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Ho Chi Minh Declares Vietnamese Independence
Previously an ally of the United States, Vietnam became an enemy when Ho Chi Minh declared the country to be an independent nation. This happened in 1945 after the Japanese were kicked out of this landmass which had been a French colony prior to the war. Minh, who came into power following World War II, was communist-trained.
Slide 15-Background on U.S. Involvement in Vietnam War
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U.S. Bankrolls French War Effort
After losing Vietnam, a colony, in World War II, the French enlisted the help of the United States to get Vietnam back. Because the U.S. needed French assistance in the Cold War, they agreed to back these efforts in southeast Asia. In fact, by 1954, the U.S. were funding nearly 75% of the French war effort. Later that year, the French lost the land.
Slide 15- Background on U.S. Involvement in Vietnam War
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Vietnam Borders are Redrawn
In the 1950s, after the French war effort failed, the boundaries of Vietnam were redrawn to create a Communist north and an anti-Communist south. At this point the U.S. became the weak southern section's major ally in the coming war.
Slide 15-Background on U.S. Involvement in Vietnam War http://csrmedia.education.asu.edu/Lectures/SS3/HistoryCore/Basic9/index.htm -
Unification Elections are Stopped
To prevent a communist takeover, the U.S. joined with the South Vietnamese to halt any unification elections from happening in Vietnam. This happened following World War II when Vietnam had become an independent nation and split over the issue of communism, and this event also began American involvement in the situation.
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Viet Cong Arises
After the unification elections had been banned, the North Vietnamese began to fight the South-Vietnamese government in 1958. This communist-led group were called the Viet Cong, and were known for using guerilla tactics.
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LBJ Takes Office
After the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, vice president Lyndon B. Johnson took the office in November of 1963. While he was far from being the only politician who ecalated the Vietnam war, it would end up becoming Johnson's most notable and substantial failure as president.
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Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Following two minor confrontations with Vietnamese ships in the Gulf of Tonkin, Preisdent Johnson went before the American public and expressed how the U.S. had been "greivously attacked." However, he conveniently "left out" two details that would have contradicted the deployment of troops which he called for as a result of the incident.
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First U.S. Ground Troops Arrive
Spurred by the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, President Johnson icreased U.S. involvment in the Vietnam War. In March of 1965, he sent the first ground troops to join the battle.
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TET Offensive
Late in the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese launched a surprise attack known as the TET offensive. Despite being a victory in battle for the United States, this event was a "political disaster" for the country. This was in large part because the U.S. was choosing allies such as the brutal South Vietnamese police chief, and as a result President Johnson decided to not run for reelection.
Slide 26- TET Offensive
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Nixon Begins Vietnamization
In 1969, Richard Nixon becamse the thirty-seventh president of the United States. His election began the end of the U.S. war effort in Vietnam, through a process he called "Vietnamization" in which he began to bring the troops home.
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Spring Offensive
After the U.S. had already withdrawn most of its troops, the North Vietnamese launched a gigantic assault later called the Easter or Spring Offensive on March 30, 1972. During this battle, the North Vietnamese invaded the demilitarized zone of South Vietnam.
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Post-War Issues Arise
Because of the immense spending commenced in Vietnam War (over $120 billion), the United States found themselves in the midst of a huge inflation. The fact that a massive worldwide oil crisis had begun in 1973 only made matters worse, as fuel prices shot up.
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Peace Agreement Sends U.S. Home
In January of 1973, the American troops returned to the U.S. following a peace agreement signed in Paris on January 27, 1973. However, the war between North and South Vietnam continued, just without American interference.
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Saigon is Captured
Even though the U.S. had left the war and was dealing with economic and social concerns at home, battles still raged in Vietnam between the North and South. The fighting finally ended when the Democratic Republic of the North captured the South capital city of Saigon, and renamed it Ho Chi Minh City.
http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history
