Background to Vietnam War
- Originally a French colony (Indochina)
- Ho Chi Minh and his communist supporters resisted Japanese occupation during WWII
- Vietnam divided along the 17th parallel
- South Vietnam- supported by the USA (democratic) was led by Catholic Ngo Ding Diem
- North Vietnam- supported by China (communist) was led by Ho Chi Min
American Involvement in Vietnam
- USA was this as another situation in which containment was necessary (SEATO)
- Supported the French (military advisors)
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, 1964
- A fabricated incident was set up; an American destroyer (USS Maddox) was torpedoed
- Led by President Johnson to install the Tonkin Gulf Resolution
- Lead to the commitment of regular ground troops and air support
Turning Point, The Tet Offensive, 1968
- Offensive launched by the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) in 1968
- Surprises Americans
- Is played up as a major victory for the North although very little is achieved
- Public relations victory
- Anti-war demonstrations increase as a result
Summary
The North being run by Ho Chi Minh and the south Ngo Dinh Die. The States being so indulged by the idea of Mc.Chartism were terrified of Communism ; therefore, they knew that containment was a necessity. But they could not just simply start a war with Vietnam without cause ; therefore, they supposedly set up an incident that would give them a reason to go to war with Vietnam: " The Gulf of Tonkin incident". This incident gave the reason for the states to go to war with Vietnam.