Vietnam+War-Path




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

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

LATE 1800s – **Vietnam is a French colony**

1930s – **communist revolts led by Ho Chi Minh – Ho Chi Minh flees to China and USSR**

1940s – **Ho Chi Minh forms Vietminh party in order to liberate Vietnam – declare independence in 1945**

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**

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 france**
 * to help them** || **EISENHOWER**


 * Felt that if one country**
 * falls to communism others**
 * will as well.**
 * Helped establish a puppet**
 * state in the south, and sent military**
 * advisors to help in the south.** || **KENNEDY**
 * US supports an overthrow of Ngo Dinh Diem in 1963.**
 * Doesn't want to be soft on Communism.** **Continued to send advisors** || **JOHNSON**
 * commits the US to the war.** ||


 * =** The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution **=

President can "take all necessary measures" to protect American forces. Passes unanimously in the House and has 2 opposing votes in the Senate || || ||
 * Sec. of Defense Robert McNamera || ||


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

US heavily bombs Vietnam. ||

= =
 * = American ground troops enter Vietnam =

3,500 Marines join 20,000+ military advisors || ||