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A Divided Nation

At times, the United States has found it necessary to wage war in foreign countries. Based on your understanding of history, why has the United States gone outside its borders to fight wars? What challenges have the United States faced by waging war on foreign soil?

 

1) French Indochina
 

   Southeast Asia =French colonial stronghold
   Ho Chi Minh—A Vietnamese Nationalist and Communist
   Ho leads crusade to drive the French out of Vietnam. Ho’s Vietminh wages for national liberation.-1945
   France asks for USA support in 1950. USA reluctant to get involved but sees support as necessary to contain communism—Concerns over China, Korea and the rest of Southeast Asia. Truman supports France.
   USA gives 2.6 billion dollars to support France in Vietnam.
   1954-France surrenders at Dien Bien Phu giving Ho Chi Minh control of Northern Vietnam. South and North Vietnam divided. Free elections scheduled for 1956 based on the Geneva Peace Agreement.
 

3) US Enters the War
 

   USA does not support the Geneva Peace Agreement.
   1954 Eisenhower expresses concern over the “domino theory.”
   South Vietnam confronted with disarray and extreme poverty.
   From 1954 to 1961 USA gives $1 billion to the Ngo Dinh Diem regime. Diem strong nationalist and anti-communist.
   Diem an Autocrat and Catholic in a Buddhist country.
   Diem supports ruling class and avoids land reform.
   With USA support, Diem cancels the 1956 elections.
   Diem falsifies a referendum instead.
   Ho and the Vietminh angry and gain support from South Vietnamese peasants.
   The NLF (National Liberation Front) also know as the Viet-cong forms in South Vietnam against Diem and western imperialism.
   NLF gets support from Vietminh, China and the Soviet Union. Promises reform and wages war against Diem.
   1961 Kennedy takes office and inherits the Vietnam problem.
   Kennedy’s policy was to strengthen South Vietnamese army with US military advisors and support. Kennedy also tries to persuade Diem to promote reforms that would persuade people to resist communism.
   By 1963 Kennedy had tripled aid and sent 16,000 “advisors” over to Vietnam.
   Diem’s crackdown of Buddhist monks results in protests. Some monks respond by setting themselves on fire. Graphic images seen around the world.
   USA supports secret overthrow of Diem. South Vietnamese Generals take-over and Diem assassinated in November 1963.
   Kennedy also assassinated in November 1963 and Lyndon Johnson now inherits Vietnam.

 

4) President Johnson’s War

   Johnson refuses any policy that would allow South Vietnam to turn communist.
   Election 1964— Lyndon Johnson v Barry Goldwater
   Johnson continues Kennedy’s Vietnam policy
   Viet-cong pose serious threat to Diem and US advisors
   Johnson seeks and gets congressional support to increase strength in Vietnam---1964
 

5) The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
 

   US attacked by North Vietnam torpedo boats.
   Johnson calls the attack “unprovoked”
   Johnson asks congress for power “to take all necessary action to prevent attacks by North Vietnam”.
   Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution giving Johnson full decision-making authority in Vietnam.
   The resolution was just short of a full declaration of war.
   Gulf of Tonkin incident proven later to be false
 

5) Operation Rolling Thunder
 

   1965 North Vietnam attacks US military base in South Vietnam.
   Johnson responds with the first official US bombing attack on North Vietnam=Operation Thunder—Three year operation. Ho Chi Minh targeted.
   South Vietnamese army face heavy losses at the hands of the Viet-cong.
   Viet-cong aims to gain control in small villages.
   South Vietnam government struggles to hold on.
   By 1965 Johnson had sent over 180,000 to General William Westmoreland. By 1966 troops levels were double and by 1967 nearly 500,000 US soldiers were sent to Vietnam.
   The Air War used to avoid US casualties. 108,000 raids in 1967. Killed thousand of civilians.
   The Ground War focused on search and destroy missions with air support—weed out Viet-cong strongholds.
   Ground troops battle jungles with tigers, cobras, heat, mosquitoes, leeches, knee deep mud, booby traps, mines (bouncing betty) and ambushes from the Viet-cong.
   The challenge for US troops: Who was Viet-cong?
   Viet-cong employs difficult to defend guerilla warfare tactics.
   Viet-cong has the advantage of geography and nationalism
   USA employ a pacification program that destroys villages and forces farmers and peasants into cities and camps.
   USA still unable to control Viet-cong
   Anti-USA sentiment increases and by 1967 14,000 US troops had been killed.

 

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