Vietnam Review - Day 1, 25-26

•Where in

the
World is
Vietnam?

•Vietnam is
located in
Southeast
Asia.

France & Vietnam

• After WWII ended in 1945, the

Japanese were forced to leave
their control of Vietnam.

• France, who had control

of Vietnam from the late
1800s to the beginning of
WWII, had every
intention of regaining its
lost territory once World
War II was over.

Vietnam after WWII

• After WWII ended in 1945,

Vietnam wanted to be
independent

• the Vietnamese had no

intention of allowing the
French to rule them once
again.

Ho Chi Minh
• In 1954 he (Ho Chi Minh)

gains control of North
Vietnam.

• He is the leader of the

Indochinese Communist
Party (1930)

• Ho Chi Minh’s goal is to win

Vietnam’s independence from
foreign rule.

Remember Containment?

•A U.S. policy that took measures to
prevent any spread of communistic rule to
other countries.

Communism

Communism

Communism

America Helps France

• The U.S. gets involved in Vietnam in 1950 in order to help

France re-establish its rule and to help fight the spread of
Communism. (Containment - Cold War policy)

– That year, the U.S. sends nearly $15 million in economic aid to France.
– $1 billion is sent over the next four years to help France win its war in

Vietnam.

• Despite massive U.S. aid, the French could not overtake

Vietnam and surrendered in May of 1954.

Geneva Accords

• From May through July 1954, several

countries met in Geneva, Switzerland to
hammer out a peace agreement.

• This meeting, called the Geneva

Accords
– temporarily divided Vietnam at the 17th

parallel.

– into Communist controlled North-Vietnam
– and non-Communist controlled South

Vietnam

Genevea Accords -

Vietnam is split

• Because of the Geneva

Accords:

• North Vietnam is Communist

& under the control of Ho
Chi Minh’s nationalistic
forces

• South Vietnam is

non-communist and is fighting
against the North’s attacks

Increased Presence in Vietnam

• The Geneva Accords also specified that

elections would be held in in 1956 in both North
and South Vietnam to elect a leader and unify
Vietnam.

• However, as South

Vietnam became more
unstable with Vietcong
attacks, it seemed as if a
communistic take over
was inevitable from North
Vietnam.

President Lyndon B. Johnson

• As President,Johnson believed it

was necessary to increase U.S.
presence in S. Vietnam

• Johnson wanted to contain

communism in Vietnam.

• At the time of Johnson’s re-election

in 1964, his favorability rating
showed that 61% of Americans
supported the U.S. policy in
Vietnam.

Cold War Fears Revived

“I’m not going to be the
president who saw
Southeast Asia go the
way China went.”

z
🡪 Domino Theory revived –

z
The idea that if a nation falls to
communism, nearby nations will also
fall under communistic control.

Tonkin Gulf Resolution (1964)

• In 1964, Congress approved the

Tonkin Gulf Resolution(1964) –

• Although this was not a declaration of war,

– Congress gave the President

almost unlimited military power to
wage war in Vietnam to prevent
armed attacks on U. S. forces

– Johnson had the power to send as

many troops and spend as much
money as he wanted in Vietnam

The Gulf of Tonkin

Resolution

Think about it this way….

to send as many troops and spend as much money as

he wanted in Vietnam WITHOUT OFFICIALLY

DECLARING WAR!

It was as if President

Johnson was given a credit

card with unlimited

credit…..

Multiple Choice

After the 1954 Geneva Conference, which action became part of U.S. foreign policy?

• .The gradual buildup of financial and military aid to South Vietnam.

• The gradual buildup of economic and industrial aid to North Vietnam.

• The use of diplomatic efforts to reunify Cambodia and South Vietnam.

• The use of military force to restore French rule in Laos and North Vietnam.

Multiple Choice

What was the overall goal of U.S. military intervention in Vietnam from 1964–1973?

• Eliminating trade barriers between the United States and Southeast Asia

• Isolating the Soviet Union by improving Chinese relations with the United States

• Promoting economic growth in the Pacific region

• Preventing communism from spreading throughout Southeast Asia

Multiple Choice

The domino theory, which provided the basis for U.S. entry into the Vietnam War, was the belief that intervention was necessary to prevent —

• the expansion of communism across Southeast Asia

• the inclusion of Taiwan in the Warsaw Pact

• the loss of UN military bases in Asia

• the rise of China as a dominant economic power

Multiple Choice

The primary reason given by U.S. leaders to justify military involvement in Vietnam was that it would —

• promote reconstruction after World War II

• maintain the policy of détente

• fulfill prior United Nations obligations

• keep communism from spreading throughout the region

Multiple Choice

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution increased the power of the executive branch by —

• allowing the president to use military force without a declaration of war by Congress

• authorizing the president to choose the Senate Majority Leader

• allowing the president to introduce bills to Congress

• expanding the president’s right to executive privilege

Great Job!