Vietnam

Chapter 22 Sect 1-2

Why did the U.S. fight in Vietnam?

• Strengthen ties to France post WWII• Domino Theory- Must stop spread of

Communism • U.S. Changed view of Ho Chi Minh- (Now he is a

communist aggressor)• France was defeated, U.S. must pick up slack• LBJ wants to look tough on Communism• Final Spark- Gulf of Tonkin Incident- They fired

at us?…?

What was the war like before U.S. entry?

• Diem was corrupt!!! But anti communist… • Diem suppressed Buddhism (Majority of

population) Monks respond

What was war like before U.S. entry?

• Vietcong assassinate South Vietnam officials• Diem losing support of his own people and the

U.S.• 1963 Diem was overthrown by the CIA backed

coup. • Diem was assassinated during the coup.

How did the War Change once U.S. enters?

• 61% of U.S. citizens support War in Vietnam 1965. Only 24% oppose War.

• Massive amounts of troops– 50,000 -1965 early– 180,000- 1965 late– 500,000- 1967

• Vietcong use Guerrilla tactics

Vietcong Guerrilla War Tactics

• Blend in with local villagers• Fight using tunnels• Booby Traps

How did the War Change once the U.S. entered?

• Try to win through Attrition– Gradual wearing down of enemy by continual

harassment.• Napalm- “Apocalypse now” video• Agent Orange• Search and Destroy- suspected Vietcong– “Must destroy the town in order to save it”

How did the War Change the U.S. at home?

• American support fades away as the war continues.• Military Draft- All men over 18 have to register– Could get out of it by going to college.– Result- 80% of soldiers lower economic level.

• LBJ Great Society loses funding to the War.• Civil Rights leaders Voice opposition – MLK Jr. War distracts from Civil Rights movement– “Blacks are good enough to go fight, but not have

equality at home?”

How did the War Change the U.S. at Home?

• College students protest• SDS- Students for a Democratic Society– Corporations/government has taken over America

• March on Washington 1965– 20,000 March to Protest War in Vietnam

Why did the Youth Oppose the War?

• Vietnam War was a Civil War. Let them deal with it.

• South Vietnam was just as bad as North Vietnam.

• U.S. Cannot police the entire world. It is a drain on American society.

• Morally wrong!

Morally Wrong

Protest Music

• Listen to Jimi Hendrix playing the “Star Spangled Banner” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt3cYpFLJiM

• What feeling or emotion do you think he is trying to portray with this version of the song?

• How does he do this?

Protest continues

• 1967 - 70% anti war protest show disloyalty • Hawks Vs. Doves• 1967 Robert McNamara “Defense Secretary”

resigns • Tet Offensive 1968- North Vietnam launches

surprise attack-– U.S. Public realized Westmoreland (General) was

not truthful about how close U.S. was to winning

Tet Offensive

• Pages. 748-749• Tet Offensive 1968- North Vietnam launches surprise

attack- • Results…– U.S. Public realized Westmoreland (General) was not truthful

about how close U.S. was to winning– Public opinion against war increased.– Media openly starts to criticize the war– Clark Clifford, (McNamara’s replacement) “We seem to have

a sink hole…No end in sight to the action”– 60% of American’s now think Vietnam is a mistake.

1968 Cont…

• Johnson does not seek re-election• Later admits “That war… killed the lady I really

loved- The Great Society”• MLK Jr. and Robert Kennedy Assassinations• Riots after MLK assassination all over country• College campuses 200 major demonstrations• 1968 Chicago convention Riot– http://www.history.com/videos/violence-batters-

1968-democratic-convention#chicago-seven-conspiracy-trial

Protest cont.

• Lost of support for the War at home– My Lai massacre-1968- U.S. marines kill 200

innocent villagers. Only Lieutenant Calley is imprisoned.

– Invasion of Cambodia 1970- 1.5 million students protest.

Kent State University

Kent State University

• Kent State University- Protest results in 4 dead, 9 wounded.

• Jackson State- Protest results in 2 dead, 12 wounded

Losing support for the War cont.

• Pentagon papers-– 7,000 page document written by McNamara in

1967-1968 – Details plans for Vietnam War during time period

that LBJ promised not to escalate the war– No plan to end the war as long as North Vietnam

persisted– Most Americans view pentagon papers as proof

the Government is lying to the public

Fast Fact

• 2.6 Million tons of bombs dropped during WWII and Korean War combined

• 8 million tons of bombs dropped during Vietnam War.

How the U.S. got out of the Vietnam war

• Vietnamization- Gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops starting in 1969 to allow South Vietnam’s military to have a more active role in the war.– 500,000 troops 1968– 25,000 troops 1971

60% of Americans want full withdrawal 1971

Cont.

• 1973 U.S. signed agreement to end war in Vietnam. Stalemate = divided country

• 1975 North Vietnam invades South Vietnam and the U.S. refused to send troops back in to help South Vietnam this time.

• South had to surrender to North Vietnam.• General Ford’s comment “America can regain its

sense of pride that existed before Vietnam. But it cannot be achieved by refighting a war that is finished as far as America is concerned.”

Lessons from Vietnam

• Americans feel more cynical toward government– Watergate scandal/Pentagon papers

• Divided nation over foreign affairs– Think first then react. (Bomb Syria? Why not?)

• Hawks believe Anti-war movement made us lose the war. Anti war= unpatriotic?

• War Powers Act of1973- – President must inform congress within 48 hours when

troops are deployed – Troops cannot remain past 90 days without approval