Vietnam War

What was the Vietnam War?

The Vietnam War was a lengthy conflict which began in 1954, after Vietnam was divided into two. North Vietnam wanted to reunite the country under communism while South Vietnam, assisted by the USA, fought to keep this from happening.

When did the Vietnam War happen?

Officially the Vietnam War began in 1955 and ended in 1975. However, some events prior to 1955 are important in order to understand how the war developed.

What were the key phases in the Vietnam War?

There were 4 key phases to the Vietnam War, including:

• ❖ The 1st phase of the conflict was between 1945 and 1954. The Vietminh fought to drive French imperial rule from Vietnam. This ended with the signing of the Geneva Accords and Vietnam being split into 2 countries. This period is called the First Indochina War.
• ❖ The 2nd phase, between 1957 and 1963, saw the leader of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, fight a bitter civil war against the Vietcong which was supported by Ho Chi Minh's government in the north. This ended with Diem being assassinated just weeks before the American president, John F Kennedy, was assassinated in November 1963.
• ❖ The 3rd phase, from 1964 to 1968, saw a huge escalation in the conflict between America - which before 1964 had no direct military presence in the region - and North Vietnam. America was fighting the Vietcong directly in order to stop a communist takeover in the south.
• ❖ The 4th phase of the conflict, between 1969 and 1973, was defined by America's desire to withdraw from Vietnam and its actions to bring US troops home. The last military personnel were withdrawn from the region in 1973.

Who was involved in the Vietnam War?

There were a number of different parties and nations involved in the war including:

• ❖ France - the roots of the conflict begin with its attempts to maintain rule in Vietnam after the Second World War.
• ❖ Ho Chi Minh's Vietminh, which fought to remove all foreign influences from Vietnam. After the division of the country in 1954, under the Geneva Accords, Ho Chi Minh would become the leader of North Vietnam. Much of the war featured his battles with the Americans as he tried to take over South Vietnam and unite the two nations.
• ❖ The USA was involved in the conflict from July 1950, when it tried to assist the French against the Vietminh.
• ❖ Both China and the USSR were involved, supporting Ho Chi Minh from the start of conflict as he tried to drive out the French.
• ❖ South Vietnam was a new country created in 1954 under the Geneva Accords, and America's presence there was a bid to stop a communist takeover.
• ❖ Cambodia and Laos were drawn into the conflict on occasions, due to shared borders with Vietnam.

What was the role of France in the Vietnam War?

From 1945, the French had fought to keep control of its colonies in Indochina. In Vietnam, over 50,000 French soldiers had been killed as France fought against the Vietminh for 8 years.

What was the background to the Vietnam War?

In 1954, a peace agreement was signed in Geneva between the French and the Vietnamese. Vietnam was divided into communist North Vietnam and US-backed South Vietnam. In 1960 a guerrilla organisation, the Vietcong, was formed in the south. Its aim was to overthrow Diem, the region's leader, and unite the whole of Vietnam under communist rule.

Why did the USA get involved in the Vietnam War?

The USA was concerned about the Domino Theory and could not allow South Vietnam to become communist. It became increasingly involved in supporting South Vietnam as part of its containment policy.

How did the USA get involved in the Vietnam War?

There were 3 key stages to American involvement in the Vietnam War:

• ❖ From 1950, the USA gave $1.6 billion dollars in aid to South Vietnam, and sent political advisers.
• ❖ From 1960, it began to send military advisers to train the South Vietnamese Army.
• ❖ From 1965, it sent American combat troops to Vietnam and became fully involved in the war.

Which US presidents got involved in the Vietnam War?

The USA's involvement in Vietnam spanned 5 different presidents:

• ❖ President Truman, who started sending military aid to the French to fight the Vietminh.
• ❖ President Eisenhower, who was the first to send military aid to the new South Vietnamese government in January 1955.
• ❖ President Kennedy, who began increasing the number of US military advisors sent to Vietnam to train the ARVN - the South Vietnamese army.
• ❖ President Johnson, who committed the first US boots on the ground to Vietnam in March 1965.
• ❖ President Nixon, who led the withdrawal of all American troops from Vietnam.

Why did people protest against the Vietnam War?

One of the defining features of the Vietnam War was the anti-war movement that developed in the USA. Protesters objected to many aspects, including the cost, the rising number of deaths, atrocities committed by US soldiers, and the draft system.

How did people protest against the Vietnam War?

Protests included mass rallies, sit-ins, and the burning of draft cards.

How did the Vietnam War affect the Cold War?

The Vietnam War had an impact on the Cold War in 3 main ways:

• ❖ It was a humiliating defeat for the USA. The world's greatest superpower had been beaten by a small, under-equipped, yet committed guerrilla army. It influenced US involvement in future conflicts.
• ❖ It was a failure of the containment policy, as Vietnam was now united under communist leadership. Laos and Cambodia followed suit in 1975.
• ❖ Ironically, it helped lead to greater cooperation between the superpowers, as the USA sought the Soviet Union's help in ending the war.

What was the cost of the Vietnam War?

The Vietnam War cost much more than anticipated - a total of $167 billion.

What was Congress's response to the Vietnam War after the invasion of Cambodia?

Congress responded to the Vietnam War in 4 important ways after the invasion of Cambodia in 1970.

• ❖ The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was revoked.
• ❖ Military funding was limited.
• ❖ A cut-off date of 30th June 1970 was set for troops to leave Cambodia.
• ❖ A deadline of December 1971 was set for the total withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam.

What were the reasons for the Vietnam War being unwinnable?

Many historians argue the Vietnam War was unwinnable for 9 key reasons:

• ❖ North Vietnam was determined to withstand the USA.
• ❖ The US military struggled to defeat the Vietcong's guerrilla tactics.
• ❖ The war had to stay within limits if the USA was to avoid confrontation with China or the USSR.
• ❖ The Americans knew little about the country.
• ❖ Vietnamese peasants were alienated by American policy, and the tactics used by the US military.
• ❖ Vietnam had a history of opposing conquering countries, such as France and Japan.
• ❖ The USA was unable to close the Ho Chi Minh Trail, which was used to supply the Vietcong.
• ❖ American soldiers were unused to jungle warfare, while the Vietnamese were experts.
• ❖ The South Vietnamese government had been unstable ever since the death of Diem in 1963.