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The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War. 1961 – 1974 Chapter 29. Causes of the Vietnam War. Indochina was a French colony Heavily taxed, harsh rule, mercantilism During WWII, Japanese undermined French rule War began for Vietnamese independence Led by Ho Chi Minh w/ Soviet support

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The Vietnam War

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  1. The Vietnam War 1961 – 1974 Chapter 29

  2. Causes of the Vietnam War • Indochina was a French colony • Heavily taxed, harsh rule, mercantilism • During WWII, Japanese undermined French rule • War began for Vietnamese independence • Led by Ho Chi Minh w/ Soviet support • Cold War: so Truman supported France • May 1954, France agreed to independence at Geneva Accords which divided Vietnam • Agreed after horrible loss at Dien Bien Phu • North Vietnam – Communist gov’t – Ho Chi Minh • South Vietnam – non- Communist – US backed

  3. US involvement in Vietnam • Truman sent $2.6 Billion to support French • Eisenhower sent weapons & economic aid • “Domino Theory” • SEATO • Kennedy added military “advisors” • Johnson 1st sent non-combat troops • Nixon expanded war into Cambodia & Laos • Ford was president for the end • Carter granted pardon for draft dodgers, 1977

  4. South Vietnam • Leader: Ngo Din Diem • Strong nationalist, anticommunist, Catholic, corrupt • Alienated predominately Buddhist population • Led to Buddhist Anti-Diem demonstrations • Also refused to make needed land reforms • Diem only remained in power because of US support of Army of the Republic of S.V. - ARVN • Refused to participate in 1956 elections called for by Geneva Accords • National Liberation Front (NLF) – S. V. group determined to unite as communists  Vietcong

  5. The Maddox to Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Nov 2, 1963 – Diem assassinated during coup • Later revealed US plotted w/ S.V. generals in coup • Nov 22, 1963 JFK assassinated  Pres Johnson • August 1964, USS Maddox fired upon by N. V. while patrolling in Tonkin Gulf – was NOT hit • Johnson ordered airstrikes to retaliate & asked Congress to authorize use of force • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution – granted by Congress • “to take all necessary measures…” – gave broad war powers to the President • Never had to ask for war declaration

  6. Complicating Factors in Vietnam • Could not tell who was on which side! • Geography – mainly rainforests & jungle = hot! • Rice paddies, mountains • Agent Orange & napalm – ecological devastation • Later - caused birth defects & cancer • Fighting style – guerrilla warfare • Ho Chi Minh’s “Tiger” – traveled light, tunnels, mines, sabotage/ booby traps • Morale – got worse as war dragged on • And after draft was instituted • Result: Quagmire! Or officially a stalemate

  7. US Operations during the War • Secretary of Defense - Robert McNamara • General William Westmoreland – Commander • Operation Rolling Thunder – sustained bombing campaign targeting N. V. & Vietcong • Aim to stop N.V. from reinforcing the Vietcong • “Ho Chi Minh Trail” • ‘65-’73 – dropped 6 million tons of bombs • Ground troops defended bases & staged raids on enemy targets • Relied heavily on helicopters “Huey” (Bell UH-1) • US strategies did not work well

  8. US Home front • We had expected a quick victory • War expenditures weakened LBJ’s Great Society plans especially fight poverty & help education • Also added to rising prices, inflation, & more taxes • Antiwar Movement – had been there from start • But grew as war grew • Hawks vs. Doves • Even in Congress • J. William Fulbright, Chair Senate Foreign Relation Cmt. • “Living Room war” – Walter Cronkite, CBS • Credibility Gap grew w/ increased reporting

  9. The Draft • 1.5 million men drafted during the Vietnam War • Criticism of Selective Service System • Deferments – postponements granted for various reasons • College, specific jobs • Disproportional numbers of draftees were from working-class and poor backgrounds – 76% • Also percentages were high for numbers of African Americans being killed in Vietnam • 20% of total combat deaths • Dr. King spoke out against added war burden

  10. Antiwar Protests • Stop the Draft week in Oct 1967 • Some burned their draft cards at protests • Draft Dodgers – men who fled to Canada to avoid the draft • Colleges became centers for protests • Both professors & students • **realize more were entering college than ever before – 8 million in 1970, up from 2 million in ’46 • Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) • Est. 1960 at U of Michigan, • Sit-ins, teach-ins, “We won’t Go” petitions

  11. University of CA - Berkeley • 1964 – University officials announced that antiwar protests could not happen on campus • Free Speech Movement – formed to protest decision • Sit-in at Sproul Hall, very orderly  800 were arrested • Others then cut classes to march with FSM • University changed policy • Led to other similar movements at other campuses

  12. Tet Offensive, started Jan 21, 1968 • Turning Point of the War • Named for Vietnamese lunar new year • Began w/ N.V. attack on KheSanh in NW • Grew to coordinated attacks on 36 provincial capitals and 5 major cities • Including Saigon & on the US embassy • Technically, US & S.V. repelled the offensive, but proved that N.V. had the greater will to continue • The end of the War was nowhere in sight • New Sec of Defense Clark Clifford advised LBJ

  13. Election of 1968 • Republicans: Richard Nixon, George Romney • Democrats: Eugene McCarthy – MN Senator • Robert Kennedy – NY Senator - assassinated • Both campaigned that the war had hurt US & drained resources • Hubert Humphrey – LBJ’s VP • Johnson surprised everyone & announced he would not run for re-election • Democrats’ Convention in Chicago marked by protests & violent clashes w/ police & Guard • Remember, Dr. King also assassinated in 1968

  14. Nixon & Vietnam • Publically said he would draw back the war • “peace with honor” • Peace talks had begun in May 1968 • Vietnamization – ARVN gradually replace US troops w/ US aid to help them • In secret, authorized bombings in Cambodia • N. V. & the Vietcong seized more of Cambodia, US felt obligated to try to support Phnom Penh, capital • Sent $$ & supplies to the Cambodians as they fought off the Khmer Rouge • Nixon announced invasion of Cambodia on TV

  15. Kent State • News of Cambodia caused more protests • Nixon believed the protestors were a small minority & called on the “silent majority” to support him • Kent State, Ohio, May 1970 • National Guard sent in after building burned • May 4th, students threw rocks at the Guard • Guard shot & killed 4 students • Days of protests around country • Jackson State, Miss – 2 students died

  16. My Lai Massacre • March 1968, Lt. William Calley’s unit opened fire on suspected Vietcong at My Lai village • Ended up killing 400-500 unarmed civilians • Military botched the investigation • “Life” magazine published photos • March of 1971, Calley’s court martial • Maintained he was “following orders” • Testimony included that some did not shoot, & one had tried to stop the massacre • Convicted of murder, life in prison, released in ‘74 • Shocked Americans & added to antiwar feelings

  17. Pentagon Papers • New York Times published these in 1971 • Classified document of the history of US involvement in Vietnam • Revealed that US leaders acted in Vietnam without fully informing the public & even lied to Congress • One of the authors, Daniel Ellsberg leaked it • Nixon tried to block its publication • New York Times v. United States • Side note: Nixon created the “Plumbers” to find & fix these “leaks”

  18. Paris Peace Accords, 1973 • North Vietnam & US signed cease – fire • Initial peace of Oct 1972 had fallen apart  election • US agreed to remove all troops from S. V. • Would still give economic & military aid • N. V. agreed to release all US POWs - 550 • Worked to a certain point • 1975 – N. V. again invaded S. V. • April 1975, Saigon fell to the Communists • Helicopters rescued US officials from Embassy & some S. V. citizens • Images became symbol of the lost war

  19. Effects of the Vietnam War • 58,000 US killed/ 300,000 wounded • Cost to US = $150 Billion • 2 million Vietnamese died • Khmer Rouge’s genocide = 2 million Cambodians killed or died in work camps • Vietnam later fought Khmer Rouge (supported by China & US!) • War Powers Act passed – requires the President to explain to Congress w/in 48 hrs whenever US troops were sent into a foreign country • Caused enormous distrust of the US gov’t

  20. American Soldiers • 2.5 million served in Vietnam • Returned home to mixed reactions • Few parades • Also returned w/ physical & psychological ailments • Revealed how badly POWs had been treated • “Hanoi Hilton” • Search for MIAs continues – 1994 end of trade embargo supposed to help w/ recovery • 1982 – Vietnam War Memorial opened in Washington DC • “Born on the Fourth of July”

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