American Studies 2200E Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: American Friends Service Committee, Walter Cronkite, United Service Organizations

• School: Western University
• Department: American Studies
• Course: American Studies 2200E
• Professor: Anna Zuschlag

Document Summary

National liberation front and the viet cong. Indochina begins as a (cid:272)olony of fran(cid:272)e dating (cid:271)a(cid:272)k to the (cid:1005)8(cid:1004)(cid:1004)"s. Battle of dien bien phu is a blowout for the vietnamese. The vietnamese are fighting for independence (want the french out) French lose the battle, decide to leave indochina. Vietnamese independence would make it possible for the soviets to take over. Viet cong: the rebels in south vietnam. Fighting with the north against the french and then the south vietnamese. Communication sent out that the north vietnamese had attacked the ships. Lyndon b. johnson uses this as an opportunity to expand american involvement. Uses the gulf of tonkin incident to request the necessary funds from congress. August 1964: the gulf of tonkin resolution (gives a blank check to johnson) The beginning of the air war in vietnam. After july 1965 combat troops move into vietnam. Sent to guard american airbases, sent on search and destroy missions.