The Vietnam War Era

1
The Vietnam War Era
2
French Indochina

• The French ruled Vietnam since late 1800s
• French made lots of in Indochina exporting
  rubber and rice
• Area included Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos
• Ho Chi Minh (Communist) wanted an independent
  country

3
Asia French Indochina
4
World War II in Indochina

• Japan invaded Indochina Ho Chi Minh and other
  revolutionaries fought the Japanese
• U.S. govt supported Ho Chi Minh
• After WWII France wanted colony back Ho Chi
  Minh others want independence

5
Communism Spreads

• China fell to the Communists in 1949
• U.S. concerned about Communism spreading
  elsewhere
• French fought the Viet Minh Communists in
  Indochina

6
The French fight the Vietnamese

• Vietnam want independence
• U.S. aids the French giving them money and
  supplies
• U.S. wants to stop the spread of Communism
• U.S. also expects Frances support against
  Soviets in Europe

7
The Domino Theory

• The U.S. believes that if one country fell to
  Communism, other nearby countries would become
  Communist also like dominoes

8
French are Defeated

• French army loses to Viet Minh forces at the
  Battle of Dien Bien Phu
• French are forced to leave Vietnam
• Geneva Accords made division of Vietnam at 17N
  latitude
• Ho Chi Minh rules the North
• Ngo Dinh Diem rules the South

9
Ngo Dinh Diem rules South Vietnam

• Anti-Communist / anti-Ho Chi Minh
• Didnt establish democracy like he had promised
• Corrupt government
• Never wins the support of the people
• Opposed by South Vietnamese Communists (The Viet
  Cong)

10
Viet Cong use the Ho Chi Minh Trail

• North Vietnam supported the Viet Cong by sending
  supplies to the South using the Ho Chi Minh Trail
• Supply lines weaved through the jungles of
  neighboring Laos and Cambodia

11
Diem Government Fails

• U.S. Govt told Diem to make reforms he refused
  to do so
• Military coup overthrew Diem in November 1963
• Leaders of the coup had Diem killed
• U.S. now doesnt have a stable ally in South
  Vietnam