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Vietnam declare independence
September 2, 1945
From 1880s, Vietnam belonged to France, and then Japan during WWII. In 1941, Ho Chi Minh, a Vietnamese communist, helped a group going against foreign control in northern Vietnam, people who participated in the group were called Viet Minh. Finally, with a little aid from the US, Vietnam declared its independence on September 2, 1945, the same day that Japan formally surrendered to the Allies. Ho Chi Minh later then made a speech declaring their independence, which he said that -
US military aid to French Indochina
Despite the agony of getting into another conflict after the Korean War among many people, President Truman decided to aid the French military in the First Indochina War in fear of an establishment of a communist government in Asia, This aid rose from $10 million in 1950 to more than $100 million in 1951. By 1954, the United States was paying 80 percent of the cost of the war in Indochina. -
Start of the Battle Of Dien Bien Phu
The start point of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, which began in 1954 when the Viet Minh launched a surprise attack on a large French military base at Dien Bien Phu. By April, more than 12000 French soldiers at Dien Bien Phu appeared to ready to give up, which might knock the French out. Eisenhower wanted to send B-29 aircraft to bomb Vietnam, but did not want to act alone and wanted commitment from Britain. -
End of the Battle Of Dien Bien Phu
On Apil 7, the Eisenhower warned that if Vietnam fell to communism, the rest of the southeast Asia would fell. On May 7, 1954, the Viet Minh finally overran the French Base. ending the battle of Dien Bien Phu. -
Geneva Accords
July 1954- After the French had been defeated at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and lost public support, France, who wanted to maintain control over South Vietnam, and Viet Minh, demanding absolute independence, met in Geneva, Switzerland to negotiate. Not wanting to antagonize the U.S for establishing a communist government, China and USSR urged Viet Minh to accept France’s compromise. Under the Geneva Accords, Vietnam was split along the 17th parallel, north of which lay the territory of Viet Min -
National election to unify Vietnam
National elections to reunify Vietnam were to be held in 1956. -
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Under the existing tension between the US (helping French) and North Vietnam, covert attacks on radar stations along North Vietnam coast -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Mistaking a false attack in the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, the congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in response to the president’s request to have full authority in ordering immediate air strikes against NV. It allowed the president “to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression.” -
“Hawks” argue for involvement (Jan 1, 1965)
Hawks are people who support spreading US military influence in Vietnam because they thought by doing so, it would help containing communism; most LBJ’s advisers were hawks. Thier arguments were
Domino theory; Countries around Vietnam might became communist country too
Against Appeasement; WWII happens because the allies appeases with Hitler
American credibility; America, as a world leader that fights communism, shouldn’t be “soft on communism” -
“Doves” argue against involvement
The doves contended that escalating the war would not guarantee victory, argued that the war was unwinnable. Which they pointed to the case of Korea which US troops had fought a costly war for three years but achieved a little. The doves predicted that the war would be more deadly. And they argued the involvement of war is not in the nation’s interest and feared that China might counter the entry of U.S. ground troops. -
Americanization of the war
The relationships between United States and Vietnam changed since the landing of the first combat force, U.S. marines would take key cities and other vital sites along the coast and transform them into modern military bases. And use bases to launch search-and-destroy mission against the Viet Cong. The change in strategy represented the Americanization of the Vietnam War. And the South Vietnam would play only a supporting role from 1965. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
The February bombing raid led the Operation Rolling thunder which is a series of massive air strike. Most advisers of president believed that the purpose of the action was need to give a boost to the Army of Vietnam. U.S. planes began intensive bombing of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, hoping to cut off supplies and soldiers streaming in from the north. the Johnson administration decided to reexamine U.S. policy in Vietnam. -
US Troops Arrive in Vietnam
On March 8, 1965, the US marines landed ashore near Da Nang, south Vietnam; this was the first time that the US troops set foot in Vietnam. Thier job thier was to defend Da Nang, the home base for bombers taking part in Operation Rolling Thunder. The fight was kept secret from the Americans. At the end of April, LBJ increases 60,000 troops to Vietnam. -
Operation Starlite
The first major assault by the U.S ground troops, known as the Operation Starlite, was against 1,500 Viet Cong that were in preparation of attacking their air base near the coast. It started with the US bombing and attacking with artilleries. The definite American victory killed more than 600 Viet Cong with a casualty of 45 US soldiers.
