Transcript Overview - weknowourhistory

Mr. Giesler
American History
The Truman Doctrine, 1947
TTYN: Describe the basic tenants of the
Truman Doctrine?
 With the Truman Doctrine, President Harry S.
Truman established that the United States would
provide political, military and economic assistance
to all democratic nations under threat from
external or internal authoritarian forces. The
Truman Doctrine effectively reoriented U.S.
foreign policy, away from its usual stance of
withdrawal from regional conflicts not directly
involving the United States, to one of possible
intervention in far away conflicts.
Diên Biên Phú
Diên Biên Phú
Diên Biên Phú
Overview
The French defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 signalled the end of
French influence and Colonialism in Indochina.
The battle fought around Dien Bien Phu was the last major campaign
by a European state in the region
Dien Bien Phu was a town in northwest Vietnam with an isolated air
base built and used by the Japanese in World War Two.
Located near the Vietnam/Laos border.
Diên Biên Phú
Overview
 Although the French inflicted heavy casualties on the Vietminh, Dien
Bien Phu was a tactical and operational failure for the French.
French losses totaled 7,184 casualties, included 1,142 dead and 1,606
missing.
Vietminh suffered 7,900 dead and over 15,000 wounded.
Diên Biên Phú
Overview
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN) had mobilized over
33,000 workers to support the contingent at Dien Bien Phu, which
allowed it to sustain the 50,000-man siege for the five-month
operation.
It was a tactical and operational success for the Vietminh; they had
achieved their decisive victory over the French.
Diên Biên Phú
Overview
 The Vietnamese strategic goal of using the victory to obtain
concessions at the Geneva negotiations failed.
The Vietnamese were forced to accept a temporary partition of
their country with elections to be held two years later. However, the
south government headed by Ngo Dinh Diem and backed by the US
established a separate government and ignored the call for
elections in 1956.
Partition of Vietnam
CASE FILE
Vietnam Conflict
Harry S Truman
established that the
United States would
provide political,
military and economic
assistance to all
democratic nations
under threat from
external or internal
authoritarian forces.
CLASSIFIED
Detective Log
Who authored
When was
What type of
Who was the
Who was the aggressor in
audience for the
the incident according to
the document? the document document?
document? Why was
authored?
the document?
it created?
Document 1
Document 2
See Handout
Document 1
Remarks of Senator John F. Kennedy on Indochina before the
Senate
Washington, D.C., April 6, 1954
Document 2
Remarks of Senator John F. Kennedy before The Executives' Club
Chicago, Illinois, May 28, 1954
Document 3
Remarks of Senator John F. Kennedy at the Conference on
Vietnam Luncheon in the Hotel Willard
Washington, D.C., June 1, 1956
Document 4
ANTI-REDS ACTIVE IN NORTH VIETNAM
New York Times; Oct. 16, 1961
Document 5
Reds in Vietnam Kill U.S. Aide in Ambush
New York Times; Nov. 6, 1960
Document 6
OFFICIER TELLS OF "ROUTINE' IN GULF OF TONKIN
Chicago Tribune; Oct 5, 1964
Document 7
New Hurdle in Vietnam
New York Times; Aug. 12, 1964
Document 8
Patrols in Gulf of Tonkin Began as Watch on Reds
Los Angeles Times; Sept. 27, 1964
Document 9
President Johnson's Message to Congress August 5, 1964
Document 10
Joint Resolution of Congress H.J. RES 1145 August 7, 1964
Questions to Consider
 What questions did you ask while evaluating these sources?
 On what points do the accounts agree?
 On what points do the accounts differ?
 Which of these sources aligns most closely with what you already knew about
the Vietnam Conflict? How so?
 Which of these sources is most reliable in determining what actually happened
the led to the start of the Vietnam Conflict? Why do you think so?
 Describe the difficulties in developing an accurate account of historical events
like the start of the Vietnam Conflict?
 If you were asked to write your own historical account of the events that
occurred during the years the followed the battle of Dien Bien Phu, how would
you go about doing so?
Cracking the Case
Based on your analysis of the documents and citing evidence
to support your answer, please write a one-page summary,
which answers the following questions: how did the basic
tenants of the Truman Doctrine and the events that followed
following the battle of Dien Bien Phu interconnect and would
ultimately lead to the Vietnam Conflict? Was Unites States
involvement justified? What are the similarities between the
Korean War and the start of the Vietnam Conflict?