Transcript Vietnam - bYTEBoss

Vietnam
1945 to 1963
France and Vietnam
France colonized Vietnam in the
1870’s
France used Vietnam to boost their
own economy
Throughout the Great Depression, the
conditions in Vietnam were terrible.
Ho Chi Minh
Born in 1890
Became a voice of
discontent against
the French
He left Vietnam in
1911
Traveled the world.
Communist v. Nationalist
Ho was a founding
member of the French
socialist party.
He traveled to
Moscow to study
communism under
Lenin.
In 1941 he returned to
Vietnam to found the
VIETMINH
September 2, 1945
Ho and his supporters declared
independence from France
Cited the US Declaration of
Independence in his speech
Major goal: land reform
1st Indochina War
France declares war on Ho and his
Vietminh.
US sent $20 million in aid to the
French (1950)
Dien Bien Phu
March to May 1954:
Vietminh lure
French into a trap
at Dien Bien Phu
This puts Vietnam on
the agenda of the
the Geneva
Conference of
1954
Geneva Conference
North: Democratic
Republic of Vietnam
(communist)
South: Republic of
Vietnam (US
supported democracy)
Elections to be held
1956 to determine
government.
The Government of Ngo Diem
US support
1954 to 1961= $1billion in aid
Lived in US
Had to build support for his
government
Diem
Aristocrat
Catholic
Liked the French
Nhu and Madame
Nhu
Elections of 1956
Diem cancelled-knew Ho would win
Instead called it a referendum
US: if Diem got 60% of the vote in the
referendum, they would continue
support.
Diem got 90%. (hmmmmm)
Kennedy and Vietnam
Operation Ranch hand
Special forces
Air Mobile
Advisors=16,000
Strategic Hamlets
Protests
The people of
South Vietnam
started to protest
against the
government of
Diem
Immolation
The situation in
Vietnam became
violent.
Buddhist Monks
burned themselves
in protest
The coup
The US stood by and allowed a coup,
Nov. 2, 1963 Diem and his brother murdered in a
coup.
Nov. 22, 1963
Before the US
could get “control”
of the new
government in
Vietnam, JFK is
assassinated,
putting LBJ in the
White House and
in charge.