vietnam Flashcards
French Indochina date
1887 - 1954
What did the French Indochina consist of?
Modern day Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia
The Viet Minh aims
- they wanted independence from the French
- wanted to set up a communist gov. of Vietnam
Viet Minh leader/supporters
Ho Chi Minh
supported by the chinese
Viet Minh advantages over French
- local: they knew their terrain and could use it to their advantage
- willing to fight and die for their homeland and their future
French Indochina vs Viet Minh war
- 1954: FRA engaged in combat with Viet Minh
- FRA was confident that their superior tech could defeat the Viet Minh- set up a defended airbase at Dien Bien Phu
- French set up a trap for themselves
Why did Viet Minh win at DBP?
- Local conditions
- China’s help
- French problems
- Local support
- Viet Minh commitment
Why did Viet Minh win at DBP? (Local Conditions)
- the Viet Minh understood the country and its conditions
- saw access to the mountains was possible
Why did Viet Minh win at DBP? (China’s help)
- provided weapons and ammo
- 20,000 bikes to move supplies
- helped in planning
- sent some troops
Why did Viet Minh win at DBP? ( French problems)
- underestimated support for the Viet Minh and how well-armed they are
- French supply planes were shot down
- Troops lacked commitment, they were not fighting for their home
Why did Viet Minh win at DBP? (Local support)
- local villagers helped the Vietminh to dig five new roads to move supplies/ helped move supplies
- spied on the French
Why did Viet Minh win at DBP? (Viet Minh commitment)
- worked all day and night to build roads and move supplies
- fought for their independence from French rule
The Geneva accords - why was Vietnam divided?
- after Dien Bien Phi, French and Vietnamese representatives met at neutral Switzerland for peace talks.
- July 1954- Geneva accords signed. Neither side was happy
Reasons why North Vietnam was unhappy:
- Ho Chi Minh controlled less land than they had at the end of the war with France
- Ho Chi Minh would only run the North communist, Bad Dai would run the South with president DIEM (anti-communist)
Reasons why South Vietnam was unhappy:
- Vietnamese people could move 300 days after the accord. They worried people would desert the South for the communist North
- No US/ foreign troops could set up bases, and the south relied on American help - the USA refused to recognize the accords
Reasons why BOTH North and south Vietnam were unhappy:
- Vietnam was divided along the 17th parallel with a demilitarized zone which no troops could enter. Both sides felt vulnerable to an attack
- No system pu in place for elections in 1956
What were the Viet Cong?
Communist fighters inside South Vietnam who wanted to overthrow the gov.
Why did the USA get involved in Vietnam?
The domino theory. Eisenhower feared the spread of communism
US involvement in Vietnam (1954- 1964)
March 1954- Dien Bien Phu, USA paid for 80% of French costs
May 1954- USA refused to help the French militarily
July 1954- USA joined in negotiations, but refused to accept the Geneva accords
Oct 1954- Eisenhower promised to support the S.V. gov.
Oct 1955- U.S. officials assisted with S.V. elections - Diem elected
July 1956 - Diem refused to hold elections. USA supported this
November 1960 - USA urged Diem to be more democratic after Viet Minh attempt to overthrow him
Jan 1961- Kennedy began sending military advisors to Vietnam
Jan 1962- 800 US green berets (special forces) helped set up hamlets (small settlements) - Strategic Hamlets Program
Jan 1963- US gave S.V. soldiers air support in the Battle of Ap Bac (they still lost)
Nov 1963- Kennedy assassinated. 16,000 US “advisors” in Vietnam by this time
Aug 1964- Gulf of Tonkin incident - the warship USS Maddox claims it came under attack. As a result, President Johnson authorized the use of U.S. forces in Vietnam.
Diem’s government (S.V.)
- referendum against Bao Dai rigged with US support
- catholic: favored catholics, BUT most people were buddhists
- nepotist
- little understanding of peasant’s lives
- refused to hold elections in 1956
examples of Diem’s oppression
- arrested political and religious opponents
- ‘denounce a communist campaign’
- 1957- he sent the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) to find and arrest communists. 65,000 arrested and 2,000 killed
Kennedy’s approach to Vietnam
problems:
- 12,000 VC soldiers
- 1/2 of S.V. under partial communist control
- Diem not coping
approach:
- use ARVN (+ US support) to hunt and destroy VC
- win over the ‘hearts and minds’ of the villagers to pacify them
worsening oppression against buddhists (background)
In 1963, Diem’s position worsened - ARVN soldiers + US support lost the battle of Ap Bar despite outnumbering the VC 5: 1.
60 troops, 3 US advisors and 5 US helicopters were lost. Only 3 VC found dead -> BIG HUMILIATION.
worsening oppression against buddhists
- 9 were killed and 14 injured when ARVN soldiers fired at a Buddhist procession
- prohibition of flying flags on Buddha’s birthday
- Buddhist temples raided
- 11th June 1963 - Quang Duc burnt himself alive in Saignon in protest
the end of Diem.
- Diem had taken American money and resources but ignored their advice
- Autumn of 1963- Diem had lost faith in US gov. and his own generals
- 1st Nov 1963- ARVN troops under the command of ARVN generals stormed Diem’s palace
- Diem shot dead, and ARVN General Minh (NOT HO CHI MINH) was put in charge.
- USA was aware of the plan and did not warn Diem
Kennedy’s death date
22nd November 1963
President after Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson (aka LBJ)
LBJ’s new tasks:
- influence S.V. gov. to act democratically
- Help new gov. win over the people of S.V.
- withdraw US advisors and other forces ASAP
Anti war US Statements
- the draft is not fair -> young soldiers
- all war is wrong -> pacifists
- the S.V. gov. is repressive
- support from African Americans (racism in America)
- money should be spent improving black ghettos
Pro war US statements
- support US troops
- fighting comm.
- fighting for the freedom of S.V.
- ex-soldiers
Why did people ended up supporting the war?
- fear of comm.
- preserving trad. American ideals
opposition to vietnam war
- 8.5 million students by 1970
- the draft (men aged 18-26)
- Media coverage - questioned the actions of US leaders
- political opposition
- My Lai (war crime//massacre) - 1968 by American soldiers
why did the USA fail in Vietnam?
27th Jan 1973-> Paris agreement: ceasefire between the USA, N.V., S.V., and V.C.
March 1975- North Vietnamese launched a full- scale invasion of South Vietnam
30th April 1975 - Saigon (capital of S.V.) fell. The last US advisors and troops were evacuated in a last-minute and humiliating scramble. Definitely NOT Nixon’s ‘honorable’ withdrawal.
Reasons for US failure in Vietnam (political)
- some people in congress opposed the war
- congress cut funding for the war
- lots of people in the US opposed the war
- S.V. unpopular and corrupt
Reasons for US failure in Vietnam (military)
- V.C. and guerrilla tactics worked. Comm. and N.V. soldiers fought well
- low morale - drug use and fragging (soldiers killing officers) were common
- N.V. and V.C. had aid from USSR and China
- the VC were good at organizing and gaining support
- the draft led to US troops being young, inexperienced and poorly trained
Reasons for US failure in Vietnam (economic)
- American involvement was hugely expensive
- N.V. and V.C. had aid from USSR and China
- congress cut funding for the war
Reasons for US failure in Vietnam (geographical)
- The USA had a lacking of understanding of the Vietnamese landscape, climate etc.
Reasons for US failure in Vietnam (cultural)
-most Vietnamese people wanted Vietnam to be an united and independent country
- The US backed S.V. which was mainly catholic an alienated the majority of Buddhist population
Conclusion as to why the USA lost
- Viet Cong had a purpose/will to fight, they would not give up
- American soldiers were young, inexperienced and did not know what they were fighting for
