Vietnam War

Vietnam and USA

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• 1954 Vietnam became independent from France- split in two, communist North and democratic South
• USA got involved in Vietnam to stop domino theory
• Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy gave South Vietnam assistance e.g aid and military advisers- was part of Truman Doctrine

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• 1963 President Johnson changed US policy
• He increased amount of troops being sent to Vietnam
• Started a bombing campaign against North Vietnam (communist)
• North Vietnamese used Guerrilla tactics- traps, blending in with civilians

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• Tet Offensive shocked civilians back in USA
• US civilians also saw images of war on TV
• My Lai also shocked civilians- US troops massacred a town of Vietnamese civilians

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• USA changed their tactics in the war
• Dropped a substance called Napalm- burned skin and leaves off of trees
• Dropped bombs on villages to kill the Viet Cong
• These tactics also hurt innocent people

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• President Nixon tried to finish war
• American troops withdrawn from war
• US started training South Vietnamese to fight Vietcong
• Bombed Vietcong supply lines- try to force a peace settlement
• 1973 war came to a ceasefire and US pulled out - fighting continued between South and North Vietnam- South Vietnam capital Saigon captured by North in 1975