US INVOLVEMENT IN CONTEXT – THE INVOLVEMENT UNDER EISENHOWER OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965) (1968)

. Cold War was a period of tension . Eisenhower was president 1953-61. . Bombing campaign that targeted Ho . Major communist attack on US between the USA and USSR. It . He believed in ‘’, the INVOLVEMENT UNDER KENNEDY Chi Minh Trail and industrial areas in bases and cities in . began after WW2. idea that if one country became the North. . Communists captured key sites . The two countries had different communist then others nearby . Kennedy was president 1961-1963. . Weapons such as napalm and such as US embassy in Saigon. beliefs about government and would follow. . Continued Eisenhower’s approach; pineapple bombs were used. . 84,000 communists took part. economics: US was capitalist while . America supported in their sent 16,000 more advisors. . The first ground troops were sent to . It was a military win for USA: USSR was communist. war against the Vietminh; by 1954, . Tried to win Vietnamese peasants Vietnam to guard the air bases. . US troops quickly retook all the . They never actually fought each they were paying about 80% of on side (pacification). . Limits to Rolling Thunder’s success: sites taken by the communists. other, but fought in proxy wars. France’s war costs. . Helped set up Strategic Hamlet . Trail was constantly . VC were practically wiped out . In 1957 Eisenhower set up SEATO, a Program (1962) to prevent villagers repaired, so supplies still got as an effective fighting force group of countries who worked being recruited by VC. This failed through. (58,000 deaths). together to stop because peasants hated being . Did not target aid coming from . But a political win for communists: END OF FRENCH RULE IN VIETNAM spreading in Asia. moved from their old homes. China or the USSR. . They had embarrassed USA by . Battle of Ap Bac (Jan 1963): ARVN taking them by surprise. . Vietnam had been a French colony. . He sent US advisors to help train . Killed innocent civilians, which lost, despite US support. . Resulted in massive anti-war France called the region Indochina. the ARVN (South Vietnam Army). created opposition both in . Quang Duc famously burned himself feeling at home in USA. . After WW2, a group called the He knew Diem’s government was Vietnam and at home in the US. to death in protest against Diem’s Vietminh fought against France for unlikely to survive without US help. treatment of Buddhists (June 1963). independence. . Diem was assassinated in an army . The Vietminh were led by Ho Chi coup in November 1963. Kennedy SEARCH AND DESTROY VIETNAMISATION UNDER NIXON Minh, who happened to be a was killed just weeks later. communist. They were strongest in . US soldiers searched villages for VC . Nixon was president 1969-74. the north of Vietnam. then ordered them to be bombed . Applied his ‘Nixon Doctrine’ to . USA was anti-communist so or sprayed. Vietnam  Vietnamisation. This supported the French against Ho. INVOLVEMENT UNDER JOHNSON . US measured success by body meant handing the fighting back to . France was defeated at Dien Bien count, but ignored problems, e.g.: the ARVN, so US troops could leave. Phu in May 1954. Reasons for . Johnson was president 1963-69. . Once an area was ‘destroyed’ . USA would still provide air support, Vietminh victory: . Like previous presidents, he wanted the US left, allowing the VC to training and equipment though. DIEM’S WEAKNESSES . Familiar with terrain to avoid a full-blown war. He sent move straight back in. . Failed because: more advisors (20,000 by 1964). . Had support of locals . Diem refused to hold elections in . US troops destroyed innocent . ARVN struggled to cope alone. . incident (Aug 1964): . Had more troops: 50,000 1956 (ignoring the Geneva Accords) civilians’ homes, creating . US troops lost motivation. US ships claimed to have been fired compared to 15,000 French because he feared most people opposition. . Training and equipment was at by North Vietnamese boats. . Had support from China would vote for the communists. . One notable example is Operation often rushed/not translated. . Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin . His government was weak, corrupt Cedar Falls (1967). Villagers Resolution, which gave the and unpopular: returned to their homes, not President permission to take any . He hunted down suspected realising the USA had declared the GENEVA ACCORDS (1954) action necessary in Vietnam. EXPANSION OF WAR UNDER NIXON communists. area a ‘free-fire’ zone. . Johnson authorised air strikes and . Vietnam was temporarily divided . He was Catholic, but Vietnam . Cambodia (1970): troops were sent ground troops in Vietnam. By 1965 was mostly Buddhist. He to damage the into North and South. there were 184,300 US troops there. . (communist) was treated Buddhists harshly. VIETCONG TACTICS and prevent a communist takeover ruled by Ho Chi Minh. . He gave top government jobs in Cambodia. Caused public outrage, . South Vietnam (non-communist) to his own family (nepotism). . Guerrilla warfare – used traps (e.g. leading to cancellation of Tonkin was ruled by former emperor Bao . He did not bring in laws to help (1961-71) punji sticks), sabotage, ‘hit and run’ Resolution by Congress. Dai, with Diem as Prime Minister. the ordinary peasants. ambushes, tunnels, blended in with . Laos (1971): US provided air support Diem got rid of Bao Dai and made . A group of communist rebels called . Use of chemical weapons to kill the peasant population  very for ARVN invasion. ARVN were himself President in 1955. the Vietcong began to operate in crops and jungle needed by the VC, hard for US troops to defeat! driven out by the communists. . Elections would be held in 1956 to South Vietnam. They were backed e.g. and Agent Blue. . Only fought major battles . Bombing of North Vietnam (1972): reunite the country. by North Vietnam, who sent . Began in 1961 under Kennedy. occasionally, e.g. Tet (1968). Response to North Vietnam’s Easter . No foreign troops would set up supplies down via the Ho Chi Minh . Caused starvation and long-term . VC groups coordinated as National Offensive. Targeted cities, industrial bases in Vietnam. Trail from 1959. health damage  opposition. Liberation Front ( NLF) in 1960. areas and aid from China and USSR.