Vietnam-Path+to+War




 * A BRIEF HISTORY OF VIETNAM [[image:turningpoints/vietnamsill.gif align="right" caption="vietnamsill.gif"]]**

Pre 1800s – **Vietnam has __Dynastic__ rulers, influenced by __China__**

LATE 1800s – **Vietnam is a __French__ colony- called Indochina**

1930s – **communist revolts led by [|__HO CHI MINH__] – Ho Chi Minh flees to China and USSR**

1940s – **Ho Chi Minh forms [|__Vietminh__ party] in order to liberate Vietnam – declare independence in 1945**

1954 – **Vietminh successfully __defeat__ French in north Vietnam and establish communist government in north**

1954 – **Vietnam is split __temporarily__ by the [|Geneva Accords], with free elections to be held in 1956 to unite the nation(the US know that HO CHI MINH will get elected)**

LATE 1950s – **__Civil War__ in Vietnam between Communist North and American-supported South**


 * PRESIDENTIAL INVOLVEMENT **
 * [[image:turningpoints/hst.gif align="left" caption="hst.gif"]] || [[image:turningpoints/dde.gif align="left" caption="dde.gif"]] || [[image:turningpoints/lfk.gif align="left" caption="lfk.gif"]] || [[image:turningpoints/lbj.gif align="left" caption="lbj.gif"]] ||
 * **TRUMAN**
 * **Sent economic and military aid to France to help them keep their colonies in Indochina.** || **EISENHOWER**
 * **Felt that if one country fell to communism all the other countries would fall to communism**
 * **Helps set up a puppet govt in south Vietnam (Ngo Ding Diem is leader, wont hold free elections)** || **KENNEDY**
 * **U.S supports an overthrow of Ngo Dinh Diem in 1963**
 * **Continued to send advisers- at his death there were 16,000 Americans in Vietnam** || **JOHNSON**
 * **Commits the US fully to the war in Vietnam**
 * **Originally only sends a few more advisers.**
 * **Said it was their own problem.** ||


 * =** The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution **=


 * ** Shots are reported to be fired at a US ship **
 * ** President says he wants to "take all necessary measure to prevent further aggression" **
 * ** Resolution passes unanimously in the House. **
 * ** He says " we will seek no wider war" ** ||  || [[image:http://www.findingdulcinea.com/docroot/dulcinea/fd_images/news/on-this-day/July-August-08/On-this-Day--False-Claims-of-Attack-Lead-Congress-to-Authorize-Vietnam-War/news/0/image.jpg width="486" height="297" caption="Sec. of Defense Robert McNamera"]] ||
 * Sec. of Defense Robert McNamera ||  ||


 * [[image:http://cdn.dipity.com/uploads/events/0bbab3dff8455159bcacb94c240ceb82_1M.png width="405" height="295" caption="external image 0bbab3dff8455159bcacb94c240ceb82_1M.png"]] || =** Operation Rolling Thunder **=


 * Drop TONS of bombs on North Vietnam
 * Dropped more bombs in Vietnam than all of Europe in WWII


 * = American ground troops enter Vietnam =


 * First troops sent into Vietnam
 * 3500 marines join advisers
 * At the peak there are 1/2 million troops
 * American troops will win every battle
 * || [[image:http://www.kingsacademy.com/mhodges/03_The-World-since-1900/11_The-Bewildering-60s/pictures/P+D-718_US-helicopter+troops-in-Vietnam_1965.jpg width="514" height="340" caption="external image P+D-718_US-helicopter+troops-in-Vietnam_1965.jpg"]] ||

My questions about the Vietnam War: