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Period: to
Geneva Conference
<b/>Where</b>: Geneva, Switzerland
<b/>Participants</b>: Soviet Union, United States, France, United Kingdom, People's Republic of China, Laos, representatives of Cambodia
<b/>Purpose</b>: unify Vietnam, restore peace to Indochina -
Geneva Peace Accords
Signed by France and Vietnam.
<b/>Agreement</b>:
- cease fire and withdraw French troops from Vietnam
- temporarily divide Vietnam into North and South Vietnam along the 17th parallel The United States recognized the agreement, but refused to sign it to avoid being legally bound to it.
The International Control Commission was set up to make sure the agreement was carried out, but was essentially powerless. This agreement set up for the 1956 election in South Vietnam -
South Vietnam Referendum
Ngo Dinh Diem held referndum for future of South Vietnam, asking voters to approve a republic (thus removing Bao Dai from head of state).
Brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu, supervised the voting.
Diem won 98% of votes.
Reported that there were more votes to remove Dai then there were registered votes. -
Period: to
Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam)
<b/>Capital</b>: Saigon -
President Diem
Ngo Dinh Diem declared himself president of the Republic of Vietnam. -
Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) Birth
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Gulf of Tonkin Incident
<b/>Where</b>: Gulf of Tonkin, off the coast of Vietnam
<b/>When</b>: August 2nd and 4th
- After conducting a "routine patrol" along the Gulf of Tonkin, <u/>supposedly</u> the destroyer <i/>USS Maddox</i> was attacked by 3 North Vietnamese Navy torpedo boats.
In 1995, the commander-in-chief of the North Vienamese naval forces at the time, General Vo Nguyen Giap, confirmed the attack.
The U.S. National Security Agency claimed that there was a second attack, but it is a proved a fabrication. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
By this time, the U.S. had been using Dinh Diem to round up Communists in South Vietnam.
So American interests were high in Vietnam affairs.
President Lyndon Johnson used the Gulf of Tonkin incident to become more involved in Vietnam.
Congress' response was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution:
This gave Johnson the power to put U.S. troops in South Vietnam. -
Period: to
"Operation Rolling Thunder"
<b/>Who Took Part</b>: U.S. 2nd Air Division, U.S. Navy, Republic of Vietnam Air Force
<b/><u/>Objectives</u></b>:
- boost the poor morale of the Saigon (Capital of South Vietnam) regime
- persuade North Vietnam to cease Communist support
- destroy North Vietnam's industrial base, and air defenses
- to stop the flow of men and material into South Vietnam
The U.S. and South Vietnam dropped phosphorous and napalm bombs on North Vietnam, burning and killing civilians. -
First U.S. Troops Land in South Vietnam
3,500 U.S. Marines land near Da Nang in South Vietnam, being the first U.S. troops to arrive in Vietnam. -
Troop Count
Troops in Vietnam: 184,300
KIA: 1,363
WIA: 7,645 -
Troop Count
Troops in Vietnam: 485,600
KIA: 16,021
WIA: 99,762 -
Troop Count
Troops in Vietnam: 536,100
KIA: 30,160
WIA: 192,850 -
Troop Count
Troops in Vietnam: 475,200
KIA: 40,024
WIA: 262,796 -
Expense and Overall Casualties
-The United States spent over $200,000,000,000 on this war. <b/> <u/> Casualties </u> </b>
<b/>United States</b>:
- 58,282 troops KIA (oldest was 62, youngest was 16) (61% were 21 or younger)
- 30% of the 303,644 troops WIA died of their wound
<b/>Vietnam</b>:
- 2,000,000 ( The Vietnamese roughly claimed this number, but did not divide it between the North and South.)
