1. The Vietnam War
By Rohan A. Rastogi and Nathan Beningson

2. French Colony
• French colony since 1840's
• Japanese takeover
• French receive colony
back
• Ho Chi Minhrevolt in North
nationalist
leads
o Fight for 8 years
o Drive out French
• Geneva Conference divides
on 17th parallel
• US increases influence in
South

3. North Vietnam vs. South
Vietnam
• Democratic • State of Vietnam
Republic of
Vietnam (DRV)
• Corrupt, dictatorial
regime under Ngo
• Communist Dinh Diem
• Led by Ho Chi Minh • Anti- communist
• Bring "an era of • US backed
right and justice"
to all of Vietnam
• "Crusade" against
communism

4. Causes of the Vietnam War
1. French Colonialism
• Creates disdain for West
• First Indochina War- split countries
4. Domino Theory
• US belief
• If one country "fell" to communism, then
rest of countries in that region will fall in
turn (like dominos)

5. Causes (cont.)
3. US policy of containment
• Prevent spread of communism
• Korean War
4. North/ South Vietnamese tensions
• Contrasting governments
• Diem's anti-communism leads to guerrilla
fighting near border- Vietcong
• South receiving US aid, advisors

6. Short Term Cause: Gulf of Tonkin
The USS
Maddox

7. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
• Uses excuse to pass
resolution
• Allows president to
control military
without Congress
• Johnson sends
troops
• US Air Force

8. Rolling Thunder
US Air Force unloads tons of bombs on North Vietnam

9. Guerrilla Warfare
• Vietcong: South Vietnamese communists
o Fight US with guerrilla tactics
o Hide in dense forests
o Supplied by Ho Chi Minh Trail
• US use bombs, napalm, Agent Orange
• North Vietnamese Army (NVA)
• Army of Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)
o US backed South Vietnamese army
o Desert in increasing numbers after US involvement

10. Ho Chi Minh Trail

11. Tet Offensive
• Vietcong, NVA join forces
• Attack Urban centers
• Try to spark rebellion
• US, South eventually halt

12. US Attitudes
• Draft
• Tet Offensive
o Thought US winning
• Anti-war protestors
o Protest casualties
o 500,000 people
march on
Washington
• Conservative
support

13. Nixon's Vietnamization
• US offers training,
equipment to
South Vietnam
• US soldiers
presence gradually
reduced
• Fails with corrupt
officers, lack of
Nixon announces troop withdrawals
motivation

14. End of War
• Paris Peace Talks
result in a fragile
peace
• Broken with North
offensive- sweep
across South
• Saigon falls- later
becomes Ho Chi
Minh City

15. Effects of the Vietnam War
1. Casualties
North Vietnam South Vietnam United States
Soldiers Killed 1,100,000 223,748 58,219
Soldiers 600,000 1,169,763 304,704
Wounded
Civilians Killed 2,000,000 415,000 N/A
2. Vietnam devastated
• Bombing destroys cities
• Chemical warfare leads to starvation
• 1.5 million refugees

16. Effects (cont.)
3. United States
• Disillusionment with government
• Less militaristic foreign policy
• Veterans face hostility
4. New Communist Regimes
•Cambodia's Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot kill 1 million
"bourgeoisie" in communist revolt
• Laos
• Motivated by US attacks during war