The Reluctant Empire? U.S. Foreign Relations in the 20th Century
description
Transcript of The Reluctant Empire? U.S. Foreign Relations in the 20th Century
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
1
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität HeidelbergCurt-Engelhorn Chair in American History Prof. Dr. Manfred BergWinter Term 2008/2009
The Reluctant Empire?
U.S. Foreign Relations in the 20th Century
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
The Vietnam War The Origins of American Involvement The Escalation of the War The Conduct of the War In Search of Peace with Honor The War at Home
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
The Domino Theory “You have a row of dominoes set up. You
knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly. So you could have the beginning of a disintegration that would have the most profound influences.”
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1954
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
The Historians’ Vietnam Debate
Quagmire Flawed Containment Bureaucratic Blundering Imperialism
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Ho Chi Minh, 1890-1969 “The entire Vietnamese
people are determined to mobilize all their physical and mental strength, to sacrifice their lives and property in order to safeguard their independence and liberty.”
Vietnamese Declaration of Independence, 1945
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Indochina
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Ngo Dinh Diem, 1901-1963 Appointed Prime Minister of
South Vietnam by Emperor Bảo Đại in 1954
President Republic of Vietnam, 1955-1963
Executed during successful coup d'état led by Gen. Dương Văn Minh, Nov. 1, 1963
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Lyndon B. Johnson, 1908-1973 U.S. Rep., 1937-1949
U.S. Senator, 1949-1961
U.S. Vice President, 1961-1963
U.S. President, 1963-1969
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
“The Congress approves and supports the determination of the President, as Commander in Chief, to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression .”
U.S. Congress, August 10, 1964
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Operation Rolling Thunder
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
General William Westmoreland, 1914-2005 Served in U.S. Army from
1936 to 1972
Deputy Commander of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), 1964-1968
U.S. Army Chief of Staff, 1968-1972
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Robert McNamara, b.1916
U.S. Sec. of Defense, 1961-1968
President of the World Bank, 1968-1981
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Search and Destroy
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
My Lai, May 1968
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Napalm
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Tet Offensive, January 1968
The U.S. military suffers casualties during a VC attack near Tan Son Nhut Airport on January 31, 1968.
Two U.S. Marines battle Communist troops inside the walls of the Citadel at Hue.
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Richard Nixon, 1913-1994
U.S. Rep., 1947-1950
U.S. Senator, 1950-1953
U.S. Vice President , 1953-1961
U.S. President, 1969-1974
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
The Paris Peace Talks
North Vietnamese Diplomat, Le Duc Tho, and then National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger, meet in Paris, 1973.
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Christmas Bombings, 1972
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Saigon, April 1975
Helicopters transport the last remaining U.S. officials and citizens from the roof of the U.S. Embassy, 1975
U.S. soldiers attempt to maintain order at the U.S. Embassy during the evacuation.
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Senator J. William Fulbright, 1905-1995
U.S. Rep., 1943-1945
U.S. Senator, 1945-1974
Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 1959-1974
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Draft Card Burning
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Kent State, May 4, 1970
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
“Hanoi Jane” Fonda
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
POW/MIA
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Rambo
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Vietnam Memorial Wall
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Vietnam Heroes
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Vietnam Nurses Memorial
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
No More Vietnams
War Powers Act 1973 The Vietnam Syndrome
Post Vietnam Strategy:Popular SupportGuaranteed VictoryExit Strategy