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Vietnam War

Vietnam War. 1945-1974. Origins of the Conflict. US promise French to help regain colonies in Indochina Prewar promise reinforced during Marshall Plan Truman helps finance French war in Vietnam 1954 French are defeated at Diembienphu 1954 Geneva Accords Split Vietnam officially

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Vietnam War

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  1. Vietnam War 1945-1974

  2. Origins of the Conflict US promise French to help regain colonies in Indochina Prewar promise reinforced during Marshall Plan Truman helps finance French war in Vietnam 1954 French are defeated at Diembienphu 1954 Geneva Accords Split Vietnam officially North--Ho Chi Minh (communist) South—Ngo Dinh Diem (US backed) US fears communist takeover in South Vietnam Domino theory (world wide communist conspiracy) Eisenhower brings first US troops JFK expands US presence Begin operations in Laos and Cambodia as well

  3. Escalating the War Following domino theory LBJ will escalate the conflict Provokes war with N. Vietnam (1964) Tonkin Gulf Resolution allows LBJ to protect US forces US military presence rapidly accelerates Necessary to institute a draft US war aims are unclear Vietnamese do not fight a conventional war Field commanders given strict rules for engagement Attempts to win over Vietnamese people are unsuccessful Despite lack of purpose US soldiers never lose a major campaign during the war

  4. Problems at Home LBJ’s Great Society dependent on liberal support African Americans Drafted disproportionately Felt ignored at home College students/Youth movement Draft perceived as unfair Deferments available early in war Many viewed US intervention unjust College campuses spawn radical groups Emerging rift will split the nation particularly on generational lines Fuels popular culture Military spending takes needed dollars from domestic programs

  5. Masters Of War by Bob Dylan Come you masters of warYou that build the big gunsYou that build the death planesYou that build all the bombsYou that hide behind wallsYou that hide behind desksI just want you to knowI can see through your masksYou that never done nothin'But build to destroyYou play with my worldLike it's your little toyYou put a gun in my handAnd you hide from my eyesAnd you turn and run fartherWhen the fast bullets flyLike Judas of oldYou lie and deceiveA world war can be wonYou want me to believeBut I see through your eyesAnd I see through your brainLike I see through the waterThat runs down my drainYou fasten the triggersFor the others to fireThen you set back and watchWhen the death count gets higherYou hide in your mansionAs young people's bloodFlows out of their bodiesAnd is buried in the mud You've thrown the worst fearThat can ever be hurledFear to bring childrenInto the worldFor threatening my babyUnborn and unnamedYou ain't worth the bloodThat runs in your veinsHow much do I knowTo talk out of turnYou might say that I'm youngYou might say I'm unlearnedBut there's one thing I knowThough I'm younger than youEven Jesus would neverForgive what you doLet me ask you one questionIs your money that goodWill it buy you forgivenessDo you think that it couldI think you will findWhen your death takes its tollAll the money you madeWill never buy back your soulAnd I hope that you dieAnd your death'll come soonI will follow your casketIn the pale afternoonAnd I'll watch while you're loweredDown to your deathbedAnd I'll stand o'er your grave'Til I'm sure that you're dead

  6. FORTUNATE SON by CCRSome folks are born made to wave the flag,ooh, they're red, white and blue.And when the band plays "Hail To The Chief",oh, they point the cannon at you, Lord,It ain't me, it ain't me,I ain't no senator's son,It ain't me, it ain't me,I ain't no fortunate one, no,Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,Lord, why don't they help themselves? oh.But when the taxman come to the door,Lord, the house look a like a rummage sale, yes,It ain't me, it ain't me,I ain't no millionaire's son, no, no.It ain't me, it ain't me,I ain't no fortunate one, no.Yeh, some folks inherit star spangled eyes,ooh, they send you down to war, Lord,And when you ask them, how much should we give, oh, they only answer, more, more, more, yoh,It ain't me, it ain't me,I ain't no military son, SON, NOIt ain't me, it ain't me,I ain't no fortunate one, NO NOIt ain't me, it ain't me,I ain't no fortunate one, no no no,It ain't me, it ain't me,I ain't no fortunate son, son son son

  7. Public opinion General public will turn on LBJ First televised war Reporters had unrestricted access Images eroded public opinion as war drags on Reveal atrocities of US troops (My Lai) Turning point: 1968 Tet Offensive Major campaign thwarted US claims of winning the war Simultaneous attacks showed organization and resilience by enemy Slipping public opinion and increasingly grim outlook will influence LBJ to reject Democratic nomination in 1968

  8. 1968 Election Republicans nominate Richard Nixon Promises to end Vietnam war and reduce spending Democrats in disarray LBJ drops out of race Three candidates remain McCarthy RFK (assassinated) Humphrey Chaos at Chicago convention Nomination of Humphrey leads to riots Wallace runs in opposition to civil rights laws Nation has clearly moved in a conservative direction

  9. Nixon Nixon had promised to bring an end to the Vietnam war in 1968 campaign Vietnamization Plan to turn control over to ARVN Total failure, South Vietnam overrun shortly after American withdrawal Domino theory not proved true Despite troop withdrawal Nixon conducts secret bombings in Cambodia and Laos Leaked to the press in the Pentagon Papers Unpopularity of the war and unchecked presidential power leads Congress to pass War Powers Act Limits presidential control over military Probably unconstitutional

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