Vietnam Notes
I Vietnam
A. French Colony
B. After WWII wanted independence
1. Led by Ho Chi Minh “Vietminh
2. Geneva Accord (1954)
a. Split Vietnam at 17th parallel
b. North – Comm.
c. South- Non-Comm
C. Domino Theory- If one country fell to comm. All would
D. North Vietnam
1. Ho Chi Minh-leader
2. Hanoi Capital
E. South Vietnam
1. Nga Dinh Diem- Leader (Catholic)
a. Restricted Buddhists
b. Monks protested
2. Saigon-Capital
3. Diem was overthrown & killed
4. New leader was unpopular
5. Vietcong-Called “VC” -South Vietnamese that supported Comm.
II War Begins
A. Gulf of Tonkin Incident- US ship was attacked twice in the gulf
B. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution- Allowed US to use military force to prevent further aggression
C. Operation Rolling Thunder- bombing of North Vietnam
D. Draft started- College students (C or above) & some professions were exempt
E. Obstacles
1. Guerilla Warfare
a. Search & Destroy missions- Flush out VC from hideouts
b. Helicopters used for the 1st time (“Call in” air support)
2. Geography
a. Rice paddies & jungles
b. Napalm- Jellied gasoline mixture used in firebombs
c. Agent Orange – Chemical spray to kill vegetation
3. Enemy was hard to identify
a. Women & Children
4. Lack of support at home
5. Political war
6. Ho Chi Minh Trail
a. Ran through Laos and Cambodia: some parts were underground
b,. USA bombing couldn’t stop supplies on it
F. My Lai Massacre- US soldiers killed approx. 200 women, children, and elderly in a village
(suspected VC stronghold)
G. Fragging- Soldier kills his officer
III. Turning Point
A. Tet Offensive (1968)
1. Surprise attack on cities in South Vietnam
2. Psychological victory for North Vietnam
3. Proved war was far from over
B. Shooting of vietcong guerilla (Raised questions over US involvement)
C. Johnson does not run for re-election
D. Election of 1968
1. Candidates
a. Robert “Bobby” Kennedy was killed (was original democratic candidate)
b. Hubert Humphrey (D)
c. George Wallace (American Party)
d. Richard Nixon ® wins
2. Chicago Riot- Protestors gathered at Democratic Convention
a. Mayor ordered police to get rid of crowd (chaos erupted)
b. Vietnam Veterans against the war
IV. Nixon & the war
A. Lottery system
1. Drafting based on birth dates
2. Days put in a cylinder & drawn randomly
3. Ended college deferments
B. Vietnamization- Turning fighting over to South Vietnam
C. Bombing of Cambodia
1. Secret mission; wanted to destroy the trail
2. It extended war into another country
V. Home Front
A. 5 or 6 o’clock war or “living room” war (On TV every night)
B. Hawks- supported war (silent Majority)
C. Doves- against war
D. Students protest on college campuses (some campuses had to close)
1. National Guard called in to control protestors at Kent State in Ohio
a. Kent State: 4 students killed
b. Jackson State 2 killed
E. Pentagon Papers
1. Daniel Ellsberg stole papers about US involvement in Vietnam (Cover Up)
2. Nixon tried to stop it
3. Supreme Court ruled paper could be printed
F. Plumbers- group formed by Nixon to “stop Leaks” in gob't
G. 26th Amendment lowered voting age to 18
H. Election of 1972
1. Nixon re elected
VI End of War
A. Oct. Peace Talks
1. N.V. Agreed to a cease fire if the US leaves
2. SV didn't accept
B. Christmas Bombing
1. US bombed NV for 2 weeks (showed US was committed)
C. Jan. 27 1973.
1. Cease fire signed & POWs exchanged
D. Fall of Saigon- April 1975
E. War Powers Act
1. Passed to prevent another Vietnam
2. Limited the ability of Pres. To commit US forces