HIST 2112Hearts and Minds: America and Vietnam- Vietnam has been known historically to be resistant to invasiono Very tougho Very proud- Our invasion started with 1800s imperialism ideals- French went in and seized Vietnamo Guns blazingo Wanted money Rubber- French resistanceo Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minho Pinnacle of anti-French resistanceo Communistso Marxists Explained why the French were dominating themo Want a Vietnam with French absence Free Vietnam was their goal Their communism was a tool to reach that goal Not under the control of Chinese or Soviet Uniono They were ruthlesso Popular amongst the peasants Set up education and healthcare programs in poor areas Divide up plantations and give the people their farms back- Land reform Fight the Frencho WWII happens French is taken over by the Nazis Japanese take over Vietnam We defeat the Nazis and Japan so they leave Vietnam- Power vacuum in Vietnam- No one is there- Viet Minh claim power- Ho Chi Minh loved Thomas Jeffersono Admirer of U.S. revolution- Asked for U.S. helpo Deniedo He was a communist Midst of the Cold Waro Don’t want to hurt the French Allies in WWII French would need them if there was a WWIII- Look for support elsewhereo Soviet Uniono Chinese- Need more weapons- French goes back and tries to reclaim Vietnam- 1947-1954o Second Indochina Waro French lose- We had to stop themo Idea of containment- Viet Minh and French meet in Switzerlando Make decisions based off the waro Temporarily create North Vietnam and South Vietnam North – Communist South – Democratic Election in 2 years in the UN- Winner will be in charge of the newly reunited Vietnam- Ho Chi Minh will win- U.S. cannot allow thiso Does not want this election to happeno South Vietnam is a country nowo Has U.S. supporto New French in South Vietnam Not colony Protectorate- Election will not happeno War resumes- Diemo South Vietnam leadero Catholico Spoke Frencho Basically a jerk Dictator Brutal to Buddhist population Corrupt  Greedy U.S. is not a fan- Supports him though- He attacks communism- JFK sent 16,000 green berets – military advisorso Train locals how to fighto Eventually lead fights Very involved Slippery slope- August 2nd, 1964o 2 U.S. destroyers sitting off the coast of Vietnam in the middle of the nighto Attacked by Vietnamese gun boats in the middle of the nighto Starts an idea for war LBJ wants a war- Retaliation Congress gives him a blank check to do what he needso Massive air campaign begins- Very intense war for the next 5 or 6 yearso Many killed from both sideso Dropped 4 times the amount of ordinance than we did on the Nazisand Japan in WWII combinedo Guerilla warfareo Couldn’t use bombs like we did in WWII Not many targets Not an industrial countryo Warfare tactic Find them Kill as many as you could Kill them faster than they could replace them Don’t hold the land; just kill the enemyo Based on body counts Causes a mentality to kill and ask questions later Many innocent civilians are killed- Tet Offensive – January 1st, 1968o 33 simultaneous attacks on U.S. military bases in Vietnamo 84,000 Vietcong troops- Makes Americans believe the war is being lost and the government is lying to themo Beginning of some really intense anti-government idealso Never quite got over it- Sign a peace treaty - 1975o We loseo Failed to stop Communism- Vietnam reunifieso Communism