Cold War Conflict - Vietnam
History: OCR A GCSE Cold War & International Relations, topic 1.2.10
The Vietnam War
After the Second World War, the Viet Minh (funded by the USSR) fought the French (funded by the USA) for independence in Vietnam. The French withdrew in 1954 and the Geneva Conference split Vietnam into North & South Vietnam.
Ngo Dinh Diem
- As stated by the Truman Doctrine, the USA wanted to support South Vietnam to stop a communist party from taking over.
- Eisenhower provided aid to Diem (South Vietnam's anti-communist leader) despite Diem's unpopular reputation with his own people and track record of corruption.
- John F. Kennedy continued to give South Vietnam more money when he came to office.
- America also sent 'military advisors' to the country, who may have fought for South Vietnam.
The Gulf of Tonkin incident
- The North Vietnamese attacked US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964.
- The USA reacted by escalating their military engagement with the Vietcong and North Vietnam.
- The USA was scared that if South Vietnam became communist, so would lots of other countries in South East Asia.
- In 1964, there had been roughly 20,000 soldiers in South Vietnam. By 1967, there were 500,000 American soldiers in Vietnam.
Guerilla warfare
- The USA could not fight the Vietcong’s tactic, despite their superior resources, starting at the Battle of Ia Drang in November 1965.
- Guerilla warfare was a particular challenge for the Americans. The Vietcong would hide amongst undergrowth in territory that they knew well and attack American soldiers on patrol.
American Tactics in the Vietnam War
The USA could not fight the Viet Cong’s tactics, despite their superior resources, leading them to use extreme tactics in response.
Extreme tactics
- Extreme tactics were used by the Americans, including targeting civilians, destroying villages, and using chemical weapons.
- E.g. during the My Lai massacre, US forces killed 300-400 civilians.
- American forces dropped napalm also known as Agent Orange on Vietnam in an attempt to gain back control of North Vietnam.
US public
- Videos and images of US planes dropping napalm on Vietnam, burning forests and civilians turned US public opinion against the war.
- After nationwide protests and violent protests on US college campuses, Richard Nixon brought the war to an end in January 1973.
- Two years later, South Vietnam fell to communist soldiers.
Test yourself on Cold War Conflict - Vietnam
Which corrupt dictator did the Americans support in south Vietnam?
When did the French pull out of Vietnam, triggering the division of the country into North and South following the Geneva Conference?
Where did the North Vietnamese attack US ships in 1964?
What were the extreme tactics used by the Americans in The Vietnam War?
What were the extreme tactics used by the Americans in The Vietnam War?