History of Foreign invaders:

A. Chinese – 111 B.C. – conquer northern Viet Nam

Chinese culture dominates much of Viet Nam:

 Rice agriculture

 Buddhism

 Chinese writing Viet Nam becomes independent by 1700

B. France invades in the mid 1800s

1893 – French have taken over Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos

 French improve Viet Nam – built roads, ports, etc.

 Introduced Roman Catholicism

 Put down opposition to French rule – censorship, secret police, killed Vietnamese nationalists, etc.

 Revolts, strikes against French occur during 1930s:

Led by communists under leadership of Ho Chi Minh: (had formed Indochinese Communist Party in 1930)

 1941 – communists, other nationalists combine – form the “League for Vietnamese Independence” – commonly known as the Vietminh

A.  Japan occupies Viet Nam during WWII  U. S. helps Vietminh – in exchange, U.S. gains info on Japanese movements

POST WWII:

A. 1945 – Vietminh proclaim independence for Viet Nam

 French return

 Ho Chi Minh appeals to Pres. Truman for help

 U.S. ignores the plea – Vietminh is a communist group

 1946 – war breaks out – Vietminh vs. French

 1949 – French set up a puppet gov’t. – headed by Bao Dai:

 1950 – Ho Chi Minh launches a huge offensive -

 Receives aid from China (communist as of 1949)

B. President Truman’s role:

 Fear of communism – communist China, Korean conflict, McCarthyism, etc.

 Increased aid to the French

C. President Eisenhower’s role:

 Believes in “domino theory”

 Again increases aid to the French

D. 1954 – Dien Bien Phu:

 Vietminh finally defeat French  Eisenhower refused to help the French -

 Fear of Soviet/Chinese retaliation, didn’t want to act w/o approval of Congress

E. Geneva Accords – 1954:

 Cease-fire agreed upon

 Viet Nam is divided at 17th parallel

 North – led by Ho Chi Minh

 South – led by Bao Dai

 Elections to be held in 1956 – will unify Viet Nam

 Laos, Cambodia will become independent

F. Bao Dai is overthrown by Ngo Dinh Diem:

 Strong anti-communist leader (will receive U.S. support)

 Refused to hold elections – knew Ho Chi Minh would win

 Antagonized many S. Vietnamese – imprisoned opposition, restricted Buddhist practices, etc.

G. Formation of National Liberation Front (Vietcong)

 Launched guerilla campaign against Diem  Made up of Vietminh, Buddhists, nationalists, liberals who wanted freedoms

 Supported by Ho Chi Minh – By 1959, he will supply arms to NLF via the Ho Chi Minh trail:

 Diem’s response – “strategic hamlet program”: relocate entire villages  Causes Vietcong to gain support – ancestor worship is common

H. President Kennedy’s role:

 Increases aid to Diem - containment

 Sends U.S. “military advisors” to aid Diem - 1963

I. Diem is overthrown:

 Buddhists protest Diem’s oppressive rule

 Military coup – 11/1/1963 – U.S. “looks the other way”  Several governments follow, none much better than Diem’s

J. Tonkin Gulf Resolution:  LBJ – concerned about U. S. credibility

 Saw Vietminh/Vietcong as Chinese “puppets”

 July, 1964 – N. Viet Nam claims U.S. helped S. Viet Nam attack islands

 8/2/1964 – N. Vietnamese “attack” American destroyer, the Maddox:

 Second attack occurs 2 days later

 8/7/1964 – Tonkin Gulf Resolution – provides “blank check” for President

 Feb. 1965 – Johnson begins “Operation Rolling Thunder” – bombing campaign

 March, 1965 – first U.S. combat troops arrive in South Viet Nam

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.leksikon.org/images/ho_chi_minh.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.leksikon.org/art.php%3Fn%3D1120&h=197&w=188&sz=5&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=rjE8DT-LKHeGwM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=99&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dho%2Bchi%2Bminh%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

http://www.coldwarfiles.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=people.details&thisunit=0&peopleid=60

http://www.adambaumgoldgallery.com/Kostabi/Kostabi_Mark4.htm

http://www.ambrosevideo.com/displayitem.cfm?vid=1102

http://www.psywarrior.com/VCLeafletsProp.html

http://www.russian-mosin-nagant.com/photos.htm

http://www.voyagevietnam.net/ger/8-14.php

http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com/archives/2004_02_08_politicalcomment_archive.html

http://www.willthomas.net/Convergence/Weekly/US_Attack_Iran.htm