Vietnam-+Path+to+War

=**VIETNAM - THE PATH TO WAR **=

You all know that the United States was involved in a major military conflict in Vietnam during the Cold War ... but why? What was America's "path to war"? Using the resources below and __Creating America__, your task this evening is to write a description in YOUR OWN WORDS of the causes of American involvement in Southeast Asia. Pretend you are writing it as a summary for on online encyclopedia or textbook. Your description should ...
 * be between two and four complete, well written paragraphs
 * contain the following terms - **France, Ho Chi Minh, communism, Ngo Dinh Diem, m**ilitary advisors, Gulf of Tonkin, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Rolling Thunder
 * be IN YOUR OWN WORDS (remember, it's easy to check this online)
 * contain two images THAT RELATE TO YOUR WRITING
 * Should end with the first Marines landing in Vietnam in 1965

Despite the fact that the Korean War is well known of and well-studied, many often forget the root causes of this long lasting Cold War conflict. Starting long ago in the 1800's, Vietnam was part of a French Colony, French Indochina. Skipping ahead to 1930, a leader named Ho Chi Minh started a Communist revolution that pushed for the independence of Vietnam. Persecuted, he fled to China and then the Soviet Union. Angry with the revolt, the French arrested and executed many leaders supporting Communism. Following World War II, Minh returned to Japan and organized //Viet Minh,// which trained soldiers to fight against foreign forces. The United States then joined Viet Minh against Japan, an alliance with roots from WWII, and Vietnam declared their independence in 1945.

Even after Vietnam's independence, the French struggled to hold on to their former colony. Soon war broke out between the two countries and the French asked for the United States aid. With problems in the Soviet Union still persisting, the U.S. agreed in hopes that the French would aid them against the Soviet Union. The U.S. also wanted to prevent the spread of communism in Asia.

Viet Minh were very strong and even the French with aid from the U.S. could not defeat them in the battle at Dien Bien Phu. This lead to the Genova Accords in 1954, a peace treaty that temporally divided Vietnam into North and South at the 17th parallel. There were separate governments (communists lead by Ho Chi Minh in the North and anti communists lead by Ngo Dinh Diem in the South) until 1956 when elections were supposed to reunite the nation. By this time, many supported Ho Chi Minh in the North but few supported Ngo Dinh Diem. Because of the United States opposition to Communism, the U.S. supported South Vietnam and did hold the democratic election for the countries government. But South Vietnam's Government became very corrupt and unhappy people tired to over throw Ngo Dinh Diem. Continuing to send military advisers, Kennedy supported the war against communism in Vietnam.

South Vietnam was loosing more and more power and Johnson was not about to let it go. His Military advisors devised a plan to bomb North Vietnam, but first congress must approve. In the Gulf of Tonkin, the Maddox, a U.S. destroyer was in the waters during a thunder storm and reported being attacked. There were doubts that it was just the weather, but this event was just what Johnson's Military advisors needed, and the plan to use military in the U.S. was passed.

Need some help? How about ... //Creating America// [|This cool animation] [|Into Vietnam (Overview)] from ABC-CLIO [|Timeline of the Vietnam War] [|Vietnam Online Timeline] Causes of the Vietnam War video below

and this voicethread, made by your favorite 8th grade American history teacher that you have this year (I like to limit my competition)


 * In 1800's, Vietnam is a French Colony
 * Communist revolt in 1930 led by Minh; arrested and flees to China; independence leader
 * 1940s- taken over by Japanese as a result of WWII
 * Post-WWII French return- Minh helps liberate with group called Vietminh and vietnam and they become independent in 1945!
 * Defeat French and establish communist government in the north
 * Free elections in 1956 reunite the nation