CHAPTER 22 THE VIETNAM WAR

SECTION 1

Control of Vietnam

France Vietminh

Ho Chi Minh Japan United States

Domino Theory Dien Bien Phu

DIEN BIEN PHU

May 1954 Last French outpost in Vietnam Vietminh surrounded it and

pounded it with heavy artillery for two months

French surrender and pull out of Vietnam

GENEVA ACCORDS

1954 - Meeting of several countries including N. and S. Vietnam to hammer out peace agreement

Geneva Accords did the following: temporarily divided Vietnam along

the 17th parallel Vietnam would hold election in

1956 to vote on unity

The Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations provided economic and military aid to South Vietnam’s anti-communist stand.

NGO DINH DIEM South Vietnam’s president Called off 1956 election

Ho Chi Minh had won a lot of support in NorthRedistributed land – helped peasants

Ho Chi Minh was skilled at fighting opposition – fought against Japan…

The Eisenhower administration supported Diem’s decision to cancel elections

Eisenhower promised military aid to Diem and in return Diem would establish a stable government “Sink or Swim with Ngo Dinh Diem”

Diem established a corrupt government Did not redistribute land He was Catholic and restricted Buddhist

practices

SECTION 2

US INVOLVEMENT AND ESCALATION

VIETCONG

They were communist and located in South Vietnam

Used guerrilla tactics and tried to overthrow Diem’s government

Killed thousands of South Vietnam officials

HO CHI MINH TRAIL Ho Chi Minh

supported the Vietcong and sent them supplies along this trail

It ran through Laos and Cambodia

Eisenhower is still supporting Diem’s government

Sink or swim with Ngo Dinh Diem

KENNEDY ADMINISTRATION Took over in 1961 and continued

Eisenhower’s policy Democrats had been accused of being

soft on communism so Kennedy – Increased financial aid Sent thousands of military to train S. Vietnam

troopsBy end of 1963 – US had 16,000 military

personnel in S. Vietnam

DIEM’S POPULARITY Continued to decrease No land reform Much corruption Attacked Buddhism

Imprisoned many Buddhist leaders because he was tired of their demonstrations

He also destroyed their Temples

Many Buddhists protested their treatment by burning themselves

US was shocked and asked Diem to stop – He would not

US realized that Diem had to go if S. Vietnam was to become stable

Nov. 1 1963 – US supported coup to end Diem’s administration Diem was executed against

Kennedy’s wishes

JOHNSON

Before Kennedy’s death he had announced plans to withdraw troops from Vietnam – “ It is their war”

Johnson however increased US involvement and eventually began America’s longest war!

All administrations after Diem were more corrupt

Vietcong’s influence in S. Vietnam was growing stronger

Democrats were accused of being soft on Communism

Johnson was determined not to lose Vietnam

TONKIN GULF INCIDENT

August 2, 1964 N. Vietnamese patrol boat fired at

the American destroyer the USS Maddox patrolling Tonkin Gulf Missed and Maddox inflicted damage

on patrol boat

August 4, 1964 USS Maddox and another

destroyer were off N. Vietnamese coast

Bad weather - reported enemy torpedoes - US began firing

(Crews of destroyers reported NOT hearing or seeing hostile fire)

This made Johnson want to attack N. Vietnam

Asked Congress for powers to “repel any armed attack against US and to prevent any further aggression”

August 7, 1964Congress passed the

TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION

Not a declaration of war but verybroad military power

JUST A BIT OF INTERESTING INFORMATION

Johnson had been leading secret raids against N. Vietnam

USS Maddox had been collecting info for raids

Resolution had been prepared by Johnson months before just waiting for the best opportunity

OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER

February 1965 First sustained bombing of N. Vietnam March 1965 First US combat troops arrive in S.

Vietnam By June ’65 >50,000 US troops

were fighting the Vietcong

AMERICANIZED

CONTAINMENT

Keeping communism from spreading

Major issue in the ’64 election US citizens wanted containment Johnson – moderate approach Goldwater – drastic approach

WINNER

ROBERT McNAMARA

Secretary of Defense

DEAN RUSK Secretary of State

Johnson’sTop

Advisors

Both supported sending troops to Vietnam

1965 – 61% of Americans supported war 24% opposed the war

FRUSTRATING WARFARE

WILLIAM WESTMORELAND American commander in South

Vietnam Continued to request more troops He said the South Vietnamese were

not skilled 1967 – 500,000 US troops in

Vietnam

To try to discourage the Vietcong Westmoreland introduced the “BODY COUNT”

He thought if they saw a large number of dead they would give up

Instead it made them more determined

FIGHTING THE VIETCONG

Very difficult becauseThey were in their home

territory – the jungleUsed ambush tacticsHit and run

Hard to tell friend from foeSecretly move in and out of general population

No more front line – attacked in cities and countryside

Booby traps and land minesSeries of extensive tunnels

SEARCH AND DESTROY MISSIONS

If a villager had suspected ties with the Vietcong the US military had orders to kill livestock and destroy the village.

This caused large numbers of refugees

NAPALM Gasoline based bomb used to set

the jungle on fire

AGENT ORANGE

Leaf killing toxic chemical

One of the problems of using napalm and agent orange was that it hurt the general population

These were people we had tried to befriend!

US MORALE

Sinking Many reasons

Guerilla warfare was frustratingBrutal jungle conditionsNo substantial headway – no

front lines…

Soldiers turned to Alcohol Drugs

Things were not good in S. Vietnam Corruption Buddhist were still burning themselves Still most US soldiers believed in their

cause – stop the spread of communism

THE LIVING ROOM WAR CREDIBILITY GAP

The Vietnam War was known as the “Living Room War”

First to have pictures shown on TV each evening

These pictures did not match the positive reports released by the US administration

SECTION 3

A NATION DIVIDED

MANIPULATABLE DRAFT Men ages 18-26 were called up Had to register at 18 Many ways to get out of draft

College Medical conditions Some draft boards were less strict Some joined the National Guard and

Coast Guard Many draftees proudly went to Vietnam –

Some even volunteered

80% of American soldiersWere from lower Economic levels.

The “Working Class War”

DRAFT

AFRICAN AMERICANS

Served in disproportional numbers in the ground combat troops

In first 2 years of war – 20 % of combat deaths Only 10% of US population

A lot of racism resulting in violence

PROTESTS

Marches on Washington Protests not to participate in the

draft Most common reason to protest

was that the Vietnam conflict was a civil war and the US had no business there

The New Left Students for a Democratic Society Free Speech Movement Folk singers wrote and sang

about anti-war topics

STUDENTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

New Left Called for an end to

apathy Focused on:

Vietnam Poverty Campus regulations Nuclear power racism

FREE SPEECH MOVEMENT

Started at the University of California at Berkeley

Administration was restricting student’s rights to distribute literature

Supreme Court upheld the First Amendment rights to freedom of speech

Mario

Savio

70 % of Americans believed protests were acts of disloyalty

They made their own signs to counteract the anti-war posters

26th AMENDMENT

Lowered the voting age to 18 Our government was sending our

guys to war and they did not have the opportunity to vote for those sending them!

Doves Against the war

Hawks For the war – wanted increased

involvement

Despite protests - 2/3 still support the war

Section 4

A TUMULTUOUS YEAR

IT WAS 1968

TET OFFENSIVE January 30 Vietnamese Tet – Lunar New Year’s Week long truce Funerals

Firecrackers, flutes, coffins Vietcong led a massive attack 100 cities and 12 US air bases Lasted almost a month before the US and

S Vietnamese regained cities

Westmoreland declared it N. Vietnamese defeat Vietcong lost 32,000 US lost 3,000

Militarily he was correct Psychologically and politically he was

wrong US had believed the Vietcong were

close to defeat – NOT TRUE

Johnson’s popularity fell and never recovered

Many Americans did not believe the government anymore!

Public opinion changed Before Tet

28% doves – 56 % hawks After TET

40% doves – 40% hawks Media openly criticized the war

Walter Cronkite

FEBRUARY 1968 60% OF US NOW DISAPPROVED OF JOHNSON

ALMOST HALF THOUGHT ENTERING THE WAR WAS WRONG

JOHNSON AND McNAMARA

Johnson remained determined even though things were not looking good!

McNamara resignedRemember - he was one of the

people persuading Johnson to escalate US involvement

CLARK CLIFFORD

New Secretary of Defense Had Johnson’s views on war

Until… He read and studied all the war

reports He concluded the war was

UNWINABLE

DEATHS AND DEMONSTRATIONS

April 4, 1968 – Martin Luther King is assassinated

Riots and protests everywhere June 4, 1968 – Robert Kennedy is

assassinated Sirhan Sirhan

January to June – 221 major demonstrations

Peek number of US militaryInvolvement was in 1968

536,000

ELECTION of 1968

Democrats wanted to unseat Johnson

Johnson wants to run before TET Kennedy will not run before TET After TET it all changes. . . . .

EUGENE McCARTHY

Would run in primary Critic of the war

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

Chicago Protesters were there Mc Carthy v Humphrey (VP)

Humphrey had already secretly won the nomination

Police had to control protesters Turmoil inside the convention over anti-

war policies

The party was now divided

RICHARD NIXON

Republican party

GEORGE WALLACE American Independent Party

Nixon received 43 % of Popular vote.

301 Electoral votesMore than 100 above the others

SECT I ON

5

NEGOTIATIONS TO END THE WAR - - Kissinger

US and SU wanted:

N.V. forces to leave S.V.

Thieu’s govt. to remain in power in S.V.

N. Vietnam wanted:

US forces out of S.V.

Thieu’s govt. to step down

New govt. including Vietcong

VIETNAMIZATION Nixon’s plan to end US involvement in the

war TWO PART –

Gradual remove US troops and let SV troops take a more active part

Aug. ’69 – first 25,000 troops come home Over next 3 years # of troops decreased from

500,000 to <25,000 Peace with honor – maintain dignity and clout

at negotiation table Demand SV govt. remain in tact

MY LAI MASSACRE March 16, 1968 Lt. Calley ordered US forces to “Kill

anything that breathed” – so they did!!! Mainly women and children in village Rounded up and shot them Public found out in November 1969 25 officers charged – Calley convicted

and imprisoned

CAMBODIA

April 30, 1970 Nixon ordered invasion Wanted to clear Vietcong supply centers Hurt Nixon’s support Launched another round of protests Jackson State Kent State

TONKIN GULF RESOLUTION

Dec 31, 1971 Congress repealed the Resolution

PENTAGON PAPERS

A defense dept. leak turned over a 7000 page documentPlans for war were drawn up while

Johnson told the nation he had no intentions of sending troops

Never a plan to end the war as long as NV persisted

Confirmed belief that the government had not been honest with war intentions.

Not bad for Nixon but gave War opponents fuel for protest

HENRY KISSINGER

National Security Advisor Had been meeting with NV top

negotiators since 1969 Dropped demands for NV to withdraw

troops from SV OCT 26 – “Peace is at Hand” Nixon wins reelection

Dec 16 – peace talks break off Nixon orders bombings in Hanoi and

Haipong – (Christmas Bombings) 11 days

Peace talks resume – Jan.27 agreement signed stating US will stop their involvement

MARCH 29, 1973

LAST US COMBAT TROOPS WERE SENT HOME!!!!!

SAIGON

March of 1975 NV launched a massive attack on the city

SV asked for US help President Ford said NO WAY!!! April 3, 1975 Saigon fell – SV

surrendered to NV

Southeast Asia Communists of Vietnam “reeducation”camps in South Vietnam 1.5 million people fled

Business owners US supporters “boat people”

Communist in Cambodia US invasion Khmer Rouge Transformation to a peasant society

Execution Foreign ties Educated Professionals At least one million

AMERICAN VETERANS RETURN HOME

Most Americans were cold to those returning

Some veterans: Nightmares Headaches Memory lapses Very apathetic Drug/alcohol abuse suicide

US Memorial

The Wall

VIETNAM EFFECTS ON AMERICA

Hawks still believed victory could have happened

Doves still held on to their views NV had a strong resilience Might have been attacked by China

or Soviet Union

Legacy of the War

Abolished the draft War Powers Act Foreign policy changed Cynicism in Americans about their

government and leaders

War Powers Act

Pres had to inform Congress within 48 hours if US forces were sent in to hostile area without declaration of war

Troops could only remain 90 days unless congress approves or war is declared

CHAPTER 23THE POLITICS

OF PROTEST

Latino Presence Grows Mexican Americans

Largest Latino group Descendents Braceros Revolution Better paying jobs

Puerto Ricans Spanish-American War

Cubans Castro

Other groups Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Nicaraguans, Colombians

CESAR CHAVEZ

Helped to establish the National Farm Workers Association

Believed in non-violence

Organized a Grape Boycott to try to get better working conditions for farmers

Cultural Pride “Brown Power” Movements Classes taught in own language Programs on their culture Bilingual Act – 1968

Funds for bilingual and heritage programs Chicanos or Chinanas – Mexicanos

Brown Berets - David Sanchez Walkouts to demand smaller classes, more Chicano teachers

Political Power Organized to have a bigger voice in government Worked within the 2 party system Also created La Raza Unida (The People United)

Alianza Federal de Mercedes (Federal Alliance for Land Grants)

Autonomy

Ability to control and govern their own lives. How have the Native Americans been

treated in this regard?

AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT

Militant organization Took over

Alcatraz Wounded Knee

Wanted equal rights and improved living conditions

Victories of the 1970s and 1980s

Indian Education Act 1972 Indian Self-Determination and Education

Act – 1975 Gave more control over their own affairs

Used old treaties to regain rights to land

Women Fight for Equality

Feminism Belief that women should have

economic, political, and social equality with men

Betty Friedan Feminine Mystique

Women in the workplace Women and activism

NOW National Organization for Women

Equal Opportunity Employment Commission Made sure the Civil Rights Act

of 1964 was followed

Gloria Steinem National Women’s Political Caucus

Ms. Magazine Examine contemporary issues from

a feminist perspective

GAINS Roe v. Wade - 1973 Equal Rights Amendment - 1972

Phyllis Schlafly New Right

Combat the ERA Focused on social, cultural,

and moral problems The Movement’s legacy

Women’s roles have changed Less women “stay at home” Different careers Elected to public office

ROE v. WADE

1973 Legalized abortion

in first trimester

COUNTER CULTURE

“Tune in, Turn on and Drop Out”

Counter Culture

Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco Hippie Capitol

Decline Page 782

MUSIC

The Beatles

WOODSTOCK New York 1969

Changing Attitudes

“do your own thing” philosophy Permissive behavior Magazines, TV, Books – addressed topics

that were once prohibited Sex and explicit violence

Some embraced the change while others viewed it as a decline in morals

Conservatives

Mainstream Americans wanted a change Presented their solutions to key issues

Lawlessness and crime Size of Federal Government welfare

JESSE JACKSON

Ran for president 1984 & 1988

Still involved today

SAVING THE EARTH

Environmental Protection Agency

Set and enforced pollution standards

Endangered species

Love Canal

New York Built on top of toxic waste dump site

Three Mile Island

Nuclear facility near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Reactor overheated – radiation escaped

Ralph Nader

Lawyer and consumer advocate

Unsafe at Any Speed

Presidential candidate