Vietnam War

1. Vietnam War

2. Background • Vietnam (VN) lost independence to FR mid 1800s • FR formed FR Indochina (VN, Laos, Cambodia) • Nguyen That Thanh - nationalist • A.k.a.  Ho Chi Minh (‘He Who Enlightens”) • Spent time in CN and USSR • Saw opportunity when JP army occupied

3. FR v VN • League for the Independence of Vietnam or Vietminh • After JP w/drew - Vietminh declared independence • Ho tried to get US support • US put support behind FR • FR ally against communism, Ho has ties with commies • US feared communism would engulf Asia • Ike cont. w/ Truman policy

4. Domino Theory • If VN fell to commies, rest of SE Asia would fall • By 1954, US paying much of FR’s war • $2.6 bill • Despite, FR losing • $ & military tactic useless against guerilla tactics

5. Dien Bien Phu • FR tried to lure Vietminh into conventional battle • Backfired • 13,000 FR v 50,000 VN • Thought help would come… it didn’t • Ike didn’t want to get involved with another Asian war • FR surrendered on 05/07/1954

6. Geneva Conference • Int’l conference to settle conflict • Cambodia, GB, Laos, CN, USSR, US included • Cease fire • Temp division at 17th parallel • Vietminh w/drew to north (communists) • FR has south (anti-communists)

7. 1 problem • S VN led by Ngo Dinh Diem • 1956 S VN refused to hold unification elections (w/ US backing) • Ngo knew he would lose nat’l election v. Ho • 1958 communist led guerillas - Viet Cong (or NLF)- began to battle S VN

8. US involvement • JKF agreed w/ domino • 1963 - 16,000 US military advisors in VN • Train Army of the Rep of VN • JFK then authorized US forces to engage in combat • 1961 - 14 causalities , 1963 - 500 causalities

9. Diem Overthrow • Diem is a R.C. • VN is mostly Buddhist • Diem had brutal campaign to control Buddhists • In response, several Buddhist monks publicly set themselves on fire • US shocked! • US officials threaten to w/draw support if Diem didn’t end campaign • Diem assassinated

10. Tonkin Gulf Resolution • 1963 Sec of Defense Rob McNamara • Advised LBJ to increase commitment in VN • LBJ needs congressional backing • T.G. Resolution - gave pres authority to take all necessary measures to defend any attacks

11. Tonkin Gulf Resolution • LBJ claimed attack in Gulf was unprovoked • US destroyer Maddox attacked N VN 1st • TGR gave LBJ authority to expand war • Congress gave up constitutional power to declare war

12. US Troops • LBJ called for escalation • Selective Services - draft • deferments • 2 mill Ams served • Poor, black, Hispanic • 10,000 servicewomen

13. Air War • Operation Rolling Thunder • Bombing military targets in North • Ho Chi Minh Trail • Network of jungle paths • Used to bring weapons/supplies into South • Ineffective - North found ways around it • Rebuild, go w/o, or built underground • 800 bombs/day

14. New Weapons! • Napalm • Jellied gas mixture - firebombs • Cluster bombs - sprayed razor-sharp metal fragments • Defoliants - planes sprayed chemicals that strip the land of vegetation • Expose enemy & destroy food supply • Agent Orange - horrible consequences!

15. Ground War • Bombings led some South to join Viet Cong • US augments ground troops • 185,000 - 486,000 • Search-and-destroy missions • Drive Viet Cong out of hiding • Pacification - moving villagers to refugee camps and then burning villages

16. US morale declines • Thought it would be a quick victory • Superior weapons don’t work?! • 1967 - 16,000 Am killed in VN • All access press pass in S VN • TV • Doves - opposed war • Hawks - supported war

17. Doves • MLK Jr. • George Kennan - not crucial to nat’l security • Dr. Ben Spock - fighting against the wishes of most Vietnamese

18. Anti-War Movement • Broad range of people • Students, religious, pacifists, doctors, ministers, teachers, homemakers, etc • Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) • Org 1st nat’l antiwar demonstration • 04/17/1965 - DC • 20,000 ppl • MLK & SNCC - send blacks to wars, yet nothing to help them at home

19. Anti-War Movement • Even though visible - still small % • Burning Am flag / draft cards • Reflected in music

20. Tet Offensive • Tet = VN New Year • Usually no fighting • Viet Cong attacked • 100 cities, 12 US bases under attack • 84,000 commie soldiers • Viet Cong defeat - 40,000 Viet Cong killed • 1,000 Ams killed; 2,300 ARVN killed • Shook US confidence • No part of S VN secured • Public criticism rose dramatically

21. Election of 1968 • After Tet Offensive - LBJ unpopular • Others trying for Democratic nomination • Robert F. Kennedy, Eugene McCarthy, & Hubert Humphrey • LBJ announces he won’t run for re-election • RFK seemed to be winning primaries • Assassinated in 06/05/1968 by Sirhan Sirhan • Ambassador Hotel - Los Angelos

22. Election of 1968 • Hubert Humphrey (D) v. Richard Nixon (R) • Nixon promised to end ear • Wins with Spiro Agnew (VP)

23. Nixon and Vietnamization • Foreign policy top priority • Foreign policy advisor Henry Kissinger • Vietnamization • Nix’s plan to end war • Turning over fighting to the S VN while gradually pulling out US troops • August 1969 US troops began to w/draw • 1969 - 540,000 troops; 1972 - 24,200

24. Anti War Protest Increases • Nix expanded war into Cambodia • Cut off N VN on Ho Chi Minh Triail • Outraged at invasion of Cambodia • Kent Sate University in OH • Someone set fire to ROTC building • 05/04/1970 Nat’l Guard sent in • Shot randomly into lg grp of students • Killed 4, injured 9 • Shocked nation

25. Anti War Protest Increases • 10 days later state police in Jackson, MS • Fired at protestors in dorms at Jackson State College • Killed 2; injured 9 • Students and faculty on 100s of campuses went on strike • Congress also upset • repealed Tonkin Gulf Resolution 12/1970 • Pentagon Papers - secret gov’t docs that revealed gov’t had mislead public

26. Election of 1972 • 1971 - 26th Amendment • Voting age 21  18 • Henry Kissinger announced “peace is at hand” • Nix won

27. Cease Fire • Kissinger and N VN Le Duc Tho • 3 yrs these two were in peace negotiations • Peace plan • Cease fire • Removal of foreign troops; End US military aid • New gov’t in S VN • Nguyen Van Thieu as president • NLF representatives as well • Nguyen opposed • Nix rejects agreement as result

28. Cease Fire • N VN demanded agreement reinstated • Nix orders round the clock bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong • N VN didn’t give in • Nix called it off and resumed peace talks • 01/27/1973 cease fire • US w/draws troops and helps to rebuild • Prisoner-exchange

29. Northern South VN falls • US military rushed to evacuate 1,000s of Ams still there • 04/30/1975 - S VN surrendered • VN War over • Vietnam unified under communist control • War cost US $150 billion

30. Aftermath • 185,000 S VN soldiers died • 500,000 S VN civilians died • 1 mill Viet Cong dead • 879,000 VN orphans • 181,000 disabled • Agent Orange

31. Aftermath for Am Veterans • 58,000 died • 300,000 wounded • 2,500 MIA • No celebration of veterans • Targets of anger, guilt, shame • Veterans turned to drugs, had hard time finding jobs or adjusting to life • Homeless

32. War Powers Act • Under what authority can presidents wage an undeclared war? • War Powers Act reaffirms Congress’ constitutional right to declare war by setting a 60-day limit on the presidential commitment of US troops in foreign conflicts

33. VN Veterans Memorial • Designed by Maya Ying Lin • Most moving attempt to heal the division caused by the war • 58,000 Ams names • Chronological not alphabetical