History 1C: Lecture 15

The French in Indochina (consisted of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia) fought long and hard to retain their colony. Laos and Cambodia were easily reoccupied by France but an exhausting struggle with Vietnam drug on. Resistance to restoration of French rule was led by the Viet Minh headed by a communist Ho Chi Minh.

** Vietnam War

With the advent of the cold war, US got involved and backed up the French financially as a part of the policy of "containment".

We were headed for a Vietnam of some kind virtually from the time NSC-68 was adopted and certainly once JFK made the commitment "to pay any price, bear and burden" in the defense of "liberty" --(read US interests).

Started with nationalist uprising against French, 1945. Open war by December 1946.

Initially US was opposed to French re-exerting control over the Indochina colony. This changed as we viewed matters increasingly through lens of Cold War.

French were increasingly bankrolled by US, ultimately to the tune of $2 billion per year.

Even so, French were decisively beaten at Dien Bien Phu, May 1954.

Geneva Accords, 1954.

Vietnam temporarily divided along 17th parallel.

Ho Chi Minh in North. The Communist/nationalist leader of the successful Vietnamese effort.

Ngo Dinh Diem in south. America's "mandarin." Quiet, severe, Catholic; had lived much of his life outside Vietnam and spent time in a New Jersey monastery just before being tapped as president of south Vietnamese regime. Never able to win much support from people. Viewed as an American puppet.

Elections to be held after about 2 years.

US neither a participant in nor signatory of the Accords, but made sure the elections were never held. Feared (prob. correctly) that Ho would win a fair election.

As in Korea, the division becomes permanent.

Ho consolidates his power bloodily in an ill-advised effort to get rid of landlords and collectivize NVN. Many innocent people killed; others flee to South. Later admits this was an error of judgment.

Diem cracks down on dissent within SVN, esp. Buddhists. Never obtains popular backing and eventually looks like a liability to US.

National Liberation Front established, 1960.

Dubbed "Viet Cong" (Vietnamese Communists) by Diem. A fairly accurate label since the movement was increasingly controlled by Hanoi.

US military and economic assistance to Diem regime grows.

Diem's repressive policies alienate support. In October 1963 US tacitly agrees to a coup, hoping that a more stable, popular regime will emerge.

It doesn't. Chronic governmental instability and rampant corruption remain a hallmark of South Vietnamese regimes until the emergence of Nguyen Van Thieu in 1966.

By the spring of 1964, it has become obvious to US policy makers that the SVN regime cannot defend itself. Massive US intervention is needed. The question is, how to do it?

The US War: 1964-1968.

Tonkin Gulf

ROLLING THUNDER

graduated escalation

Tet

The US War: 1968-1973.

The turning point

Nixon's policies

"Peace with honor"

Paris peace talks set up under LBJ, carried on by Kissinger -- both above and under the table.

secret bombings of Cambodia

Rapprochement with China to minimize effects of loss of Vietnam.

1970: Cambodia incursion

climax of unrest against the war.

but notice: US stayed in until 1973. Just how important was public opinion?

Easter Offensive, 1972.

NVN conventional offensive crushed by massive US airpower.

"Peace is at hand." (October 1972).

And just to make sure: the Christmas bombings, 1972.

Paris Peace Accords, 1973.

Ceasefire in place.

Return of US POWs.

"decent interval" desired. Thieu had lots of well-equipped troops and much aid. Nixon figured that a resumption of hostilities would be inevitable but he could get enough funds to Thieu to keep him in the saddle.

Watergate torpedoed this.

1975: Fall of Saigon

Conventional military defeat through an unusually successful blitzkrieg offensive.

Cost

1.5 million VN dead out of a population of 16 million.

5 million refugees by 1972 (40% of population).

56,000 US KIAs

$155 billion spent.

with $200 billion ultimately to be spent on veterans' benefits.

Massive erosion of US prestige, international standing.

Alienation of a generation of American youth.

At least until the Yuppies.