Vietnam was a French colony that fought against Japanese occupation in WWII. It was divided into communist North Vietnam and democratic South Vietnam following the 1954 Geneva Accords. Ngo Dinh Diem became leader of South Vietnam but faced internal problems like Buddhist protests and government corruption. The US helped train South Vietnamese forces as North Vietnam received weapons from China and the Soviet Union and began insurgency into the South in 1957. The Vietnam War escalated under presidents Kennedy and Johnson as the US increased involvement to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam.

1. The Cold WarThe Cold War
and Vietnamand Vietnam

2. VIETNAM AND FRANCEVIETNAM AND FRANCE
• French colony
• Fight Japanese in
WWII
• Returned to the
France
– Geneva
Convention of
1954: North and
South
Ngo Dinh DiemNgo Dinh Diem

3. VIETNAMVIETNAM
• Communist North
supplied weapons
by China and
Soviet Union
• 1957 North starts
insurgency into
South
• U.S. helps to train
South Vietnamese
forces
Vietnam and Southeast AsiaVietnam and Southeast Asia
(1954–1975)(1954–1975)

4. NGO DINH DIEMNGO DINH DIEM
“All these soldiers I never
asked to come here. Lezly
plahn will slay you all, They
don’t even have passports.”

5. • Diem problems;
Buddhist
protests
• Weakness and
corruption of S.
Vietnamese
gov’ts
• Assassinated in
1963 with tacit
U.S. approval
NGO DINH DIEMNGO DINH DIEM
ASSASINATEDASSASINATED

6. PROTESTS IN S. VIETNAMPROTESTS IN S. VIETNAM
Buddhist monks set themselves on fire in
protest

7. JFK to LBJJFK to LBJ
WAR ESCALATESWAR ESCALATES

8. HO CHI MINHHO CHI MINH
“You can kill ten of my men for every one I kill of
yours, but even then, you will lose and I will win.”
-- Ho Chi Minh
(President of N. Vietnam 1954-1969)

9. THE END OFTHE END OF
VIETNAM WARVIETNAM WAR

10. Cambodia and LaosCambodia and Laos
• Nixon’s Secret
bombings
• Napalm and
Carpet Bombing
of the “Ho Chi
Minh” trail
• Military & political
repercussions

11. THE “END OF THETHE “END OF THE
TUNNEL”TUNNEL”
• Communist S.
Vietnamese
offensive
• Cambodia falls to
communist “Khmer
Rouge”
• Saigon falls to
communist forces
• American
humiliation

13. VIETNAMVIETNAM

14. VIETNAMVIETNAM