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In an effort to resolve several problems in Asia, including the war between the French and Vietnamese nationalists in Indochina, representatives from the world’s powers meet in Geneva. The conference marked a turning point in the United States’ involvement in Vietnam. Representatives from the United States, the Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of China, France, and Great Britain came together in April 1954 to try to resolve several problems related to Asia. One of the most troubling concerns was the long and bloody battle between Vietnamese nationalist forces, under the leadership of the communist Ho Chi Minh, and the French, who were intent on continuing colonial control over Vietnam. Since 1946 the two sides had been hammering away at each other. By 1954, however, the French were tiring of the long and inclusive war that was draining both the national treasury and public patience. The United States had been supporting the French out of concern that a victory for Ho’s forces would be the first step in communist expansion throughout Southeast Asia. When America refused France’s requests for more direct intervention in the war, the French announced that they were including the Vietnam question in the agenda for the Geneva Conference.

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The United States, South Vietnam, Viet Cong, and North Vietnam formally sign “An Agreement Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam” in Paris. Due to South Vietnam’s unwillingness to recognize the Viet Cong’s Provisional Revolutionary Government, all references to it were confined to a two-party version of the document signed by North Vietnam and the United States—the South Vietnamese were presented with a separate document that did not make reference to the Viet Cong government. This was part of Saigon’s long-time refusal to recognize the Viet Cong as a legitimate participant in the discussions to end the war.

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Vietnamization was President Richard Nixon’s plan for a gradual, multi-phased withdrawal of American military forces from Vietnam, transferring the bulk of the conflict back to the people of South Vietnam. However, while Nixon’s plan was to help strengthen the army of South Vietnam in the process pulling American forces out, the process ultimately failed when weakened and vulnerable South Vietnamese forces were overcome by the North and fell to communism in 1975. The driving force behind Vietnamization was Nixon’s own desire to save face as public opinion of the Vietnam war plummeted in the late 1960’s. The public called for peace and a complete ceasefire, and while Nixon publicly fronted a call for peace, he went on to secretly begin bomb campaigns and invasions on Cambodia. Once this became public, the Nixon administration became more pressed than ever to make a call for peace in Vietnam. This caused for a rapid removal of American forces, leaving South Vietnam more susceptible to attack from the communist Northern, ultimately having a total defeat of non-communist forces in Vietnam.

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The Battle of Khe Sanh took place in Khe Sanh, the northwestern Quang Tri province, South Vietnam from January 21, 1968. When PAVN troops began a heavy artillery bombardment on the U.S. Marine garrison at Khe Sanh, the next 77 days, ARVN and U.S. Marines fought an extensive fight until Operation Pegasus ended the siege. Khe Sanh turned out to be one of the most gruesome battles of the Vietnam War. Both sides claimed victory despite heavy casualties on the communists and the fact that the U.S. had to abandon a key combat base for the first time due to enemy pressure. Although U.S. officials expected a full-scale offensive from the North Vietnamese troops, it never came. Instead, Battle of Khe Sanh seemed a diversionary tactic to distract American & South Vietnamese forces from the Viet Cong build-up in the South for the “Tet Offensive”.

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Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between regular U.S. and People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) troops. The 2-part battle occurred from November 14 to 18, 1965 at the Landing Zone X-Ray and Albany in Ia Drang Valley, Central Highlands of South Vietnam. Despite heavy casualties on both sides, both claimed the battle was a victory of their own. As a matter of fact, Ia Drang Valley battle was considered essential as it set the blueprint for tactics for both sides during the conflict. American troops continued to reply on air mobility and artillery fire to achieve their battlefield objectives. On the other side of the fight, the Viet Cong learned that by quickly engaging their combat forces close to the enemy (fighting at close range), they could neutralize American advantages.

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Ap Bac was a village in the Mekong Delta, about 40 miles southwest of Saigon. The Battle of Ap Bac began in December 1962. Three Viet Cong companies built defensive positions along a mile-long canal connecting Ap Bac with the village of Ap Tan Thoi. The Vietcong dug in behind trees, grass, and shrubs with clear view of the surrounding rice fields. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Seventh Division attacked the position, and although they outnumbered the Vietcong by ten to one, they were defeated. ARVN was characterized by incompetent officers and terrible morale. At the end of the battle on January 2, 1963, the ARVN had lost five helicopters and sixty dead, while the Vietcong suffered only three casualties. Although American military advisers in South Vietnam tried to claim the battle a victory because the Vietcong abandoned their position, the engagement showed how difficult a guerrilla war would be and how much learning the United States would have to do about the nature of warfare in Southeast Asia.

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The Tet Offensive was Viet Cong and North Vietnam versus South Vietnam and USA. The Tet offensive was a series of attacks throughout Southern Vietnam. Name came from the Tet holiday, the Vietnamese new year which was also the day of the first major attack. Through the night North Vietnamese launched hours of attacks (January 30th). These attacks were on Corps Tactical Zones and after the first wave of attacks, North Vietnam had 80k troops attack over 100 cities in South Vietnam. The significance of the Tet Offensive was that the North Vietnamese proved that they were not being weakened, making the US public respond negatively to the US government. For a long time the US public had been told that the North Vietnamese were being defeated, but the Tet Offensive proved otherwise. The South Vietnamese also lost.

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A US ship was sunk miles of the coast of the Coast of Tonkin prompting the US to change its policies to be to reply to future attacks with war. Two days later the captain of another ship thought they were being attacked, as a result a plane was sent out to the ship.The pilot was sure there was no attacks, having no proof another ship attacking or even being close to it. President Johnson used the opportunity to pass the Tonkin Gulf Resolution through congress. This allowed Johnson to wage war in Vietnam, also allowed attacks on the bases where the “shots were fired from.”

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Battle of Dien Bien Phu (March and May 1954)

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Battle of Dien Bien Phu (March and May 1954)

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The battle of Dien Bien Phu took place between France and Vietnam.The goal was for France to draw out Vietnam into battle and beat them with superior firepower. The war ended in French defeat, effect was negotiations being influenced at Geneva Convention over future of Indochina. Dien Bien Phu was an airbase in Vietnam that the French established as theirs.They had made the goal of the airbase as a threat to Vietminh and as a way to block resupply routes from China to Laos. As a result of the war the French had 1500 human Lose and the Vietminh had 7000 loses. The Vietminh proved french posts could be overtaken. The significance of the battle was the miscalculation of the French’s battle plan resulted in massive amounts of casualties for both sides. The French were proved that their forces could be defeated by the Vietminh and showed the French’s weakness. Because of this war, the future of Indochina was discussed during negotiations at the Geneva Convention