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The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War. (1954 – 1975). Vietnam. A mountainous, jungle-covered nation that is about 20% smaller than the state of California. It is located in SE Asia (facing the South China Sea) Prior to 1954, Vietnam was a colonial possession of France. It was called “French Indochina”.

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The Vietnam War

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  1. The Vietnam War (1954 – 1975)

  2. Vietnam • A mountainous, jungle-covered nation that is about 20% smaller than the state of California. • It is located in SE Asia (facing the South China Sea) • Prior to 1954, Vietnam was a colonial possession of France. It was called “French Indochina”

  3. 1954 Geneva Agreement • Temporarily divided Vietnam into two parts (N & S). • Stated that a unifying election was to be held in 1956. (The Vietnamese people would be given the opportunity to pick their own government.)

  4. North Vietnam • Communist • Leader was Ho Chi Minh • Capital was Hanoi

  5. South Vietnam • Non-communist • Leader was Ngo Dinh Diem (No-Din-Z-em) • Capital was Saigon

  6. DMZ

  7. Vietnam Timeline • 1954 – Geneva Agreement(creates N & S) • 1956 – Diem refuses to hold the unifying election in the South. (This triggers a civil war between the supporters of Ho & the supporters of Ngo.) • 1956 – Diem’s opponents form the National Liberation Front (more commonly known as the Viet Cong)

  8. The Viet Cong • Supporters of Ho Chi Minh • Live in South Vietnam • A.K.A. “Charlie”, “Chuck”, “Gooks”, “Cong” • Known for their guerrilla fighting tactics. • Our #1 Enemy in Vietnam • “We own the day, Charlie owns the night.” • a common G.I. saying

  9. Timeline: cont. • 1962 – President Kennedy sends the first U.S. ground troops to Vietnam. (They were sent for training purposes only.)

  10. 1964 – The Gulf of Tonkin Incident • On August 2nd, two NV torpedo boats fired upon the U.S.S. Maddox as it patrolled the G of T off the coast of North Vietnam. • This leads to Congress passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which gave President Johnson the power to take “all necessary measures” to prevent further NV aggression. • This is basically even stronger than a declaration of war.

  11. Feb. 1965 – VC Attack Pleiku Airbase • Largest U.S. airbase in SV

  12. 1965 – Operation Rolling Thunder • Beginning of the “escalation” of U.S. involvement. • A continuous bombing campaign of NV & the Ho Chi Minh Trail

  13. 1968 – The Tet Offensive • During his Jan. 1968 State of the Union Address, Pres. Johnson tells America that the end of the war is very near. • On Jan. 30, NV and the VC launch the massive Tet Offensive attacking many major SV cities simultaneously. The VC even seized control of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon for a brief period of time. • This offensive was “crushed” by the U.S. forces, however, it actually proved to be a huge psychological victory for the communists. • Marked the “turning point” in American public opinion

  14. 1969 – President Nixon Takes Office • Nixon begins his policy of vietnamization. (The gradual pullout of U.S. troops and turning over of the war to SV.) • In 1972, vietnamization is complete and the last U.S. combat troops leave Vietnam.

  15. 1973 – Paris Peace Agreement • The U.S. & NV sign a peace agreement in Paris officially ending U.S. involvement. • American POW’s begin coming home!

  16. 1975 – Fall of Saigon • Saigon surrenders to the NVA and the war ends. • There is now one Vietnam and it is communist. It is still that way today!!!

  17. Significance & Legacy Of Vietnam • War Powers Act of 1973 • 57,000 Americans killed • Only war in which we failed to meet our objective. • Why???

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