This document provides an overview of the Vietnam War from 1945 to 1975, including key events and people on both sides. It discusses the escalation of US involvement over time due to fears of communism spreading. Major events covered include the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954, the US backing of Ngo Dinh Diem as South Vietnam's president, the Gulf of Tonkin incident leading to greater US bombing, and the Tet Offensive turning public opinion against the war in the US. The document also examines domestic impacts and protests against the war on the US home front.

1. AGENDA VETS EVENT/HW SLIDESHOW KENNEDY & VIETNAM NOTES—ESCALATION VIDEO HW: VETS BIO/QUESTIONS/STUDY GUIDE

2. VIETNAM THE THIRTY YEAR FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE

4. KEY TERMS AND PEOPLE

5. HO CHI MINH EDUCATED IN EUROPE, INFLUENCED BY LENIN, & AMERICAN REVOLUTION UNITED COMMUNISTS, NATIONALISTS, ALL POLITICAL FACTIONS --FORMS VIETMINH LEADER OF THE FIGHT FOR VIETNAMESE INDEPENDENCE AND UNIFICATION OF VIETNAM

6. VIETMINH FORMED BY HO CHI MINH AND VO NGUYEN GIAP LED PRIMARILY BY COMMUNISTS BUT WELCOMES PEOPLE OF ANY POLITICAL PERSUASION FOUGHT IN WWII, HELP DEFEAT JAPAN DEFEAT FRENCH IN 1954 ESTABLISH COMMUNIST GOVT. IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF VIETNAM

7. NGO DINH DIEM FIRST PRESIDENT OF SOUTH VIETNAM (1955-1963) DEVOUT CATHOLIC, ANTI-COMMUNIST CORRUPT—EXECUTES 50,000 COMMUNISTS AND DISSIDENTS, IMPRISONS 75,000

8. VIETCONG—AKA NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT VIETCONG—S. VIETNAMESE “COMMUNIST” GUERILLAS ONLY ABOUT 10% WERE ACTUALLY COMMUNISTS, MOST NATIONALIST PEASANTS AND INTELLECTUALS UP UNTIL 1963 VC DO MUCH OF THE FIGHTING AGAINST SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT/ AMERICANS

9. 1945-1963 The U.S. and Vietnam: Two Worlds Collide

10. 1945-US US DROPS ATOMIC BOMBS ON HIROSHIMA and NAGASAKI, JAPAN (8/6 & 8/9) ENDS WWII JAPAN SURRENDERS IN VIETNAM

11. HIROSHIMA BEFORE THE BOMBING HIROSHIMA AFTER THE BOMBING

12. 1945/1946-VIETNAM HO CHI MINH DECLARES VIETNAM’S INDEPENDENCE (9/2) BRITISH FORCES RESTORE AUTHORITY TO THE FRENCH—ALLOW SOME AUTONOMY INDOCHINA WAR BREAKS OUT VIETNAM, CAMBODIA, LAOS v. FRENCH

13. US 1947-1949 MARSHALL PLAN OFFER FINANCIAL/ ECONOMIC AID TO WESTERN EUROPE—HELP REBUILD EUROPE AFTER WWII MAKE COUNTRIES LESS LIKELY TO FALL TO COMMUNISM NATO FORMED ALLIANCE OF US AND WESTERN EUROPEAN NATIONS

14. VIETNAM 1947-1949 VIETMINH MOVE INTO HANOI (N. VIETNAM) FRENCH FAIL TO DEFEAT VIETMINH EARLY FRENCH PLEDGE TO BUILD NATIONAL ANTI-COMMUNIST ARMY ->

15. US 1950-1953 US ENTERS KOREAN WAR MCCARTHYISM JULIUS AND ETHEL ROSENBERG EXECUTED FOR ESPIONAGE

16. VIETNAM –1950-1953 USSR AND CHINA GIVE WEAPONS TO VIETMINH US PLEDGES $15 MILLION TO AID FRENCH AGAINST VIETMINH (TRUMAN) 1953—FRANCE GRANTS LAOS INDEPENDENCE

17. US 1954-1955 BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION PRES. EISENHOWER FORMALLY ANNOUNCES DOMINO THEORY DISNEY LAND OPENS

18. VIETNAM 1954-1955 VIETMINH DEFEAT FRENCH AT DIEN BIEN PHU GENEVA CONFERENCE-- SCHEDULES 1956 ELECTIONS TO UNIFY COUNTRY DIEM REFUSES NATIONWIDE ELECTIONS DIEM BECOMES PRES. OF S. VIETNAM (EISENHOWER SUPPORTS)

19. US 1956-1957 SOVIET PREMIER, KHRUSHCHEV, “WE WILL BURY YOU” SOVIETS LAUNCH SPUTNIK LITTLE ROCK 9

20. VIETNAM 1956-1957 FRENCH LEAVE VIETNAM ELECTION DEADLINE PASSES US TRAINS SOUTH VIETNAMESE ARMY COMMUNIST INSURGENCY BEGINS SOUTH VIETNAM VIETCONG

21. US 1958-1959 BROOKLYN DODGERS AND NY GIANTS MOVE TO CALIFORNIA US STEEL CALLS STRIKE CUBAN REVOLUTION

22. VIETNAM 1958-1959 COMMUNIST FORCES SETTLE IN S. VIETNAM WEAPONS BEGIN MOVING ALONG HO CHI MINH TRAIL DIEM ORDERS CRACKDOWN ON COMMUNISTS/DISSIDENTS

23. US 1960-1961 U-2 SPY INCIDENT SIT-INS AT LUNCH COUNTERS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH JFK ELECTED PRESIDENT BAY OF PIGS FIASCO

24. VIETNAM 1960-1961 KENNEDY AUTHORIZES GREEN BERETS V.P. LYNDON JOHNSON DECLARES “STRONG US SUPPORT FOR DIEM

25. US 1962-1963 US-SOVIET SHOWDOWN: CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS MLK DELIVERS “I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH” PRESIDENT KENNEDY ASSASSINATED

26. VIETNAM 1962-1963 US EMPLOYS AGENT ORANGE BATTLE OF AP BAC DIEM OVERTHROWN IN MILITARY COUP MAJOR GENERAL VAN MINH DUONG WITH NEW PRIME MINISTER NGUYEN NGOC THO.

27. Upon learning of Diem’s ouster and death, Ho Chi Minh is reported to have said, "I can scarcely believe the Americans would be so stupid.“ After Diem’s assassination, South Vietnam was unable to establish a stable government and numerous coups took place during the first several years after his death. While the U.S. continued to influence South Vietnam's government, the assassination bolstered North Vietnamese attempts to characterize the South Vietnamese as supporters of colonialism

28. The North Vietnamese Politburo was more explicit, predicting: "The consequences of the 1 November coup d'état will be contrary to the calculations of the U.S. imperialists ... Diem was one of the strongest individuals resisting the people and Communism. Everything that could be done in an attempt to crush the revolution was carried out by Diem. Diem was one of the most competent lackeys of the U.S. imperialists ... Among the anti-Communists in South Vietnam or exiled in other countries, no one has sufficient political assets and abilities to cause others to obey. Therefore, the lackey administration cannot be stabilized. The coup d'état on 1 November 1963 will not be the last.“

29. AMERICA ESCALATES LBJ: THE TRAGEDY OF VIETNAM

30. THE WAR EVOLVES (1963) HOW DO N. VIET./VC VIEW THE WAR? WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE HOW DID DIEM’S OUSTING IMPACT THE WAR? N.VIETNAM ARMY INCREASES ROLE—WHY? PAVN: TIME TO STRIKE N. VIET. INCREASE ATTACKS W/ VIETCONG (VC )

31. LBJ TAKES THE REIGNS--1964 LBJ WINS ELECTION GREAT SOCIETY OVERSHADOWED GULF OF TONKIN INCIDENT GULF OF TONKIN RESOLUTION US TROOP LEVELS REACH 206,000

32. VIETNAM (1964-1965) GENERAL NGUYEN KHANH SEIZES POWER GULF OF TONKIN INCIDENT OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER BATTLE OF IA DRANG

33. U.S. STRATEGY GENERAL WESTMORELAND US COMMANDER IN VIETNAM WAR OF ATTRITION OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER SUSTAINED US BOMBING CAMPAIGN V. N. VIETNAM

34. BATTLING THE ELEMENTS

35. FIGHTING AN INVISIBLE ENEMY: VIETCONG TUNNEL SYSTEM

36. FIGHTING AN INVISIBLE ENEMY

38. AGENT ORANGE

39. THE WAR HEATS UP

40. MAJOR BATTLE SITES

41. Vietnam on the Home Front Why do you think the Vietnam War will become such a controversial war and cause contention on the home front? Television/Media Coverage Draft Tensions Already High in U.S. Cold War Civil Rights Movement

43. VIETNAM CLASS DISCUSSION LBJ—GREAT SOCIETY MCNAMARA STUDY VIETCONG STRATEGY STUDY GUIDE

45. US 1966-1967 LBJ MEETS S. VIETNAMESE LEADERS DOW RECRUITERS DRIVEN FROM WISCONCIN CAMPUS

46. VIETNAM 1966-1967 B-52s HEAVY BOMBING OF NORTH OPERATION CEDAR FALLS BEGINS MCNAMARA CALLS BOMBING RAIDS INEFFECTIVE

47. TET VIETNAMESE NEW YEAR (LIKE XMAS) COOK, CLEAN, SHOP, FAMILY/RELATIVES, DECORATE NEW YEAR TREE (BAMBOO POLE) FAMILY AT THE CENTER/ HONOR ANCESTORS

48. TET OFFENSIVE BEGINS JAN 31 ST . N. VIETNAM: “TIME RUNNING OUT” COORDINATED ATTACK AGAINST 100 S. VN CITIES

49. TET OFFENSIVE OBJECTIVES EXHAUST U.S. WAR POTENTIAL SPLIT THIEU GOVERNMENT IN SOUTH VIETNAM TERRORIZE SOUTH VIETNAM TURN PEOPLE AGAINST US FORCE US TO NEGOTIATING TABLE

50. VIETNAM 1968 TET OFFENSIVE BATTLE OF HUE MY LAI MASSACRE SEARCH AND DESTROY PARIS PEACE TALKS

51. US 1968 US TROOP LEVELS REACH 537,000 MLK JR. ASSASSINATED IN MEMPHIS ROBERT KENNEDY ASSASSINATED NIXON ELECTED 1968 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

52. VIETNAM 1969-1970 NIXON BEGINS SECRET BOMBING OF CAMBODIA U.S. ANNOUNCES VIETNAMIZATION HO CHI MINH DIES

53. US 1969-1970 DRAFT EXTENDED LARGEST ANTI-WAR PROTEST IN HISTORY (11/15/69) D.C. WOODSTOCK KENT STATE

54. US 1971-1972 PENTAGON PAPERS ARE PUBLISHED DANIEL ELLSBERG BREAK-IN AT WATERGATE HOTEL US/N. VIETNAM CLOSE TO PEACE PLAN

55. VIETNAM 1971-1972 SECRET PEACE TALKS BETWEEN US AND N. VIETNAM US INCREASES BOMBING OF HANOI AND HAIPHONG

56. US 1973-1974 CEASE FIRE SIGNED FINAL US TROOPS BROUGHT HOME NIXON RESIGNS

57. VIETNAM 1973-1974 THIEU ANNOUNCES RENEWAL OF WAR COMMUNISTS TAKE MEKONG DELTA COMM. PLAN MAJOR OFFENSIVE PAVN --BY WAR’S END EQUIPPED TO FIGHT CONVENTIONAL WAR

58. VIETNAM 1975 COMMUNISTS TAKE CONTROL THROUGHOUT VIETNAM LAST AMERICANS EVACUATE AS SAIGON FALLS

59. VIETNAM—COMMUNIST GOVT. ISSUES FACING VIETNAM: COUNTRY REUNIFIED AFTER YEARS OF COLONIAL RULE AND CIVIL WAR SOME ANGER/DISTRUST SOUTH SOCIETY HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY WEST CHANGING SOUTH FROM CAPITALIST SOCIETY TO COMMUNIST SOCIETY BRAIN DRAIN SOUTH VIETNAMESE LEADERS

60. COMMUNIST POLICIES THOUGHT REFORM—PARTY SPONSORED STUDY SESSIONS AIM TO DESTROY CAPITALIST CLASS POPULATION RELOCATION—COLLECTIVED FARMS; LABOR CAMPS CONSTANT SURVEILLANCE

61. SE ASIA TODAY #1 ISSUE FACING THE REGION: GOVT. CORRUPTION LAOS/VIETNAM SLOWLY ACCEPTING CAPITALISM STILL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES THAILAND: ASIAN TIGER—MODEL FOR THE REGION