dates

• June 1940 - France surrenders to Nazi Germany
• September 1940 - Japan occupies Vietnam
• 1941 - Ho Chi Minh creates the Vietminh (to stop Japan from invading during WW2)
• August 1945 - Japan surrenders, Vietminh take control of most of Vietnam
• September 1945 - Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam is independent, France tries to take Vietnam back (French controlled them for over 200 years, Japan took control of Vietnam during WW2)
• May 1954 - French lose the battle of Dien Bien Phu, they surrender (USA were supporting them)
• Geneva Agreement (1954):

  • Britain, France, China, USSR and Vietnam aim for peace
  • Vietnam split along the 17th parallel, N led by Ho Chi Minh and the S led by Diem
  • French completely withdraw from Vietnam
  • Vietnamese could choose where to live
  • Elections must be held before 1956
  • Loas + Cambodia to be independent countries
• Effects of the Geneva Agreement:

  • French are furious - lost their colony but happy Diem is leading South Vietnam
  • Vietnamese people - free to chose to love under capitalism or communism rule
  • Vietminh - lose some control and popularity
  • general election to be held by 1956 to decide who will lead reunited Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh was likely to win)
• 1956 - Diem refused to allow the election (to decide who will lead reunited Vietnam) to take place, this triggered a civil war in South Vietnam
• Diem:

  • leader of South Vietnam (capitalist)
  • A catholic (Vietnam was mainly Buddhist) - friends with JFK
  • strongly anti-communist (so supported by America but ignored their advice)
• How did Diem rule?

  • ruled with violence and nepotism (race top jobs to his friends)
  • wanted 'Hearts and Minds' from people
  • made poor decisions (ignored the USA) - raised taxes + killed his opposition (other leaders of the S) + sent 100,000 people to concentration camps
  • used the Strategic Hamlet's Programme
• Strategic Hamlet's Programme:

  • moved peasants to 'secure' areas (aka concentration camps)
  • gave rich friends the land that no longer occupied peasants
• Diem & Elections:

  • October 1955 - Diem held an election too early
  • red symbolises luck in Vietnam, placed his name on a red ballot
  • used intimidation (people were beaten up if they looked like they would not vote for Diem)
  • claimed 98.2% victory - USA advised 70% but Diem ignored
• Causes of the civil war (1957):

  • Diem refused to allow elections to decries
• Causes of the civil war (1957):

  • Diem refused to allow elections to decide who should lead a unified Vietnam (was likely to lose)
  • arrested anyone who was communist and anyone who was against this decision
  • opponents of Diem led an armed insurgency (rebellion) against Diem
• Civil War 1957:

  • South Vietnam's ARVN (army of the republic of Vietnam) launch an attack
  • people, moved to jungles to support the Vietminh (communists fighters in the S)
  • Ho Chi Minh trail used
  • ARVN supported by USA ($1.6 billion, weapons and advisors)
• Buddhism in South Vietnam:

  • 80% of South Vietnam are buddhist BUT, Diem is Catholic
  • 1963 - Buddha's Birthday is a huge celebration, Diem bans any celebration
• Buddhism in South Vietnam:

  • 80% of South Vietnam are buddhist BUT, Diem is Catholic
  • 1963 - Buddha's Birthday is a huge celebration, Diem bans any celebration
  • self-immolation, buddhists burn themselves to become a martyr for their beliefs
• End of the Regime:

  • JFK becomes president in 1961
  • ARVN are unorganised and unpopular, US press get involved (picture of buddhist on fire)
  • JFK draws protection of Diem (no longer wants to be involved)
  • ARVN launch a coup (tries to find a new leader)
  • Diem is shot in 1963
• Gulf of Tonkin Incident: part 1

  1964

  1. Operation 34A - USA and ARVN send out destroyers in North Vietnam waters
  2. Warship, USS Maddox (3 torpedoes sent from North Vietnamese)
  3. Maddox fires and 2 torpedo ships sink
  4. President Johnson announces to the public that N.Vietnam open fire first
• Gulf of Tonkin: part 2

  1. Congress (meeting) is held and President Johnson signs the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution - says US will send troops of necessary
  2. He is vague so he can choose what is necessary
  3. Ho Chi Minh sends Vietcong to attack Camp Holloway (military base) - 8 killed, 1 helicopter destroyed
  4. Operation Rolling Thunder - air strikes for 8 weeks, ended up being 3 years + 1 million tonnes of shell dropped
• Vietnam tactics: Punji Traps

  • metal strikes hidden by leaves
  • prongs to ribbon flesh on leg
  • covered in human excrement - long lasting suffering due to infection
  • cheap
  • Vietnam responsible for 11% of US deaths
• Vietnam tactics: Bouncing Betties

  • explosives which detonated by stepping on them
  • delayed impact so injures the person walking behind them - negative psychological impact (killed comrade)
  • 1 metre explosion range, hits genitals - emasculating, cannot reproduce
• Vietnam tactics: Tunnel Systems (Cu-Chi)

  • created by the Vietcong
  • ran through South Vietnam
  • used to transport weapons/supplies
  • hidden - never found by USA + Vietcong always supplied
• Vietnam tactics: Ho Chi Minh trails

  • changed location regularly - USA could never find
  • network of supplies, information passed
• Us tactics: Search and Destroy

  • US tried to locate the Vietcong
  • used planes + helicopters to identify Vietcong members
  • destroyed villages with Napalm (flammable) - Vietcong helped rebuild villages
  • threatening but wasting resources + killing innocent people
• US tactics: Agent Orange

  • Agent orange (chemical) sprayed on crops
  • created a orange mist once sprayed
  • creates horrible defects in children
  • couldn't eat food - starvation of innocent civilians
• Us tactics: Napalm

  • flammable liquid that was 800 degrees C
  • 'Napalm girl' - young girl running from a Napalm attack, published in US papers
• Us tactics: Operation Phoenix

  • launched by the CIA
  • aim was to capture, convert and kill Vietcong members
  • aimed to gain intel on Vietcong - unsuccessful
  • CIA announce they 'neutralised' 84,000 Vietcong members