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
Top Related