The Vietnam War- Cold War Build-up
What were the goals of the USA in Vietnam and what did they reflect about the perceptions of the Cold War?
Summary of Vietnam Events:
Vietnamese Nationalism and 1st Indochina War
USA Involvement in the Cold War Context
Diem and the Republic of Vietnam
Kennedy and the 1st USA Involvement in Vietnam
Johnson and Escalation
Quagmire and the Tet Offensive
Quagmire- A dangerous and difficult situation that is difficult to escape
1960-1970- USA Domestic Anti-war movement
1969-1975- Nixon and “Vietnamization”
1975- Aftermath of the War
1900-19541947-19551955-19601961-19631964-19661966-1968-
Roots of Involvement in Vietnam:
I.
President Truman’s Policy of Containment
President Truman: 1945-1953
Secretary of State- Dean Acheson
Orthodox Belief
Truman Doctrine & Marshall Plan
Containment Policy
1947- USA National Security Act- created the CIA and the
NSC (National Security Council)
Berlin Crisis & Airlift
NATO Established
USA support of Nationalists in China
Korean War: 1950-1953: extension of Executive powers for an
undeclared war
1950- Truman grants aid to France in its war against the Vietminh in Vietnam. Truman wanted to secure
his alliance with France and its support of Containment
1950-1954 - USA grants more than $2.6 billion to France for its war in Indochina (Vietnam)
Military Build-up - Arms Race begins!
1954- Dien Bien Phu campaign- French lost control of Vietnam to the Nationalists/ Communists
President Eisenhower’s Policy of Massive Retaliation
President Eisenhower (IKE): 1953-1961
Vice-President- Richard Nixon
Secretary of State- John Foster Dulles
Eisenhower Doctrine- Empowered the President to extend economic and military aid to nations
of the Middle East if threatened by communists.
*Death of Stalin (March 1953)
France surrendered in Vietnam (USA, Great Britain, France, USSR, China, Laos, Cambodia, and the
Vietminh met in Geneva to design the Peace Accord.
Geneva Accords- 1954- Divides Vietnam, 17th Parallel- Vietminh North, French South
Eisenhower’s “Chance for Peace” speech- called for a new era of relations… would not come.
Domino Theory- presented as need to support
South Vietnam after Korea- 1954
Massive Retaliation- If the USSR attacked, the USA would retaliate instantaneously.
Brinkmanship- a critical name given to the policy of massive retaliation “reckless”
Suez Crisis- Nasser takes power in Egypt, demands control of the Suez Canal from the British.
USA offered to assist Nasser with the building of the Aswan Dam.
Nasser made a deal with the Soviets for Arms, and Dulles withdrew support of the Dam.
July 1956- Nasser seized control of the canal.
Israel, Britain and France invaded Egypt.
Eisenhower did not support.
Opened the Middle East to the Soviets.
(see: Eisenhower Doctrine)
Cuban Revolution- 1958
1961- In his Farewell Speech, Eisenhower warns of the “Military Industrial complex”
II.
President John F. Kennedy 1961-1963
President Kennedy: 1961-1963- JFK
 Bay of Pigs Invasion
 Cuban Missile Crisis
III.
Decolonization after World War II brings greater instability
1946-1960- There were 37 emerging nations (new Cold War battlegrounds)
Background to unrest in Vietnam:










World War II- Vietnam was occupied by Japanese
September 2, 1945- Vietnam declares its independence from
French rule
Ho Chi Minh- Leader of the Vietnam nationalist forces (The
Vietminh)- Communists
French unwilling to give up control of Indochina : Cambodia,
Laos, and Vietnam
By 1945- Vietminh controlled the North of Vietnam, French
secured the South.
1950- France appeals to the USA for aid and assistance
1950- Truman reluctantly grants aid $20 million to France
France surrendered in Vietnam 1954- (USA, Great Britain,
France, USSR, China, Laos, Cambodia, and the Vietminh met in
Geneva to design the Peace Accord.
Geneva Accords- 1954- Divides Vietnam, 17th Parallel- Vietminh
North, French South.
Domino Theory- 1954- coined by Eisenhower as reason to
support South Vietnam
South Vietnam:
Ngo Dinh Diem 1954- came to power in the South
Vietnam 1954
Vietminh - Communists:
1954-1961- USA sends $1 billion
in aid to South Vietnam (80%
went to military)
Close to Ho Chi Minh government
Diem canceled elections (held a special
referendum instead). He “won” 98% approval. 
Indirect support from China and USSR
NLF- Vietcong
Support from North Vietnam
Guerilla Tactics
NLF (National Labor Front) – aka the VietcongEstablished in South Vietnam (largely
communists) to oppose Diem.
Civil War in the South Diem’s Forces Supported by USA

Vietcong and Ho Chi Minh fought for a type of
“Pyrrhic Victory” – one in which the costs for the
USA would outnumber those for the Vietnamese, even
though the North may suffer more casualties
JFK- Viewed Vietnam as part of the larger Global struggle
 Extension of the Domino Theory established under Eisenhower
IV.
President John F. Kennedy’s Policies in Vietnam
1. Strengthen South Vietnamese army with USA technology and advisors
2. Pressure Diem to make economic and political reforms to lessen the attraction of
communists and radicals in Vietnam
a. USA sent 16,000 advisors to Vietnam by 1963
b. Little impact…. Widespread corruption
c. Monks setting themselves on fire in protest… “Thich Quang Duc”
1963- Diem was overthrown by his own South Vietnamese Generals- Evidence points to heavy involvement of
the Kennedy Administration in hopes of gaining North Vietnamese support.
November 1, 1963- Diem was assassinated in the Coup
(Three weeks later, JFK was assassinated) Vice-President Johnson took over power.
V.
President Johnson’s Polices and actions in Vietnam
Lynden B. Johnson- 1963-1969
Most known for the Domestic Polices of “The Great Society”
Secretary of State- Dean Rusk
Secretary of Defense- Robert McNamara (1968 Replaced by Clark Clifford)
1.
Expansion of involvement in Vietnam
a. General Westmoreland - Commander in Vietnam- Later admitted that US polices were often
“trial and error” because of the little experience that US commanders and troops had with the same
type of forces and atmosphere.
b. Repeated Coup d’états in the South- Johnson- "God damn it. I'm sick and tired of this coup shit that
keeps coming back all the time."
c. 1965 – USSR aided North Vietnam- Soviet Premier Kosygin met with North Vietnamese in
Hanoi and agreed to aid.
2. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution- USA victims of unprovoked attacks in the Gulf
a. Congress granted Johnson authority to “take all necessary measures to
repel an armed attack against the forces of the US and to prevent
further aggression.”
b. Later discovered that Johnson had used the attack in Tonkin to gain
Congressional support, but in reality the destroyers in the gulf had been
assisting South Vietnamese soldiers to raid two islands in the North.
3. Widespread Aerial Bombing- Operation Rolling Thunder- Feb 1965 USA
responds to Vietcong attacks in the South.
4. Johnson believed that the real goal of the North was to legitimize China’s
position in Asia. Johnson feared USSR and Chinese involvement (a repeat
of Korea)
**Split occurred between the USSR and China because the Chinese often smuggled the Soviet weapons
back to China. Very little trust between China and USSR
5. Pacification Program- a type of scorched earth policy pursued by the USA ground troops. Destroyed
villages, burning fields, capturing villages, and taking prisoners.