His/145 Vietnam War Analysis
American and World Presentation: Vietnam War
By Se’Sees Holmes
Justin Horton
HIS/145
August 1, 2015
Introduction
• Here I will evaluate how the United
States became involved in Vietnam.
• Then I will explain the political, military, and social outcomes of the end of the war in Vietnam.
Overview
• A war between two sides:
• France and government of South Vietnam supported by the US
• Viet Cong and North Vietnam
• Lasted from mid 1950’s thru the mid 1970’s
• The war ended in the complete communist takeover in 1975
US Involvement in Vietnam
• In late January, 1968, during the lunar new year (or
“Tet”) holiday, North Vietnamese and communist
Viet Cong forces launched a coordinated attack against a number of targets in South Vietnam.
• The
U.S. and South Vietnamese militaries sustained heavy losses before finally repelling the communist assault. The Tet Offensive played an important role in weakening U.S. public support for the war in Vietnam.
Vietnam Soldiers
Ho Chi Minh
US Soldiers
Political Outcome in Vietnam
• US paid a high political cost for the
Vietnam War estimated over $167 billion • Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had described as "a fourth-rate power" caused a loss of pride and selfconfidence in a people that liked to think of the United States as invincible
• The Democratic majority in Congress would enact the 1973 War Powers
Resolution, ostensibly forbidding the president from sending U.S. troops into combat for more than ninety days without congressional consent
(Herring, 2001).
Social Outcome in Vietnam
• The war helped to lead to our
"culture wars" that we have today. The people who supported the war saw themselves as the real
Americans whose values were under attack by the longhaired, anti-American protestors. • Helped lead to the conflict between traditional and nontraditional people today.
(Herring, 2001)
Military Outcome in Vietnam
• Vietnam War was the longest deployment of U.S. forces in hostile action in history.
• All parties would initiate a cease-fire in place 24 hours after signing the agreement
• U.S. forces and all foreign troops would withdraw from South Vietnam no later than
60 days after signing the agreement;
• American prisoners would be released simultaneously with the withdrawal of
American and foreign forces
• National Council of National Reconciliation and Concord would be created to organize and oversee free and democratic elections to determine the political future of the
South.
References
• http:// www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/anderso n.htm
• Herring. G. C. America 's Longest War: The United
States and Vietnam, 1950-1975 (4th ed.) (New
York, 2001).
• Kimball. J. Nixon 's Vietnam War (Lawrence,
Kansas, 1998).
• http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/vietnamwa
r/a/VietnamEnd.htm
By Se’Sees Holmes
Justin Horton
HIS/145
August 1, 2015
Introduction
• Here I will evaluate how the United
States became involved in Vietnam.
• Then I will explain the political, military, and social outcomes of the end of the war in Vietnam.
Overview
• A war between two sides:
• France and government of South Vietnam supported by the US
• Viet Cong and North Vietnam
• Lasted from mid 1950’s thru the mid 1970’s
• The war ended in the complete communist takeover in 1975
US Involvement in Vietnam
• In late January, 1968, during the lunar new year (or
“Tet”) holiday, North Vietnamese and communist
Viet Cong forces launched a coordinated attack against a number of targets in South Vietnam.
• The
U.S. and South Vietnamese militaries sustained heavy losses before finally repelling the communist assault. The Tet Offensive played an important role in weakening U.S. public support for the war in Vietnam.
Vietnam Soldiers
Ho Chi Minh
US Soldiers
Political Outcome in Vietnam
• US paid a high political cost for the
Vietnam War estimated over $167 billion • Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had described as "a fourth-rate power" caused a loss of pride and selfconfidence in a people that liked to think of the United States as invincible
• The Democratic majority in Congress would enact the 1973 War Powers
Resolution, ostensibly forbidding the president from sending U.S. troops into combat for more than ninety days without congressional consent
(Herring, 2001).
Social Outcome in Vietnam
• The war helped to lead to our
"culture wars" that we have today. The people who supported the war saw themselves as the real
Americans whose values were under attack by the longhaired, anti-American protestors. • Helped lead to the conflict between traditional and nontraditional people today.
(Herring, 2001)
Military Outcome in Vietnam
• Vietnam War was the longest deployment of U.S. forces in hostile action in history.
• All parties would initiate a cease-fire in place 24 hours after signing the agreement
• U.S. forces and all foreign troops would withdraw from South Vietnam no later than
60 days after signing the agreement;
• American prisoners would be released simultaneously with the withdrawal of
American and foreign forces
• National Council of National Reconciliation and Concord would be created to organize and oversee free and democratic elections to determine the political future of the
South.
References
• http:// www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/anderso n.htm
• Herring. G. C. America 's Longest War: The United
States and Vietnam, 1950-1975 (4th ed.) (New
York, 2001).
• Kimball. J. Nixon 's Vietnam War (Lawrence,
Kansas, 1998).
• http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/vietnamwa
r/a/VietnamEnd.htm