Vietnam • After WWII = decolonization – countries wanted to be free of European control • Vietnam known as the French Indochina Why? Vietnam War • Ho Chi Minh led Communists against French in 1946 – took control of most of Vietnam, French took control of the South • The division was along the 17th parallel The US gets involved… • Eisenhower and Kennedy supported the anti-communists who controlled S Vietnam • 1965 – Johnson sent troops to Vietnam (the first of about 2.7 million to serve there) • US withdrew in 1973 after 58,000 soldiers were killed and 300,000 wounded • 1975 – N Vietnam took over S Vietnam, creating one communist nation • http://www.youtube.com/user/univ ersalclass?v=lTOHvSkWVBw&feature =pyv&ad=5900954653&kw=the%20viet nam%20war US involvement (19 _- 19 ) VIETNAM WAR (1955 - 19 _) _ 1st colonizing country _ 2nd colonizing country Self-Rule _ Vietnam INVADES _ Vietnam Leader Supporting countries _ _ Government Parallel Supporting group _ Supporting group Viet Cong Supporting country _ Government Outcome of War Status of the Country today _