The Vietnam War: Essay
Intro: Vietnam war had 3 main phases. The 1st phase was a civil was
supported by the USA, USSR and China. The 2nd was a full-scale war with
American troops on the ground. The 3rd was Vietnamisation in which
American forces pulled out of Vietnam.
Background:
During WWII, the Japanese occupied Vietnam. After WWII, the French
wanted to reassert their authority in Vietnam. Ho chi minh formed the
Vietminh, which made use of guerilla tactics and defeated the French. Ho
chi minh declared Vietnam independent and in 1954, according to the
Geneva Accords, Vietnam was divided along the 17th parallel.
Par 1:
Ngo dinh diem was the repressive leader of South Vietnam. He refused to
hold the unification elections as promised. ARVN was the army of the
South and civil war erupted between them and the communists in the
south, the Vietcong. Instead of creating a democracy, the Vietcong war
lasted for 19 years.
Par 2:
Due to their policy of containment, the USA became involved. The
Vietcong made use of guerilla warfare against the Americans. They
disguised themselves as civilians and the North Vietnamese Army
supported them by sending supplies via the Ho chi minh trail. USA
president, Kennedy, sent helicopters and advisors to help ARVN. The USA
tried to clear the jungle by spraying Agent Orange during operation ranch
hand, however communist forces simply moved locations. Strategic
Hamlet was another program the USA used with the aim to concentrate
rural into more defensible positions. They created ‘safe villages’ to isolate
the Vietcong, which failed as the Vietcong operated inside these villages.
The USA attempted to win the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese yet
their inefficient strategies failed. The helicopters, however, were of use to
ARVN.
Par 3:
The years 1963-1965 signalled a turning point. Diem was executed and JF
Kennedy was assassinated. LB Johnson replaced Kennedy as president. He
found military success to be important in the war. In 1965, USA
installations in the gulf of Tonkin claimed to have been fired upon. Johnson
used this to convince congress to pass the gulf of Tonkin resolution which
allowed him to use any measures to maintain ‘peace’. Although this
strategy was successful, the aggressive airstrikes on the north through
operation flaming dart that followed, failed. This was because the places
Intro: Vietnam war had 3 main phases. The 1st phase was a civil was
supported by the USA, USSR and China. The 2nd was a full-scale war with
American troops on the ground. The 3rd was Vietnamisation in which
American forces pulled out of Vietnam.
Background:
During WWII, the Japanese occupied Vietnam. After WWII, the French
wanted to reassert their authority in Vietnam. Ho chi minh formed the
Vietminh, which made use of guerilla tactics and defeated the French. Ho
chi minh declared Vietnam independent and in 1954, according to the
Geneva Accords, Vietnam was divided along the 17th parallel.
Par 1:
Ngo dinh diem was the repressive leader of South Vietnam. He refused to
hold the unification elections as promised. ARVN was the army of the
South and civil war erupted between them and the communists in the
south, the Vietcong. Instead of creating a democracy, the Vietcong war
lasted for 19 years.
Par 2:
Due to their policy of containment, the USA became involved. The
Vietcong made use of guerilla warfare against the Americans. They
disguised themselves as civilians and the North Vietnamese Army
supported them by sending supplies via the Ho chi minh trail. USA
president, Kennedy, sent helicopters and advisors to help ARVN. The USA
tried to clear the jungle by spraying Agent Orange during operation ranch
hand, however communist forces simply moved locations. Strategic
Hamlet was another program the USA used with the aim to concentrate
rural into more defensible positions. They created ‘safe villages’ to isolate
the Vietcong, which failed as the Vietcong operated inside these villages.
The USA attempted to win the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese yet
their inefficient strategies failed. The helicopters, however, were of use to
ARVN.
Par 3:
The years 1963-1965 signalled a turning point. Diem was executed and JF
Kennedy was assassinated. LB Johnson replaced Kennedy as president. He
found military success to be important in the war. In 1965, USA
installations in the gulf of Tonkin claimed to have been fired upon. Johnson
used this to convince congress to pass the gulf of Tonkin resolution which
allowed him to use any measures to maintain ‘peace’. Although this
strategy was successful, the aggressive airstrikes on the north through
operation flaming dart that followed, failed. This was because the places
