US involvement in Vietnam 

Historical Background--French Colonialism

 

-- French Colonialism

-- Ho Chi Minh

-- World War II--Catalyst to Revolution

-- Why Did the US support the French?

-- Dienbienphu (1954)

-- Geneva
 

2. French to south.

3. No alliances

4. National Elections 1956.

5. Elections: Laos and Cambodia
 

 Eisenhower: Nation Building & the Cold War

 

-- Ngo Dinh Diem

-- Military Support

-- Repression

-- National Liberation Front (1960)

 

Kennedy and Flexible Response

 

-- Cold Warrior Outlook

-- Continued Diem Repression

-- Kennedy's "Failure" in Laos

-- Best and the Brightest

-- Flexible Response

1. increase conventional weapons/special forces

2. increase strategic missiles

3. increase alliances

4. use non-military means of containment (i.e. Alliance for Progress)

5. better management of domestic resources (MacNamara)

6. negotiate with USSR

-- Increased Aid and Strategic Hamlets

-- Inflexible Response

-- Credibility

-- Calibration

-- Intelligence Weaknesses

-- Death of Diem

-- What Would Kennedy Have Done?

-- Legacy