The-Vietnam-War.ppt

Why Did the United States Fight a War in Vietnam? Basically to hold the line against the spread of world Communism. America paid for the war the French fought against Communist Vietnam as a part of the Truman Doctrine (1947) “to help free peoples to maintain their free institutions and their national integrity against … totalitarian regimes.” In the 1950’s, America became involved again. Longest and Most Unpopular War The Vietnam War was the longest and most unpopular war in American history. During the war: 58,000 Americans lost their lives. The oldest man killed was 62 years old; the youngest, 16. 61% of the men killed were 21 or younger. 304,000 were wounded. 75,000 were severely disabled. The United States spent over $200 billion dollars on the war. Conflict Between France Vietnam The Vietnam War grew out of the long conflict between France and Vietnam. In July 1954, after one hundred years of colonial rule, a defeated France was forced to leave Vietnam. Nationalist forces under the direction of General Vo Nguyen Giap defeated the allied French troops at the remote mountain outpost of Dien Bien Phu in the northwest corner of Vietnam. The Geneva Peace Accords The Geneva Peace Accords, signed by France and Vietnam in the summer of 1954, provided for the temporary partition of Vietnam at the 17th parallel, with national elections in 1956 to reunify the country. In the North, a communist regime, supported by the Soviet Union and the Peoples Republic of China, set up its headquarters in Hanoi under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh. Opposition to Geneva Accords The United States prevented the elections that were promised under the Geneva conference because it knew that the Communists would win. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles thought the Geneva Accords granted too much power to the Communist Party of Vietnam. A New Nation in the South Using SEATO for political cover, the Eisenhower administration helped create a new nation in southern Vietnam. In 1955,