The Vietnam War – CausesThe Vietnam War – Causes

Background: How did the Background: How did the USA first get involved in USA first get involved in Vietnam?Vietnam?

• Vietnam is in South-East Asia.Vietnam is in South-East Asia.• It was part of an old French Colony It was part of an old French Colony

called Indo-Chinacalled Indo-China• During WW2 the Japanese During WW2 the Japanese

captured it from the Frenchcaptured it from the French• The Vietnamese resistance was led The Vietnamese resistance was led

by the communist by the communist Ho Chi Minh Ho Chi Minh (left)(left)

• 19451945: They resisted the French : They resisted the French when they tried to re-establish when they tried to re-establish controlcontrol

• 19461946: War broke out between the : War broke out between the two groups two groups

• Vietnam was 9000 miles from the Vietnam was 9000 miles from the USA, yet they decided to get USA, yet they decided to get involved by pouring $500 million a involved by pouring $500 million a year into the French war effort. year into the French war effort.

• Why???Why???

(b) Specific causes: 1. The (b) Specific causes: 1. The Defeat at Dien Bien PhuDefeat at Dien Bien Phu

• a. French defeated at a. French defeated at Dien Bien Phu Dien Bien Phu in 1954; in 1954;

• b. b. Geneva AgreementGeneva Agreement::– i. divides Vietnam into i. divides Vietnam into

• a Northern zone (communist – Ho Chi Minh, a Northern zone (communist – Ho Chi Minh, capital=Hanoi) and capital=Hanoi) and

• a southern zone (democratic – Ngo Dinh Diem, a southern zone (democratic – Ngo Dinh Diem, capital=Saigon)capital=Saigon)

– ii. Arranges for elections to take place in both ii. Arranges for elections to take place in both zoneszones..

(b) Specific causes: 2. The (b) Specific causes: 2. The American reactionAmerican reaction

• SEATO:SEATO:• Fearing that the Fearing that the

communists would win a communists would win a massive amount of votes massive amount of votes with the Buddhist peasant with the Buddhist peasant population who were population who were disgusted by the disgusted by the materialism of the Dinh materialism of the Dinh Diem government, the US Diem government, the US

• - refuses to allow these - refuses to allow these elections to take placeelections to take place

• - forms the Southeast Asia - forms the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization Treaty Organization (SEATO) to protect the (SEATO) to protect the independence of Vietnamindependence of Vietnam..

(b) Specific causes: 2. The (b) Specific causes: 2. The American reactionAmerican reaction

• Containment / Domino Containment / Domino TheoryTheory

• TrumanTruman (President 1945-53) (President 1945-53) = “Containment” = Europe= “Containment” = Europe

• EisenhowerEisenhower (President 1953- (President 1953-61) = “Domino Theory” = 61) = “Domino Theory” = AsiaAsia

• ““You knock over the first one, You knock over the first one, and what will happen to the and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly”it will go over very quickly”

• (South Vietnam > Cambodia (South Vietnam > Cambodia > Laos > Thailand > Burma > Laos > Thailand > Burma > India > > India > ??????

• Ho Chi Minh responds with a Ho Chi Minh responds with a guerrilla campaign against guerrilla campaign against the souththe south..

The Domino Theory The Domino Theory IllustratedIllustrated

Main TaskMain Task::“Do you think that the USA “Do you think that the USA

was justified in interfering in was justified in interfering in the affairs of Vietnam? the affairs of Vietnam? Explain your answer”.Explain your answer”.

Discussion point from this Discussion point from this workwork::

“To what extent were the “To what extent were the USA paranoid about the USA paranoid about the

threat posed by communism threat posed by communism after WW2?”after WW2?”