Vietnam+The+Path+to+War




 * A BRIEF HISTORY OF VIETNAM [[image:turningpoints/vietnamsill.gif align="right" caption="vietnamsill.gif"]]**

Pre 1800s – **Vietnam has Dynastic rulers, influenced by China.**

LATE 1800s – **Vietnam is a French colony, called French Indochina, during the time of Imperialism.**

1930s – **communist revolts led by Ho Chi Minh American educated, led to the idea of communism in Vietnam. Wanted to lead Vietnam against the French and the Japan. Wanted Freedom. – [|Ho Chi Minh] flees to China and USSR**

1940s – **Ho Chi Minh forms Vietnimh party in order to liberate Vietnam – declare independence in 1945, based on the USs Declaration of Independence.**

1954 – **Vietminh successfully defeat French in north Vietnam and establish communist government in north**

1954 – **Vietnam is split temporarily by the [|Geneva Accords,] with free elections to be held in 1956 to unite the nation. But the US did not want that because they will elect Mingh.**

LATE 1950s – **Civil War in Vietnam between Communist North and American-supported South**


 * PRESIDENTIAL INVOLVEMENT **
 * [[image:turningpoints/hst.gif align="left" caption="hst.gif"]] || [[image:turningpoints/dde.gif align="left" caption="dde.gif"]] || [[image:turningpoints/lfk.gif align="left" caption="lfk.gif"]] || [[image:turningpoints/lbj.gif align="left" caption="lbj.gif"]] ||
 * **TRUMAN**
 * Sent economic and military aid to keep**
 * their colonies in Indochina and defend against**
 * Communism.** || **EISENHOWER**
 * -Felt that if one country falls to communism,**
 * Others will follow like the domino affect.**
 * -Ngo Dinh Diem leads South Vietnam- won't hold**
 * free elections.**
 * -Sends military advisors.** || **KENNEDY**
 * -U.S. supports an overthrow of Diem**
 * in 1963**
 * -Does not want to be soft on communism.** || **JOHNSON**
 * -Commits the US more in fully**
 * to the war in Vietnam.**
 * -Originally sends a few more advisors** ||


 * =** [|The Gulf of Tonkin] Resolution **=

American ships are attacked by the Vietnamese. We dunno what they were doing there but LBJ asked the government to wage war. Unanimous people want it to happen. People believe we are here just to defend ourself but we are not. ||  ||  ||
 * Sec. of Defense Robert McNamera ||  ||


 * [[image:http://cdn.dipity.com/uploads/events/0bbab3dff8455159bcacb94c240ceb82_1M.png caption="external image 0bbab3dff8455159bcacb94c240ceb82_1M.png"]] || =** [|Operation Rolling Thunder] **=

A bombing of Vietnam. More bombing than Germany in WW2. Military is sent in, bomb them, wanted to get the approval of Americans and then relocate. ||

= =
 * = American ground troops enter Vietnam =

After LBJ gets involved the amount of ground troops skyrocket and the approval goes through the roof. But obviously this was not going to be a quick war and people were heading into an unknown. || ||

My questions about the Vietnam War: 1.What were Vietnamese citizens thoughts on American involvement?

2.Any cool other Wisconsin war stories?