Vietnam War

A conflict that took place in Vietnam from 1963 to 1975, involving the communist forces of North Vietnam and the anti-communist forces of South Vietnam, supported by the United States.

Communist guerrilla soldiers (aka National Liberation Front) fighting to overthrow President Diem and his government in South Vietnam. By 1964, there were over 100,000 Vietcong in the South

Domino theory, to "contain" (stop) the spread of Communism in the world (the Truman Doctrine), Diem was a corrupt and brutal leader, who was very unpopular. Catholic ruling a mainly Buddhist country and gave Catholics benefits. Many South Vietnamese people didn’t like him + more likely to support the Vietcong

Villages in South Vietnam heavily defended against Vietcong attacks, where peasants were forced to live by President Diem's government.

1. military advisers were sent to train the ARVN (S.Viet army).

2. The US also gave a lot of money/modern weapons to S.Viet.

3. By November 1963, Johnson = President, 16k military "advisers" (many now involved e.g as helicopter pilots).

4. Encouraged Diem to force the peasants in areas dom by the Vietcong to live in "strategic hamlets" (villages that were heavily defended against attack) = did NOT work. By 1963, the Vietcong controlled 40% of rural areas of S.Viet.

• LBJ just continued using military "advisers", started by JFK, but Ho Chi Minh sent units of the NVA into the South to back up the Vietcong. LBJ increases American involvement.

• Gulf of Tonkin Incident: alleged attack on US ships by N.Viet ships in the Gulf of Tonkin on August 2nd 1964, used as a justification for increased US involvement in Vietnam.

• 1965, LBJ ordered bombing of N.Viet.

• Ordered US combat troops into action to back up the weak ARVN. Believed would lead to a quick defeat of Vietcong.

• March 1965, 3,5k marines arrived in Vietnam. From now on,

  General Westmoreland directed the war in Vietnam. By 1968 over 500k US troops in S.Viet.

• anti-aircraft guns, surface-to-air missiles and fighter planes

  (supplied by USSR).

• 1,4k+ US planes shot down (1965-1968).

• Built miles of tunnels/shelters for protection from the bombs

• Guerrillas fight in small units, avoiding face-to-face fights with their enemy.

• Vietcong guerrillas used ambushes, planted mines and booby traps, targeting isolated US and ARVN units.

• Camouflage, blending into the countryside and wore peasant like clothing.

• Dug 250 km of tunnels to hide in; contained kitchens, weapons stores, hospitals and living quarters.

• Vietcong guerrillas were helped by locals, most supplies came down the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

• VC tried to win over the peasants in the South, but didn’t hesitate to torture/murder government officials /spies.

• Carried out sabotage (usually bombs) in S.Viet cities, esp Saigon, even inside US bases.

High-tech war of attrition. (latest tech, e.g planes, helicopters and chemical warfare. Also used "search and destroy" operations.)

• Planned to kill so many Vietcong and NVA personnel that the Communists would give up.

• US casualties were always < than V/NVA, thought could win.

• But N.Viet leaders willing to accept massive casualties and planned to wear down the US.

A military strategy used by the US in Vietnam, involving sending troops to search for and kill all Vietcong soldiers in sight.

US Army High Command measured the success or failure of a mission by the num of Vietcong killed. Lots of brutality.

• A bombing campaign was initiated by the US in February 1965 to target N.Viet military + industrial targets.

• Aimed to end the NN.Viet support for Vietcong.

• Bombing < American lives as ground warfare.

• At first, cities e.g Hanoi not bombed bcs LBJ didn’t want to anger the USSR + CN by targeting civilians. Policy changed, USA began saturation bombing (everything in sight)

• used napalm and Agent Orange to burn off leaves/vegetation.

• Napalm could also injure people horribly and Agent Orange

  contained dioxin, which poisoned the environment and caused long- term effects, such as cancers and deformities.

A surprise attack on the 31st January, 1968 by the Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army on more than 100 cities, towns, and military bases in S.Viet.

• 100k+ ppl were killed (47% Vietcong, 5% ARVN, 2% US).

• Military failure for N.Viet but a moral victory nonetheless.

• N.Viet agree to peace talks soon after.

• Vietcong never recovered from the setback of Tet.

• Huge turning point + major reason why more Americans turned against the war.

• Before Tet Americans = quite confident + US media had given the Americans back home the impression that the war would soon end.

A mass killing of hundreds of Vietnamese civilians by US troops in the village of My Lai on March 16th 1968. Over 2 hrs, killed around 300, likely more.

Pictures shown around the world and ppl appalled, more Americans turn against the war.

A policy initiated by President Nixon to withdraw US troops from Vietnam and transfer the responsibility of fighting to the South Vietnamese army after LBJ opened peace talks and stepped down as pres. These peace talks were also continued.

Nixon ordered the invasion of Cambodia in 1970 and then Laos in 1971.

Aim = disrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail, destroy Vietcong bases there.

ARVN failed attempts, prove could not cope w/o US troops.

Led to more protests against the war back in the USA (seemed like Nixon was escalating the war, instead of bringing peace)

4 American students were shot dead by police in a demonstration at Kent State University on May 4th 1970.

Led to more anger abt US involvement in Viet.

A network of paths and roads used by the North Vietnamese to transport troops and supplies to the Vietcong in South Vietnam.

1. October 1972, a peace agreement was reached.

2. S.Viet Pres Thieu, furious, believed the peace agreement would leave his country at the mercy of N.Viet.

3. 1973, the last American troops left Vietnam, ARVN to fight the communists on their own, US started to decrease aid sent. Thieu = more angry!

4. N.Viet invaded South, by July 1976, Vietnam reunified + ruled by comm.

Destruction of villages, brutal treatment of civilians (hundreds of thousands of orphans and wounded civilians and soldiers to be cared for), economic devastation, agriculture destroyed, and environmental damage.

Opposition to the war, draft evasion, and resentment over unequal distribution of the burden of fighting.

Heavy casualties. A total of 58,000 troops were killed.

The media played a significant role in creating opposition to the war by showing pictures of the horrors of the war, such as the use of napalm.

Young people were especially critical of the war. Hippies told people to "make love, not war”.

BUT many Americans did still support the war and the fight against communism

Many Americans believed that the war was immoral and that the US government had no right to impose its views on a poor nation like Vietnam.

Some war veterans opposed the war and threw away their medals during the Veterans' March in Washington in 1971.

Vietnam veterans suffered from illnesses, mental problems, and high rates of suicide (tens of thousands). They were often treated as second-class citizens and faced broken marriages and addiction issues.

The war cost $167 billion and led to increased racism in the USA. It also resulted in the production of numerous books, films, TV shows, and plays. The US were blamed for war crimes.

The USA underestimated the Vietcong and the NVA.

Struggled with guerrilla warfare.

Young and inexperienced troops who faced difficulties with the Vietnamese climate and terrain.

ARVN soldiers were unmotivated with corrupt officers.

S.Viet gov were also corrupt and the US never gained support from the Vietnamese people (didn’t understand them nor their history).

Opposition grew at home.

The NVA and Vietcong used guerrilla tactics effectively.

Were determined to win despite US bombing + many casualties.

Received support from the USSR and China.

Had support from the people in the South.

South Vietnam became communist, communism spread to Cambodia and Laos, the US lost confidence in its ability to contain communism (END OF TRUMAN DOCTRINE - Nixon), and American pride was significantly affected. Econ/social impacts too.