The Vietnam War | Part 1 | Vietnam and the War | Free Documentary History

Summary

This documentary provides an extensive overview of the Vietnam War, detailing its origins, key events, and lasting impact. It begins with the historical fragmentation of Vietnam and its interactions with major world powers, like France, Japan, and the United States. The documentary highlights how Vietnamese leaders such as Ho Chi Minh rose in response to foreign influence and led movements that played crucial roles in Vietnam's struggle for independence. The narrative continues with the escalation of U.S. involvement under different administrations, primarily driven by fears of communism spreading during the Cold War era. Throughout the documentary, insights are provided into the geopolitical strategies, cultural impacts, and the internal and international opposition the war sparked, shaping a complex legacy that persists today.

Highlights

• Vietnam's long history of resistance against foreign rule set the stage for the Vietnam War. 🇻🇳
• Ho Chi Minh emerged as a key figure in Vietnam’s independence movement, blending nationalism with communism. ✨
• The U.S. adopted a fear-driven approach influenced by the domino theory, fearing a communist sweep across Asia. 🎲
• 'Operation Rolling Thunder' saw massive bombings of North Vietnam, aiming to weaken its infrastructure. 💣
• The use of Agent Orange was a controversial strategy with lasting environmental and humanitarian impacts. 🌿
• The war incited global protests, influencing public opinion and leading to significant cultural changes in the U.S. and beyond. 🌍

Key Takeaways

• The Vietnam War was a complex conflict rooted in centuries of Vietnamese resistance against foreign dominance. 🇻🇳
• Ho Chi Minh, a nationalist turned communist leader, played a pivotal role in Vietnam's fight for independence. 🌟
• U.S. involvement escalated due to the domino theory, which feared communism spreading throughout Asia. 🎲
• The war was marked by intense military strategies, including 'Operation Rolling Thunder' and the controversial use of Agent Orange. 💥
• The Vietnam War itself was a catalyst for cultural and political shifts worldwide, sparking widespread protest movements. ✊

Overview

Vietnam's complex history is central to understanding the Vietnam War. For centuries, Vietnam was a land of conflict and conquests, seeing influence from China, European traders, and eventually becoming a focal point in the fight against colonialism in the 20th century. Ho Chi Minh rises as a key figure, blending nationalism and communism to lead the country toward independence. These historical struggles against foreign powers shaped Vietnam's identity and resilience.

The documentary dives into the critical phase of American involvement, where fear of the spread of communism underpinned actions like the domino theory. American tactics such as 'Operation Rolling Thunder' were dramatic, aiming to cripple North Vietnam through extensive bombings while supporting the South's government. The complex geopolitics of the Cold War era fueled these strategies, intertwining Vietnam’s civil conflict with global ideological battles.

Cultural and political ramifications of the Vietnam War transcended national borders. The war sparked widespread dissent and protests, especially in the U.S., altering public discourse on military engagement and foreign policy. The impact of these movements prompted reflections on ethical use of power and raised awareness about the environmental and human costs of warfare, exemplified by critiques on the use of Agent Orange and the lasting scars of battle.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction In the 'Introduction' chapter, there's a focus on a surreal and abstract dialogue. References to famous literary characters and a sense of confusion are prevalent, with phrases like 'logic and proportion have fallen be dead' and imagery of a 'white night' and 'red Queens'. Additionally, there is a mysterious instruction to 'feed your head', suggesting a theme of expanding consciousness or knowledge through cryptic and artistic expressions.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Overview of the Vietnam War The chapter titled "Overview of the Vietnam War" begins with an engaging introduction that sets the tone for a detailed exploration of America's involvement in Vietnam. The narrative kicks off by promising to delve into how the war began, hinting at a comprehensive account of the key events and factors that led to the conflict. Although the transcript itself only introduces the topic, it hints at a forthcoming story that will unpack the complexities and significant moments in the historical trajectory of the Vietnam War.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Historical Background of Vietnam The chapter explores the complex history of Vietnam, highlighting the country's longstanding conflicts and dynastic struggles that have caused fragmentation over time. Vietnam's history is characterized by the influence of various cultures, challenging the notion that a singular Vietnamese identity has persisted unchanged for 2,000 years.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Vietnam's Early Conflicts The chapter titled 'Vietnam's Early Conflicts' discusses the Vietnam War that began in 1955 and lasted for 20 years. Although Americans underestimated their opponents by viewing them as mere peasants, the Vietnamese had a deep cultural understanding of warfare. The war was seen by the U.S. as a necessary measure against communism.
• 02:00 - 02:30: The Rise of Communism in Vietnam The chapter 'The Rise of Communism in Vietnam' begins by addressing the general misunderstanding of the communist threat by the United States and the Free World during the initial stages of the Communist takeover. It highlights the surprise and shock among American leaders and society despite their intelligence. Particular emphasis is placed on the Tet Offensive, a significant event where the Viet Cong infiltrated the American Embassy in Saigon, causing substantial damage. This incident notably shifted American public opinion.
• 02:30 - 03:00: French Influence in Vietnam The chapter titled 'French Influence in Vietnam' reflects on the socio-political and cultural impact of French colonialism on Vietnam, highlighting the tensions and eventual conflicts that arose. It discusses public sentiments, particularly from the perspectives of soldiers' families who questioned the purpose and cost of the war. The historical narrative connects past events to their present-day implications, emphasizing the ongoing resonance and repercussions of this period in Vietnamese history.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Hồ Chí Minh's Influence and Early Struggles The chapter delves into the geographical divisions of Vietnam, focusing on the Red River Delta in the North and the Meong Delta in the South. It highlights the initial settlements by three different ethnic groups: the Vietnamese in the North and the Cham people in the Central Coastal region, which was home to the ancient kingdoms collectively known as Champa.
• 03:30 - 04:00: Vietnam During World War II The Mekong Delta, one of the earliest regions in Vietnam to be settled, was initially inhabited by Cambodians. Later, the Cham people, originating from the North Coast of Borneo, arrived. Noted for their prowess in sailing, seafaring, and trading, the Cham people spoke a language related to Malay and established a civilization in central Vietnam. This civilization was heavily influenced by Hinduism and, to a lesser extent, Buddhism, due to its interactions with India.
• 04:00 - 04:30: First Indochina War Champa was the dominant kingdom controlling trade on the South China Sea for several centuries.
• 04:30 - 05:00: Division of Vietnam The chapter titled 'Division of Vietnam' discusses the outbreak of a fullscale war between the northern and southern Vietnamese kingdoms. Western trading played a significant role in the conflict as the Dutch supplied weapons to the Trin in the north, while Portuguese ships supplied weapons to the Newton family in the southern kingdom. These interactions represent the first European contacts with Vietnam, quickly followed by further involvement from the Dutch.
• 05:00 - 05:30: Early American Involvement The chapter discusses early American involvement in Vietnam, focusing on the interactions with European powers like Britain and France. It highlights the sophisticated local societies and their cultural influences, particularly from India, prior to European arrival. The chapter further delves into the religious and political changes introduced with the arrival of European, specifically Catholic missionaries. The French played a significant role in these transformations.
• 05:30 - 06:00: Escalation of Conflict in the 1960s The chapter discusses the significant role of missionaries from the mid-17th century in Vietnam, particularly highlighting Alexander de Rhodes. Rhodes' contributions included studying the Vietnamese language and compiling a dictionary translated into French, thereby facilitating foreign influence and language accessibility. This period saw a notable conversion of Vietnamese people from Confucianism to Roman Catholicism, largely influenced by French missionaries. The emperor of Vietnam, alarmed by this religious and cultural shift, ordered the execution of many missionaries, marking a crucial turning point in the conflict between the traditional Vietnamese authority and foreign influence.
• 06:00 - 06:30: Lyndon B. Johnson's Presidency This chapter discusses the context and actions leading to French colonization of Vietnam. It highlights that, unlike other European powers with territories in Asia, the French took the execution of missionaries as a pretext to invade Vietnam. Despite existing regional tensions within Vietnam, the French decided to establish a colony there.
• 06:30 - 07:00: The Gulf of Tonkin Incident and Its Consequences The Gulf of Tonkin Incident led to significant military and political consequences. Following a pattern of conquest and colonization that began around 1860, the French captured areas near Saigon and expanded their control across Vietnam, eventually creating a colony known as Cochinchina. This colonial expansion led to the division of Vietnam into three regions, a division that was unprecedented in its history.
• 07:00 - 07:30: American Military Buildup and Strategies The chapter discusses the historical context preceding the American military buildup in Vietnam, highlighting the formation of French Indochina in October 1887. It explains how Cambodia and Laos were added to this region in 1893, emphasizing the significant influence France exerted in shaping Vietnam's history. The narrative points out Vietnam's vulnerability to external ambitions due to years of dynastic invasions and civil wars by the late 19th century, leading to a division within the country.
• 07:30 - 08:00: Impact on Vietnamese Civilians The chapter titled 'Impact on Vietnamese Civilians' explores the escalating tensions due to French occupation in Vietnam. It discusses how this resentment fostered nationalism and paved the way for communism, with influences from Russia and China. This caused alarm for the USA, which saw South Vietnam under attack. The chapter questions the lead-up to the catastrophic loss of life and the necessity of America's involvement.
• 08:00 - 08:30: Operation Rolling Thunder Operation Rolling Thunder covers the period when France took control of Vietnam by 1884, creating the territories of Tonkin, Anam, and Cochinchina. The chapter discusses the French efforts to impose French law in Vietnam and the spread of French culture across the country.
• 08:30 - 09:00: Conclusion and Preview of Part 2 The French influence in Vietnam led to some Vietnamese, including Catholics and others who believed in modernization, to support the French. This support was not without its benefits, as some Vietnamese, especially in the Mong Delta region, were economically advantaged by being granted land. Consequently, a new landlord class emerged as the French expanded their control and influence.

The Vietnam War | Part 1 | Vietnam and the War | Free Documentary History Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 logic and proportion have fallen be dead and the white night is talking backwards and the red Queens are the head remember what the D [Music] said feed your head
• 00:30 - 01:00 your [Music] [Laughter] [Music] [Applause] head this is the story of America's war with Vietnam and how it began
• 01:00 - 01:30 [Music] yeah the history of Vietnam is one of conflict and great dynastic struggles which have led to fragmentation of the country over the centuries as well as inheriting the influence of many cultures the idea that there's been one people called the Vietnamese throughout the last 2,000 years is a bit of a modern invention after after centuries
• 01:30 - 02:00 of war in Vietnam the one that began in 1955 would be internationally reported news and last for 20 years America say that they're fighting an army of peasants so how could they possibly lose however these people culturally know about war much better than any American does a war that America deemed necessary in the fight against communism it's very intelligent men really thought that it
• 02:00 - 02:30 was the beginning of the Communist takeover of the world there was a genuine basic misinterpretation of what the threat the communism held for the United States and the rest of the Free World that's one of the really astounding things about the war that such intelligent men could have been so wrong the T offensive the fact that the Viet Kong had entered the American Embassy in Saigon caused a great deal of damage it did turn American opinion
• 02:30 - 03:00 totally against the wall the protests were not even so much the soldiers as their mothers because what the hell is my boy doing in Vietnam the devastation of this war continues to resonate [Music] today Vietnam is the story story of two
• 03:00 - 03:30 major river deltas the Red River delta in the North and the meong delta in the [Music] South the three Geographic areas of Vietnam were uh first settled as far as we know from the archaeology by three different ethnic groups uh the Vietnamese in the north the charm people in that Central Coastal strip who belong to various kingdoms known as Champa and
• 03:30 - 04:00 then the mikong Delta was settled earliest by cambodians the charm people came actually from across the sea probably from the North Coast of Borneo and uh they were great Sailors and seafarers and Traders and they speak a language that's related to Malay and they uh developed their own uh civilization in central Vietnam largely influenced by Hinduism and to some extent Buddhism as well from India they used to be the
• 04:00 - 04:30 dominant Kingdom or the dominant political Society on on the South China Sea for you know five or six centuries it was the Sham that uh controlled trade on on the South China [Music] Sea trade then expanded from Europe to China seeing the arrival of Western Traders as well as Muslim Traders from India and the Middle East slowly Champa became mostly converted to Islam while Christianity became very important in the Central and Northern Reg regions
• 04:30 - 05:00 fullscale war broke out between the northern and the southern Vietnamese kingdoms part of their Weaponry came from Trading with the westerners so that the uh Dutch would Supply weapons to the Trin in the north and their ships would uh cross over the Portuguese ships supplying weapons from maau near Hong Kong to the Newton family in the southern Kingdom those are the first European contacts but they were rapidly followed by the Dutch and then the
• 05:00 - 05:30 British and the French before the Europeans arrived and throughout this period there were flourishing local quite sophisticated communities and societies often with cultures that had borrowed elements of from religion to the way that Kings ruled to political organization from India more than from China Vietnam's interaction with Europe brought the arrival of Catholic missionaries particularly the Portuguese it was not until the AR Ral of French
• 05:30 - 06:00 missionaries from the mid 17th century that their influence across Vietnam was really felt the most significant of these missionaries was Alexander D roess he studied the Vietnamese language and compiled a dictionary into French this opened up the language to foreign influence the French converted an increasing number of Vietnamese from Confucianism to Roman Catholicism the emperor became angry and ordered the execution of many missionaries this was a turning point
• 06:00 - 06:30 from friendly trading relations to aggressive behavior the French almost seemed to use the execution of their missionaries as a reason to invade they were without any territories unlike the British in India the Portuguese and the Philippines the Dutch in Indonesia they decided to take over Vietnam and establish a colony there was this constant tension between different regions of Vietnam and a French arrived in that context and
• 06:30 - 07:00 indeed conquered Vietnam peac meal around 1860 the French seized the area near Saigon in the next two decades they mooved through Central and Northern Vietnam with French troops expanding their control over all six provinces on the mikong Delta and formed a colony known as koshin Shin they divided the country into those three regions uh which had never been divided into before
• 07:00 - 07:30 France assumed control over the whole of Vietnam French Indochina was formed in October 1887 Cambodia and laas were added in 1893 in the following years the French influence would play a significant role in shaping Vietnam throughout its history the country had been invaded by a stream of dynasties and by the late 19th century Vietnam had become vulnerable to French ambition years of Civil War had led to a split between the
• 07:30 - 08:00 North and the South it was into this environment that resentment of French occupation gave a space for nationalism and then communism to rise the influence of Russia and China alarmed the USA South Vietnam is already under [Music] attack but how did events lead to such a catastrophic loss of life and how necessary was America's involvement in a
• 08:00 - 08:30 war so far from [Music] home by 1884 France had taken control over Vietnam forming the territories of Tonkin Anam and kosin shin the French were Keen to bring Vietnam under French law and it wasn't long before French culture grew across the country the French Conquest was in fact
• 08:30 - 09:00 supported by some Vietnamese uh including Catholics but also some others who thought that the French could bring modernization to Vietnam so there were some Vietnamese who sided with the French and uh including some who benefited economically uh they were distributed lands in the South particularly in the Mong Delta so a new landlord class developed as French influence expanded
• 09:00 - 09:30 they soon established the bureaucracy and architecture of their towns building town halls Law Courts and schools the education system evolved for the EXP Patriots but soon became a fashion for the wealthy local residents as well in h capital of the enan section of Indochina the Japanese always so polite do not disturb the semblance of ancient rule likewise carefully preserved by the French Colonial Administration in a modern home built for her by the French adala the Empress
• 09:30 - 10:00 of Anan brings up her three attractive children in truly Royal atmosphere she accepts with Oriental resignation the obvious facts of the situation it was clear to parents that if they wanted their children to rise in the bureaucracy and get positions uh they needed to know the new uh newly adopted Latin alphabet uh which came to be known as quatu or the national script and so the Vietnamese cult culture became internationalized in a way it
• 10:00 - 10:30 hadn't been before and at the same time a familiarity a new familiarity with Western political ideologies including [Music] communism it was into this climate of French education that hoochi Min was brought up the man who would change Vietnam's history forever as a young man he was Keen to see the world and took employment on ships as a de Camp he traveled to
• 10:30 - 11:00 America lived in London for a while where he was rumored to have spent time as a cook and also lived in Paris whilst in Paris he petitioned for the independence and civil rights of the Vietnamese people from French rule when this failed in the US under President woodro Wilson hoi Min became disillusioned which furthered his communist Zeal he spent time in Russia and China before being imprisoned by Chang Kai Sheek his reputation at home was the developing and when he returned
• 11:00 - 11:30 in 1941 he had almost a hero status he was very much a man of the world he' been educated by the French had traveled around the world as a sailor worked as a chef in in in London in the Paris peace talks of 1919 he turned up at Versa and demanded freedom from French colonialism for the Vietnamese people and was thrown out hoim Min was a a member of the French Socialist Party which split in
• 11:30 - 12:00 1919 and he joined the Communist faction which founded the the uh French Communist Party during the second world war France had fallen to Nazi Germany in June 1940 the vichi government in Paris immediately seeded control of Saigon and Hanoi to Japan Japan enforced the right to land forces in Vietnam they needed to block the transportation of War materials through Vietnam to the allies
• 12:00 - 12:30 when hoochi Min was released from prison in China he returned to Vietnam to lead the Viet Min Independence Movement they fought against the vichi French and Japanese forces during World War II haimen would return to China and with um General Japan and others uh set up a communist resistance who fought the Japanese in 1945 they taken over the north part of of of Vietnam The South was liberated by by the British who to
• 12:30 - 13:00 justify taking back their own colonies in in in the Far East rearmed the Japanese to hold the country until the French turned up to reoccupy South [Music] Vietnam the Japanese and the French were very anti-communist and the Vietnamese Communist Party had been founded in 1930 by hoimi he uh and the other Vietnamese Communists rejected both the Japanese
• 13:00 - 13:30 and the French and they were the only uh large political party in Vietnam which did oppose both the French and the Japanese but at the end of the war when both of those groups lost uh the Communist led by hoim men were in a stronger position to take over I remember that uh many people at a time talk a lot about h
• 13:30 - 14:00 who they call alcohol at a time everyone thought he was somewhere like up there going down to H but uh obviously he also human being with some kind of ambition of his own people respected hoochi Min as a great Patriot and were willing to support him they were tired of being dominated by the French and now the
• 14:00 - 14:30 Japanese and fought for their freedom he oversaw many successful military actions against the French and then against Japanese Occupation of Vietnam during World War II supported secretly by the United States office of strategic Services hoim men had meanwhile formed a alliance with the United States and was rescuing French and American pilots who were shot down by the Japanese and delivering them to the American forces in the south of China and so hoi men was
• 14:30 - 15:00 able to build an army with some support from the United States and was in a position to take over once the Japanese were defeated over the years hoi men had developed a significant Army the country was in the midst of a huge famine the Vietnam peasants blamed the French and Japanese who were keeping the rice to feed their troops even exporting it to Japan after the Japanese had handed Vietnam am to the Viet in 1945 an
• 15:00 - 15:30 estimated 2 million Vietnamese people had died one of the problems with the end of the second world war is it led into a variety of other Wars particularly in Indochina and the Vietnam War which the United States inherited from the French which they had lost was in fact inherited from hoian himself when he had been an ally of the United States and I think that the basic problem was hoochi men was a nationalist first and foremost not a communist since 1945 the American
• 15:30 - 16:00 foreign policy was the containment of Communism there is the famous domino theory that if South Vietnam fell to the Communist so would La Cambodia Thailand it it would spread down the Malay Peninsula until eventually Australia would become communist and one Senator famously said we don't want to start fighting them when they land on my Kiki Beach there's no question my mind that these very
• 16:00 - 16:30 intelligent men mcnam and Rusk really thought that it was the beginning of the Communist takeover of the world I mean that famous domino theory and they all believed it and it was dead wrong the French finally built up to a point where uh hoim men and the Vietnam men in the north decided to resist and they started to attack the French in Hanoi in December of 1946 and the uh War which lasted until
• 16:30 - 17:00 1954 uh began then meanwhile the situation in French Indo China grows Graver as bitter fighting sweeps through Hanoi leaving misery and destruction in its wake French troops move up country to engage the well equipped forces of the Vietnam Republic who made a desperate but unsuccessful bid to Massacre the entire French population of the city the French do let Vietnam independent and that just push the country into the Communist
• 17:00 - 17:30 hand because everyone wanted to be independent and only communist was organized well organized the only intention as far as I can tell that hoim men had about any other country was South Vietnam President Eisenhower's refused to help the French with the air strikes at the time of B Ben soim men were so able to to to Marshal his forces get Soviet Aid
• 17:30 - 18:00 in and at the same time keep the Chinese from getting frantic about it and getting help from them as well and then that was his determination with an extraordinarily brilliant General the French fighting communism in Indochina as ju52 planes lend their weight in an allout offensive against the red jungle strongholds of the Viet forces particularly after the fall of China to the ma Communist Regime and the start of the Korean War in 1949 and 1950
• 18:00 - 18:30 respectively uh the United States began to give massive military uh support and political support to the French effort in Indochina from 1950 the Americans were initially very reluctant to support them but partly in exchange for support for France and nato in Europe the uh Americans decided to support France in Indochina uh which led to American Financial support and advisors and that sort of
• 18:30 - 19:00 the fight for Indochina goes on French pilots flying American planes take up with the big guns left off blasting communist divisions which had infiltrated French positions in the Hanoi Delta for the next four years of that war the United States paid for about 80% of the French military budget and at the same time the Chinese were supporting the uh Vietnamese Independence Movement LED mostly by Communists and fought
• 19:00 - 19:30 mostly in the North many many people from the South like everyone in Vietnam as a Time Joy Viet because their relationship their involvement with resistance they have the heart for it War comes to Peaceful rice patties Rich prize the Reds were hoping to seize until the French aided by the loyal Vietnamese drove them into the sea but from the backwaters of War come the
• 19:30 - 20:00 helpless victims of aggression the women the children the old and infirm communism passed their way they have little left now but a spark of life that drives them on toward escape and Sanctuary behind the French lons it's clear that people on all sides were fighting for different reasons the Americans were fighting to stop this tide of Communism that would sweep down from China through Vietnam into the rest of Indochina the rest of Southeast Asia um the Vietnamese some of them may have
• 20:00 - 20:30 thought they were part of an international movement but many of them were just fighting for their own personal uh reasons you know to liberate the country against foreign occupiers or to get rid of the power of landlords and that kind of thing the war that broke out in 1946 dragged on for eight years U and has its culmination at the Battle of Dean brr in in 1954 where a very bold move by the French military goes completely wrong and they're outfought and out thought by the guerillas under General
• 20:30 - 21:00 [Music] zap the first Indochina war came to an end with the Battle of diban Fu in 1954 culminating in a comprehensive defeat for the French France agreed to withdraw its forces from all its colonies and a conference at Geneva decided on the division of Vietnam with control of the north given to the Viet Min as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam under hoochi Min and the South becoming the state of Vietnam nominally
• 21:00 - 21:30 under Emperor Bai this prevented hoi Min from Gaining control of the entire country after the division of Vietnam into North and South the north is seen as a communist Threat by the United States South Vietnam's prime minister no dim DM faced a 2-year deadline for a nationwide reunification vote however the US feared that DM might not win in the north the Viet Min had formed National Liberation Front under hoochi
• 21:30 - 22:00 Min known as the Viet Kong and started Guerilla Warfare in the south of the country in an attempt to gain control president n came back to Vietnam with the acceptance from the last umor Bai in a referendum he outed Bai sent him into Exile in France and he be became
• 22:00 - 22:30 president the The South was still administered from saon until there was going to be an election which would then unite the country when the Americans realized that they wouldn't win any election against the Communists they backed uh prime minister DM in South Vietnam to set up an independent state state which so it would be anous to North and South Korea because of the influence of the Korean War upon American thinking when the French lost at the en Ben Fu and Eisenhower had to
• 22:30 - 23:00 decide what to do about the country he decided to support the South Vietnamese government in in in place and they supported that Dreadful man DM DM was like a South American dictator about whom some American General I think once said he's a son of a [ __ ] but he's our son of a [ __ ] and that strain of thought ran through the American government when they' look at at their allies around the world and it was a mistake half of the villages were under communist rule in 1954 and uh it wasn't
• 23:00 - 23:30 clear who was going to come out on top uh and indeed the United States and uh the other political groups also expected that the Communists would win wasn't anything great American Conspiracy to Rule the World or anything they just didn't want the Russians to take over when they realized that Soviet communism as they saw it was a menace which it was it would influence other parts of the world that they thought they could reach and uh and as a consequence Vietnam after the French were defeated at DM
• 23:30 - 24:00 benu was was a prime candidate for American help and so the CM regime immediately turned its attention to the religious or the political religious sets uh in the mikong Delta and attacked them first and so there was fighting in the streets of Saigon in 1954 and 1955 and much of it spread to the meong Delta there was a sort of Civil War in the early days of the South Vietnamese
• 24:00 - 24:30 regime the divisions and unrest in Vietnam continued the rioting intensified and the Vietnamese people continued to see hoochi Min and the National Liberation Front as a way to gain back their independence America continued to closely monitor the situation uneasy at the rapid rise of Communism in Vietnam which they deemed to be a direct threat to them this mood prompted President Kennedy to send in a ultimately ending in over half a million
• 24:30 - 25:00 US troops and a bloody war that would last for 20 years in the 20th century Vietnam had endured Invasion from France and China it had seen the creation of Indochina under French rule and the development of French culture and influence in the coming years after the defeat of the French at
• 25:00 - 25:30 the Battle of dban Fu the Geneva peace conference divided the country with control of the South now led by GM supported by America North Vietnam was given to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam led by hoochi Min he formed the National Liberation Front also known as the Viet Kong and began an uprising against the South the National Liberation Front were gaining significant strength in in Vietnam to many Vietnamese the Viet men
• 25:30 - 26:00 were Heroes to America's leaders hoi men represented communism and a significant threat for man holds in his mortal hand the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life and yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forbears for are
• 26:00 - 26:30 still an issue around the globe the Vietnam were able to recruit in the South Center and North the religious groups in the South were not able to recruit in the center and North the Vietnamese nationalist party was more Northern based uh and noin cm's following was largely among Vietnamese Catholics and particularly in his home base of central Vietnam uh and so the Viet men built the biggest
• 26:30 - 27:00 political organization the Viet men were able to recruit The Peasants uh whereas most of the other political groups didn't uh show much interest it's a Communist party that they are it's discipline there are lots of people has the ability to take power from the top right down into the villages and mobilize large numbers of people by the early 1960s hano's policy shifted further again uh to towards supporting the Guerilla war that was
• 27:00 - 27:30 already developing fast in the South meanwhile the United States had built up its own forces they had surpassed the Geneva limit on foreign forces in South Vietnam the position of this Administration has been carefully considered and we have sought to make it just as clear as we know how to the government's concerns President Kennedy pledged a to DM it hadn't been long since America had not been able to defeat the Communists in North Korea and they were intent on not losing to them
• 27:30 - 28:00 again in Vietnam in 1961 400 American Green Beret special advisers are sent to train soldiers in the fight against the Viet Kong gorillas under hoochi Min in October that year General Maxwell Taylor reports to the president and advises Kennedy to expand the number of US military advisers and to send 8,000 combat soldiers the number of troops sent by Kennedy
• 28:00 - 28:30 will eventually surpass 16,000 by 1963 there was a serious mistake for Kennedy to get involved as he did with American Force in that part of the world thinking that this great monolithic Soviet style communism would rule the roost when he could have played it differently I believe and fought it more subtly the great word of the Vietnam gave us was escalation because it starts
• 28:30 - 29:00 off with Kennedy sending in just 400 military advisors for actually Special Forces uh organizing and and controlling the action and then more go in and then more go in he should have fought it with the limited a he gave it initially with the development of the special forces the green beray as they're called and and other small tactical units and not created this great uh surge of of North Vietnamese resentment South Vietnam is
• 29:00 - 29:30 already under attack sometimes by a single assassin sometimes by a band of guerillas recently by faux battalions the peaceful borders of Burma Cambodia and India have been repeatedly violated and the peaceful people of LA are in danger of losing the independence they gained not so long long ago the eventual result was that uh
• 29:30 - 30:00 the United States decided that the South would lose very quickly if it didn't change policy and that the United States needed to move in with regular forces on a large scale the Chinese whether Communists or nationalists were age-old enemies of the Vietnamese it was the Soviet the threat of Soviet communism and the fact that China had fallen with m in a way that was assisted by the
• 30:00 - 30:30 Soviets was to the Americans they they had created this monster in their imaginations and they had to go and fight it there's something here what it isin EXA in the final analys it's their War they're the ones who have to win it or lose it we can help them we can give them equipment we can send our men out there as advis but they have to win at the people of Vietnam against the
• 30:30 - 31:00 Communist all we can do is help and we're making it very clear but I don't agree with those who say we should withdraw that'd be a great [Music] mistake President Kennedy was conflicted about Vietnam he realized that he couldn't give up the territory but faced the crisis by July despite increased us support the South Vietnamese military was not making any ground against the Viet Kong forces the regime of sou
• 31:00 - 31:30 Vietnam's president NM comes to an end in a wave of violence a few days before the Army Revolt these last pictures showed a man who seemed to have no premonition of the horrible death he was to meet as the situation in Saigon was intensifying as the Viet Kong fought against DM ultimately leading to his death fire concentrates on tanks and armored carriers blocking the way to the palace for 2 and 1/2 hours the palace com comes under heavy bombardment before the white flag is raised meanwhile the
• 31:30 - 32:00 and his brother NGO Den newu had fled the palace in Disguise they were later captured only to die in an armored car that was taking them to prison 3 weeks later in the US the nation was to be shocked by the tragic assassination of President Kennedy on November 22nd 1963 at 1:25 the mate moves into the downtown area death is 6 minutes away in a warehouse a sniper with a rifle poised
• 32:00 - 32:30 Waits the cheers of the crowd almost muffle the three shots the Assassin's aim is deadly from Dallas Texas The Flash apparently official President Kennedy died at 100 p.m. Central Standard Time 2:00 Eastern Standard Time some 38 minutes ago vice president Lyon Johnson has left the hospital in Dallas but we
• 32:30 - 33:00 do not know uh to where he has proceeded presumably he will be taking the oath of office shortly and become the 36th president of the United States lynon Johnson was thrust into the presidency after the assassination the country was in disarray the worsening situation in Vietnam had been Kennedy's most pressing problem and Johnson inherited America's commitment to Vietnam and to defeating communism
• 33:00 - 33:30 President Johnson for all his great virtues wasn't very strong on foreign policy uh he would had been in the Navy during the Pacific War and he believed one that overwhelming Force worked militarily and number two he was a great Texan Wheeler Dealer he figured if he waved the big stick he could negotiate with hoi hoi Min didn't want to negotiate with anyone he knew eventually he would win they could control how many
• 33:30 - 34:00 people they were losing and all they were doing was keeping their casualties down to below their birth [Music] rate in August 1964 an incident of the Gulf of Tong kin triggered a reaction from President Johnson the determination of all Americans to carry out our full commitment to the people and to the government of South Vietnam will be re troubled by this
• 34:00 - 34:30 outrage ultimately this reaction would lead to the beginning of a war in Vietnam a war that still resonates the justification remains a question to this day lynon Johnson became the 36th president of the United States after the assassination of John F Kennedy in November 1963 he inherited an economic crisis in America that saw him proclaim a war on
• 34:30 - 35:00 poverty he had inherited another conflict a war on communism and America's commitment to Vietnam The increased strength of the Viet Kong and the rise of Communism demanded more resources from Johnson but until now he had resisted the need to escalate the situation however in August 1964 President Johnson decided to act after events at the Gulf of ton kin destroyers of the United States Navy are ass routine patrols from time to time Sunday
• 35:00 - 35:30 August the 2nd 1964 the Destroyer Maddox was on such a patrol shortly afternoon the calm of the day is broken as general quarters sou when the Gulf of Tonk in inverted comes instant comes along and there's a a a spirous report that American warships have been tacked by by Vietnamese uh Patrol boats they use as an excuse the Gulf of tonan incident illustrates
• 35:30 - 36:00 this capability for instant retaliation against unprovoked attack the USS maddox's Captain sent a report that three North Vietnamese torpedo boats supposedly fired on them but then sent a attraction that it had been foul weather and not an attack however President Johnson ignored the retraction and ordered the bombing of torpedo boat bases and an oil Depot president Lyndon Johnson obtained a almost most unanimous approval from the US Congress to uh escalate the war
• 36:00 - 36:30 in Vietnam and bombing aircraft was sent North he knew everyone on Capitol Hill he could get anything through he wanted they gave him this gulf of tonin resolution which he said it was like grandmother's night shirt it covered everything and it just gave him um C Blan to to to to to fight how he wished it is my duty to the American people to report that renewed hostile
• 36:30 - 37:00 actions against United States ships on the high seas in the Gul of tonin have today required me to order the military forces of the United States take action and reply isod violence flaring bullets loading you're old enough to kill but not for voting you don't believe in war for that gun you to
• 37:00 - 37:30 and even the Jordan River has B is floting but you tell me over and over and over again my friend ah you don't believe we're on the de of Destruction but repeated acts of violence against the Armed Forces of the United States must be
• 37:30 - 38:00 met not only with alert defense but with positive reply that reply is being given as I speak to you [Music] tonight I don't believe we're on the de of Destruction fullscale military action on Vietnam had begun the Viet Kong retaliate with a bombing Onslaught on a US Airbase one of the major impacts of the
• 38:00 - 38:30 United States buildup of ground troops in South Vietnam was that the Communist guerillas in the South started recruiting uh at a increased level themselves and in fact from 1964 to 1965 the Communist gorillas quadrupled their recruitment meanwhile the United States was building up an its forces at an even faster rate uh to hundreds of thousands the American commitment on the ground in South Vietnam rises from
• 38:30 - 39:00 12,000 to 200,000 and suddenly everyone in America is is is affected despite a campaign for deescalation of us involvement Johnson's attack on Vietnam is greeted with much support in the USA and his popularity Rises he wins a landslide Victory to be US president within a year he had given the command for operation Ro ring Thunder to [Music]
• 39:00 - 39:30 begin it's [Music] been many and I know I'm one forces on both sides built up with the contribution made from North Vietnam of regular troops coming into the fighting as well uh and the destruction that was being conducted and carried out in The Villages of South Vietnam
• 39:30 - 40:00 particularly the populated areas where the impact was greatest but also in the forested areas the level of Destruction uh escalated enormously from the mid-60s onwards and had an enormous impact on the Vietnamese people's livelihood on the way people tried to survive in the cities fleeing from the country side where the war was strongest into into the cities uh the cities began to fill up with the rural refugees uh protest movements developed in the
• 40:00 - 40:30 [Music] cities The Continuous arrival of US troops and a large buildup of the South Vietnamese Army meant that America could inflict large casualties not just on the Northern Vietnamese regulars who had moved South but also on the guerillas and the South Vietnamese communist regular troops as well large scale scale rioting in Saigon [Music]
• 40:30 - 41:00 continues we have made a national PL to help South Vietnam defend its independence and I intend to keep that [Music] [Applause] pump America could not politically invade the the North cuz they hadn't declared war this this was a police
• 41:00 - 41:30 action so that they couldn't invade the north but they did feel that they were able to bomb it this was called Operation Rolling Thunder and they just tried to pulverize all the industry all the supply LS everything in the north and in a month they would drop as much ordinance from North Vietnam as it had been dropped in the whole of World War [Music] II [Music]
• 41:30 - 42:00 this bombardment of Air Raids would last 3 years together with the deployment of Agent [Music] Orange this was just the start of a war that would rage for many years a war that would affect Vietnam and America for decades to come
• 42:00 - 42:30 [Music] some folks are B made to W the flag they red white and blue and when the B way to the CH that point the Canon at you it ain't me a me I Noor it ain't me it ain't me I Ain
• 42:30 - 43:00 no