The Vietnam War

In the spring of 1954. an international conference to settle the Indochina conflict began in Geneva, Switzerland. There, representatives of the French and Viet minth attempted to map out Indochina’s future. The People’s Republic of China (Communist China), The United States, Great Britan, the Soviet Union, Laos and Cambodia joined the discussion. The Communist Chinese, who had begun aiding the Vietminh in 1950. hoped to limit U. S. influence in the region. The Americans did not want to see Vietnam handed over completely to the Communists. Vietnam was temporarirly divided at 17th parallel. North of the 17th parallel, the Vietminh held undisputed power; south of the line, rnants of the French-controlled government resumed authority.

In 1960 the southern Vietminh formed the National Liberarion Front (NLF). The NLF’s main goal was the orerthrow of the Ngo Dinh Diem regime. Members of thes rebel force were called Vietcong (Vietnamese Communists) by their opponents, but not all NLF supportrs were Communists.

Ngo Dinh Diem was sorongly anti-Communist. He had spint several years in the United States, where his political views attracted powerful backers. In 1955. Diem becami president of the newly established Repu

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As a result, Americans saw images that seemed to contradict the government’s optimistic reports.

Antiwar protest increases

News of the bombing and invasion of Cambodia provoked outrage in the United States, particularly on college campuses. ” Thieu, who had not been included in the negotiations, objected to the proposed government, seeing it as a loss of power. Nixon ordered the widespread bombing of Cambodia.

The antiwar movement builds: The SDS organized the first national antiwar demonstration- held in Washington, D. When students at Kent State University in Ohio set fire to the campus ROTC building, Ohio’s governor vowed to „eradicate” the protesters. Rather than ending, the war suddenly grew more fierce. the Selective Service notified 13 700 draftees, and by December some 40 000 had received „greetings” from their local boards. At worst, it would delay a collapse long enough to spare America the humiliation of outright defeat. Doctors, teachers, ministers and other professionals joined houdewives, retired citizens, and students to protest the war.

Approximate Word count = 1842
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

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