The Vietnam War, 1954-1975
H1 History - syllabus 8838, 2027
From the First Indochina War and Geneva to American escalation, the roles of Hanoi, Saigon, the superpowers and China, American withdrawal, and the war's impact on the Cold War.
- From the First Indochina War to Geneva
The French defeat in 1954 left Vietnam divided at the 17th parallel, and the USA replaced France as the main Western power.
- Two Vietnams and the road to war, 1954-1963
Diem's unpopular South Vietnam and Hanoi's decision to support armed struggle turned division into war.
- American escalation, 1961-1968
Credibility, the domino theory and fear of a communist victory led the USA from advisers to a large ground war.
- China, the USSR and Hanoi's balancing act
China and the USSR both supported North Vietnam while competing with each other, and Hanoi used their rivalry to its advantage.
- Tet, Vietnamisation and American withdrawal
Tet turned American opinion against the war; Nixon withdrew troops while using diplomacy with Moscow and Beijing.
- The impact of the Vietnam War on the Cold War
Vietnam weakened American power and confidence, encouraged detente and triangular diplomacy, and left a communist Vietnam aligned with Moscow.
- Put it together: Why did the USA lose in Vietnam?
Choose a factor and weigh it against the others.
What you will be able to do
I can judge which factors shaped the Second and Third Indochina Wars.
Syllabus 8838, Theme III, Learning Outcomes. evaluate the factors that shaped the development of Cold War conflicts in Southeast Asia
Taught in From the First Indochina War to Geneva, Two Vietnams and the road to war, 1954-1963, American escalation, 1961-1968, China, the USSR and Hanoi's balancing act, Tet, Vietnamisation and American withdrawal, The impact of the Vietnam War on the Cold War
Sources and context
Background reading for this chapter.
- Johnson explains why Americans are in Vietnam
Paraphrase of President Lyndon Johnson's address at Johns Hopkins University, 7 April 1965.
- McNamara recommends more troops
Paraphrase of a memorandum from Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara to President Johnson, 20 July 1965.
- The Geneva final declaration
Paraphrase of paragraph 7 of the final declaration of the Geneva Conference on Indochina, 20 July 1954, as cabled by the US delegation.
- Nixon appeals to the silent majority
Paraphrase of President Richard Nixon's televised address to the nation on the war in Vietnam, 3 November 1969.
- Eisenhower explains the stakes, 1954
Extract from President Dwight Eisenhower's news conference of 7 April 1954, answering a question on the strategic importance of Indochina, a month before the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu. A US government record in the public domain; text from the American Presidency Project.
- a Defense official ranks American aims, March 1965
Extract from "Action for South Vietnam", a paper prepared by John McNaughton, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Washington, 10 March 1965, two days after the first US Marines landed at Da Nang. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964-1968, volume II, document 193. A US government document in the public domain.
- the Secretary of State on American commitments, July 1965
Extract from a paper by Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Washington, 1 July 1965, written for the President's meeting on whether to send large numbers of combat troops. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964-1968, volume III, document 39. A US government document in the public domain.
- the Under Secretary of State dissents, July 1965
Extract from "A Compromise Solution for South Viet-Nam", a paper by Under Secretary of State George Ball for the same meeting, Washington, undated (circulated 1 July 1965). The President's security adviser predicted that Johnson would "listen hard to George Ball and then reject his proposal". Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964-1968, volume III, document 40. A US government document in the public domain.
- the Secretary of Defense explains the strategy, November 1965
Extract from a draft memorandum from Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara to President Johnson, "Courses of Action in Vietnam", Washington, 3 November 1965. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964-1968, volume III, document 189. A US government document in the public domain.