VIETNAM NOTES

Part I: Causes

1) Why were the French in Indochina?

- Wanted a colony.

- Benefits to this: exploitation, trade, etc.

2) What effect did WWII have on the people of vietnam. ?

- Japan took over Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in May 1940

- Important to Japanese war strategy because of resources.

- By 1945 Japanses forces had overthrown the French government.

- Vietminh resistance.

- Forced villiagers to grow crops other than staple rice for the benefit of the war machine.

- After Japanese surrender, "August Revolution"

- Uprising across country

- Ho Chi Minh announced independence of Vietnam.

3) What reistance was there to the French Rulers.?

- There was allways resistance to the French in Vietnam Nationalism

- Nationalist Party formed in 1927

- Ruthlessly supressed after uprising in 1930

- Quickly learned that peaceful reform movements are impossible, started turning to radical solutions i.e. Communist party.

4) Why is Ho Chi Minh an important part of Chinese History?

- Head of Communist movement

- Lead fight for independace.

- "founder" of C.P. -unified individual groups.

- Lead the gight against the French and later against the Americans.

- President of North Vietnam from 1946 until his death.

5) Briefly describe why the French were defeated in Vietnam after WWII.

- French forces unable to deliver a crippling blow to an enemy they often could not locate.

- Tactics- Revolutionary war.

- Similar to tactics used by mao in C civil war

- Guerilla.

- Based around peasantry

- Promises to redistribute land equally, propaganda.

- Nationalism

6) Why was vietnam divided at te 17th parallel in 1956? Who was in control of the North? The south?

- Genevas diplomats did not disire the division to be permanent and specified that national election had to be held in two years time, after which the country would become one.

- This did not happen, South Vietnam became a separate politcal entity, supported by the USA

- North vietnam became Communist, ruled by ho chi minh.

7) Which country did the USA support and why?

- USA supported South, fear of Communism and "Domino Theory"

8) What was the Vietminh and the vietcong?

- Vietminh

- Founded in early 1940’s by, 1946 army of 60 000

- Largely based in N Vietnam

- Used Guerrilla tactics.

- Avoided large scale confrontation

- Vietcong.

- A lot of ex-vietminh.

- Many of thos who repressed under the French

- Vietcong a label used by the Americans

- Wage a style of war similar to the vietminh.

- December 1960 saw formation of NLF- represented various political groupings opposed to the South Vietnam Government VC was military wing.

9) What Role did Kennedy and Johnson play in involving the USA in the Vietnam conlflict?

-Kennedy (1961-63)

- increased American involvment at "Advisory" Level

- 16 000 "advisors"

- Johnson

- After Gulf of Tonkin incident on August, 1964,

- LBJ ordered US bombing raids.

- After Vietcong attacks on American bases, Operation rolling thunder started in 1965.

- 1965 US commander in Vietnam, General William Westmoreland asked president for 180 000 men

- LBJ sent 99 000

- Escalation: By 1968 there were 536 000 troops in vietnam.

PART II : THE WAR

1) Briefly outline the course of the war.

- Gulf of tonkin, 1964

- Rolling thunder, 1965

- Ground troops 1965, escalation 1968

- Tet Offensive, 30th January 1968

- Essentially a failure, but propaganda bonus for VC

- Increased opposition back home.

- 1968 31 March LBJ announced that US troop levels would not increase, and that America would seek peace, resigned.

- Nixon succeeded him.

- Announcement of policy of "Vietnamisation."

- Armed South Vietnamese to fight their own war, increased bombing.

- 27th January 1973 ‘Agreement ending the war and restoring peace in vietnam’ signed.

Tactics

- Fought predominantly in S.V.

- VC consisted of three groups: Regularl soldiers, provincial forces, and part-time guerrillas (men and women who farmed by day and fought by night)

- Booby traps, tunels, snipers, mortar shells,

- America - Agent Orange, Napalm, use of helicopters.