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The Vietnam War, 1950-1975

The Vietnam War, 1950-1975. Book Work (YAY!). Read pages 906-909 on the Vietnam War (Conflict). Read the information under the main RED headings, including information under the BLUE headings.

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The Vietnam War, 1950-1975

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  1. The Vietnam War, 1950-1975

  2. Book Work (YAY!) • Read pages 906-909 on the Vietnam War (Conflict). • Read the information under the main RED headings, including information under the BLUE headings. • Take notes on people, dates, places and events of the Vietnam Conflict. Make sure they are accurate! • You DO NOT need to write any vocabulary terms – I have a list I will give you later this week. • Answer all checkpoint questions. On page 909, answer questions 1 and 2 under “Check Your Progress” – we will discuss as a class. • Please keep what you do with your notes, as well will be looking at the information again as necessary.

  3. • Find the definitions of the below Vietnam War terms. You may use the textbook, the internet or a dictionary. You may NOT use a friend.• Second, summarize the definition in your own words. Tell me what you think it means and why. • Viet Cong Counterculture • Ambush Napalm • ARVN DMZ • Protest Guerilla • Escalate Tet Offensive • Gulf of Tonkin (incident) 26th Amendment • DRV

  4. Vietnam War Military-Related terms • Find the definitions to the terms below. This is an extra credit vocabulary exercise, with the terms worth 1 point each. Good Luck! •  Charlie •  Hooch •  Draft Dodger •  Grunt •  Friendly Fire •  Click •  PTSD •  Bouncing Betty •  Tour of Duty •  Point Man

  5. Why Did We Get Involved? • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd8wKKfN7sM • Domino Theory: Still wanting to contain Communism and stop it from spreading into any other part of Asia.

  6. French Indochina War • France ruled Indochina from the 1880’s to 1945. • From 1946 to 1954, the Viet Minh (vee-yet meen), the Vietnamese guerilla fighters, fought France for independence

  7. French Indochina War French Indochina Vietnam Laos (LOWS) Cambodia

  8. French Indochina War • The leader of the Viet Minh was Ho Chi Minh (“He who Enlightens”), a Communist. • The US began helping France financially in 1950. The reason the US entered was to stop the spread of Communism (Domino Theory).

  9. French Indochina War • By 1954, France was unable to continue the fight, so agreed to an accord that: • Divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel • Temporarily split the country into North and South • Allowed for democratic elections to be held • The only electi0ns held were in the south. The elected government was corrupt.

  10. History of China and Vietnam • . 1949 to 1978: There was trust and support as China helped Vietnam against the French, the United States and South Vietnam. • Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1978, which caused a period of distrust until 1990.

  11. History of China and Vietnam • Diplomatic relations were restored in 1991, and there was peace until 2007. • Since 2008, Vietnam has tried to preserve its sovereignty and territorial integrity against China.

  12. Gulf of Tonkin Incident • Gulf of Tonkin Incident • August 2,1964: The US Navy believed two missiles (torpedoes) were fired by the North Vietnamese at the USSMaddox cruising the Gulf of Tonkin. • Two days later (August , 1964), sailors believed more torpedoes had been fired at their battleship.

  13. Gulf of Tonkin Incident • Files recently made public by the US government indicate that the second attack probably did not occur. • While it is believed the first attack did happen, the second “attack” was probably due to jumpy sonar men and waves.

  14. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • August 7, 1964: Resolution signed by Pres Johnson and approved by Congress that ALLOWED THE PRESIDENT TO DECLARE WAR WITHOUT CONGRESS’S APPROVAL. • Remember: Who can declare war? The Congress or the President?

  15. Tet Offensive, 1968 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd8wKKfN7sM • N. Vietnamese Army + Viet Cong attack South (67,000 attack 100 cities, bases, and the US embassy in Saigon) • Take every major southern city • U.S. + ARVN beat back the offensive • Viet Cong destroyed • N. Vietnamese army debilitated

  16. Tet Offensive • BUT…it’s seen as an American defeat by the media • Domestic U.S. Reaction: Disbelief, Anger, Distrust of Johnson Administration • Hey, Hey LBJ! How many kids did you kill today? • Because of this “defeat”, LBJ chose • to work for a peace with Vietnam. • He eventually decided not to run • for President again.

  17. Ho Chi Minh Trail • The US tried to counter this by using Agent Orange to burn the forest and building air bases near the Trail, but most were unsuccessful.

  18. Ho Chi Minh Trail • Almost 1,000 kilometers of roads, trails, and waterways which created a "system" of routes leading into the RVN (Republic of South Vietnam). • The trail was hidden by natural vegetation and maintained by 40,000 Vietnamese people.

  19. The Living Room War • Vietnam was America’s first media war • From 1968-1975, media had unlimited access to military personnel and targets. • The media covered the protests and riots more than the military troops, in harms way.

  20. The Living Room War • Due to the amount of video sent back to the US, Americans got photos of the carnage and consequences. • This led to a decline in American morale and support of the war.

  21. Paris Peace Accord, 1973End of the Vietnam War • Conditions of cease fire: • U.S. to remove all troops • North Vietnam could leave troops already in S.V. • North Vietnam would resume war • No provision for POWs or MIAs • Last American troops left South Vietnam on March 29, 1973 • 1975: North Vietnam defeats South Vietnam • Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City

  22. Vietnam by the numbers • Average age of American soldier: 19 • Total time length of US involvement: 25 years • Number dead: 58,000 • Number wounded: 300,000 • Number either Prisoner of War (POW) or Missing in Action (MIA): 1900+ • Dollars US spent on the war: $150,000,000,000

  23. Lessons Learned in Vietnam • Wars must be of short duration. • Wars must yield few American casualties. • Restrict media access to battlefields. • Develop and maintain Congressional and public support. • Set clear, winnable goals. • Set deadline for troop withdrawals.

  24. What do you think? • Was the whole excursion into Vietnam worth the time, material and lives? • What could/should have been done differently? • Why was the draft necessary for this war? Should it be necessary for any war? • Did the counterculture environment help the war effort or hurt it? How? Were the artists right to take a stand through music or art as they did? How would you have handled being part of the counterculture?

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