halt the
spread of communism-a threat to democracy.
2) CONSTITUTIONAL CONCERNS:
Among the constitutional issues of the Vietnam War
era were the president’s powers as commander in
chief and First Amendment rights. Both the Tonkin
Gulf Resolution and the Pentagon Papers sparked
controversy.
THEMES
3) CIVIL RIGHTS:
Initially, civil rights leaders were
reluctant to criticize the Vietnam War, fearing
they would jeopardize President Johnson’s
support for their cause. When the war
threatened Great Society reforms, Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders
voiced their opposition.
THEMES
4) THE AMERICAN DREAM:
In the 1960’s, members of the counterculture
rejected the American dream, rebelled against
traditional American values, and chose to drop
out of mainstream society.
THEMES
5) MEDIA:
The media can sway public opinion and dictate
events.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW8Z9avP
UvE (Mass Media and Vietnam)
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/18/world/mea
st/gaza-israel-strike/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
(current example-Israel vs. Hamas)
INTRODUCTION VIDEO- “ROAD TO WAR”
HTTP://WWW.HISTORY.COM/TOPICS/VIETNA
M-WAR/VIDEOS#THE-ROAD-TO-WAR
U.S. FOREIGN POLICY/U.S. CIVILIAN SUPPORT
FOR THE WAR
Open Stat Document
Instructions:
• Partner up with the person
sitting next to you.
• On a piece of paper write
down…
A) What can you infer from the
stats on “U.S. Troops in
Vietnam”? (5 mins)
B) What can you infer from the
stats on “U.S. Soldiers Killed”?
(5 Mins)
C) What can you infer from the
stats on “American Opinion On
The Vietnam War”? (5 mins)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Historical Timeline
1960: President Kennedy
elected .
1963: President Kennedy
assassinated and is replaced by
Vice-President Lyndon B.
Johnson.
1964: President LBJ elected.
1968: President Nixon elected.
1974: President Nixon resigns
due to Watergate Scandal.
1974: Vice-President Ford
replaces Nixon.
U.S. UNOFFICIAL INVOLVEMENT IN VIETNAM
•
•
•
•
In 1950 President Truman
begins to provide economic
aide to France in Vietnam to
defeat the Vietminh.
$15 million sent in 1950.
Spent $1 Billion between
1951-1954.
Domino Theory=If Vietnam
falls to communism then all
other Asian countries will
also fall. Therefore, the U.S.
must take a stand against
communism in Vietnam.
THE VIETMINH VS. FRANCE
•
•
•
Ho Chi Minh declares
Vietnamese independence
from ALL foreign rule.
Ho forms the Vietminh, a
military organization, to
fight for independence
against foreign rule.
Ho vows to liberate South
Vietnam from French rule
and oppression.
THE FRENCH LOSE: SURPRISE, SURPRISE!

In May of 1954 the French are surrounded and
defeated by the Vietminh in the northern city of
Dien Bien Phu (French Indo China War).

Geneva Accords=1) Peace agreement between
the Vietminh and South Vietnam that divided
Vietnam at the 17th parallel. 2) France agreed to
permanently pull out of Vietnam. 3) Free
elections will be held in 1956 to choose a leader
for a newly united Vietnam.
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT (PAGES 730-735)
Instructions: Use the words listed below to create a historical story. Keep
the words in order as they are listed, the story entirely in your own words,
and underline the vocabulary words in your story. When you finish start
filling out your study guide (French Indo-China War to U.S. Combat Troops in
Vietnam.) or work on another C Level Assignment.
1. France and Vietnam.
2. Ho Chi Minh
3. Vietminh
4. Geneva Accords
5. 17th Parallel
6. Ngo Dinh Diem
7. Eisenhower/Kennedy
8. Vietcong
9.North Vietnamese Army
10. Army of the Republic of Vietnam
11. Assassinations of Diem and Kennedy
12. LBJ
13. Tonkin Gulf Resolution
14. Operation Rolling Thunder
15.U.S. Combat Troops in Vietnam
SOUTH VIETNAMESE LEADERSHIP
•
•
•
The U.S. throws its
support into Ngo Dinh
Diem, an anti-communist.
Just prior to the 1956
unifying elections the U.S.
can see that Diem will not
win. Ho Chi Minh will win
easily. As a result, Diem
and the U.S. call off the
elections!
Diem proves to be an
incompetent and corrupt
leader of South Vietnam.
VIETCONG AND THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL
•
•
•
In 1957 a communist group
was formed in South
Vietnam to oppose Diem
and the U.S.=Vietcong (VC).
The Vietcong were
organized in to cells and
waged guerilla (terrorist)
type warfare.
In 1959 the VC were
successful in assassinating
1,200 of Diem’s
government officials.
VIETCONG/HO CHI MINH TRAIL


In 1960 Ho Chi Minh
supported the Vietcong and
began supplying them
weapons and supplies by
using paths running through
the mountains of Laos and
Cambodia.
U.S. is forced to fight 2
enemies: 1) Vietcong=South
Vietnamese guerillas
(civilians). 2) North Vietnam
Army (NVA)=official army of
North Vietnam.
VIETCONG CODE OF BEHAVIOR

When the Vietcong entered a village they were to
obey a strict code of behavior. All members were
issued with a series of 'directives'. These
included:" (1) Not to do what is likely to damage
the land and crops or spoil the houses and
belongings of the people; (2) Not to insist on
buying or borrowing what the people are not
willing to sell or lend; (3) Never to break our word;
(4) Not to do or speak what is likely to make
people believe that we hold them in contempt; (5)
To help them in their daily work (harvesting,
fetching firewood, carrying water, sewing, etc.)."
JFK AND SOUTH VIETNAM


JFk wins the 1960 election and
inherits the Vietnam conflict.
JFK wants to NOT look soft on
communism so he sends more
economic aid to Diem (“sink or
swim with him”) and several
thousand military advisors to
train the South Vietnamese army.

By 1963, JFK has sent 16,000
military personnel to Vietnam to
protect the military advisors.

JFk is seriously considering
pulling completely out of Vietnam
IF South Vietnam can show they
can soundly govern themselves.
INSTABILITY OF SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOV’T

Diem became very
unpopular with the South
Vietnamese citizens
because…1) Private
property was confiscated
and villagers were corralled
into protected areas. 2)
government corruption. 3)
Persecution, imprisonment,
and killing of Buddhist
monks; destruction of
Buddhist temples=monks
burning selves in streets to
protest.
OVERTHROW OF DIEM REGIME



In order for the U.S. to stay
and help South Vietnam
there had to be political
order=Diem had to go!
On November 1, 1963 the
U.S. organizes a coup to
remove Diem from office. In
the process Diem is
Assassinated.
2 Weeks later JFK is
assassinated and instead of
leaving Vietnam the U.S. will
get involved deeper.
PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON



President Johnson takes
over for JFK and promises to
not escalate the war.
In reference to Vietnam he
said “It’s their war.” And “I
will not send American boys
to Vietnam to do what Asian
boys should do for
themselves.”
But “If I…let the communists
take over South Vietnam
then…my nation would be
seen as an appeaser and
we would…find it impossible
to accomplish anything…
anywhere on the globe.”
TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION
LBJ had authorized secret raids to be conducted
into North Vietnam. In response to the raids the
North Vietnamese twice attack the USS MADDOX
in the Gulf of Tonkin on different nights.
 Torpedoes miss, but according to our government
the U.S. navy returns fire and sinks the North
Vietnamese boat during the second attack.
 LBJ gets congress to pass the Tonkin Gulf
Resolution on August 7, 1964=allows the
president of the U.S. to take military action
against any armed attack without having to
officially declare war.

TONKIN GULF INCIDENT??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1n0eVea
9Zg&feature=related&safety_mode=true&pers
ist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UWi57I3v
cc&feature=related
DID THE TONKIN GULF INCIDENT EVER
OCCUR OR WAS IT FAKED SO THAT THE
U.S. HAD AN EXCUSE TO GO TO WAR?
RESULT OF TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION
1)
2)
3)
LBJ orders “Operation Rolling Thunder” in
February 1965=bombing of North Vietnam by
the Air Force. We dropped more bombs in the
first month than we did in all of WWII. (ordered
to not bomb any North Vietnamese ports or
anywhere near China.)
In March the first American combat troops
arrived in South Vietnam.
By June 50,000 U.S. soldiers were fighting the
Vietcong.
EXIT SLIP
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Write one thing you learned today.
Rate your understanding of today’s topic on a
scale of 1-10. What can you do to improve
your understanding?
Write one thing you didn’t understand today.
Write your name.
Turn in the Exit Slip to me before you leave
today.