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The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War. Tactics are Escalated. Search-and-destroy missions targeted at civilians suspected of aiding Vietcong Killed livestock, burned villages “We had to destroy the town… to save it” What does this mean?. Vietnam Begins to Take It’s Toll. As the war dragged on, morale faded

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The Vietnam War

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  1. The Vietnam War

  2. Tactics are Escalated • Search-and-destroy missions targeted at civilians suspected of aiding Vietcong • Killed livestock, burned villages • “We had to destroy the town… to save it” • What does this mean?

  3. Vietnam Begins to Take It’s Toll • As the war dragged on, morale faded • “We carried, along with our packs and rifles, the implicit convictions that the VC could be quickly beaten. We kept the packs and rifles; the convictions, we lost.” • At home, the vision for domestic reform is pushed aside • Meanwhile, S. Vietnam continued to face instability

  4. The Draft: Increasing the Numbers • All males 18 and older had to register • Males 18-26 could be called to service • “Draft-dodging” became commonplace • College, medical problems, homosexuality, etc.

  5. Hypocrisy in the U.S. • African Americans accounted for 20% of combat deaths • 10% of U.S. population • In the midst of fighting for civil rights “We were taking the young black men who had been crippled by our society and sending them eight thousand miles away to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia which they had not found in Southwest Georgia and East Harlem… We have been repeatedly faced with the cruel irony of watching Negro and white boys on TV screens as they kill and die together for a nation that has been unable to seat them together in the same schools.

  6. “The New Left” • Term for growing youth movement of 1960s • Students for a Democratic Society • Encouraged civil disobedience at Selective Service Centers • Counseled students fleeing to Canada • Largely in response to deferment policy changing based on GPA • Free Speech Movement • By 1965, large protests were being held in D.C. Why were so many Americans upset about the U.S. involvement in war?

  7. Anti-War Sentiments • Many protestors cited the following reasons for their disapproval of war: • It was simply a civil war • South Vietnamese regimes were just as based as its Northern Vietnamese counterparts • U.S. should not police the globe • War was draining American strength in other parts of the world • Morally unjust Where do you stand?

  8. “The Eve of Destruction”- Barry McGuire • The #1 song in 1965…. What do the lyrics and popularity of the song tell you about the feelings of the American public?

  9. Other Protests • Central Park: 1967 • Objectors burned draft cards and chanted • “Hell, no, we won’t go!”; “Burn cards, not people!” • Lincoln Memorial/D.C.: 1966, 1967, 1970

  10. The Other Side: Pro-War Sentiments • “The Ballad of the Green Berets”- S.S. Barry Sadler • Billboard Magazine’s Song of the Year- 1966

  11. Anti-War Protests: Disloyal? • 1967 poll: 70% of Americans believed antiwar protests were “acts of disloyalty” • Many protestors resented soldiers (even those drafted) • Those who had relatives in Vietnam were embittered • Had to give up “sons” to war

  12. A Nation Divided: Where would you stand? • Anti-War • Withdraw peacefully • Nicknamed “doves” • Unleash force against enemy • Continue war to victory • Nicknamed “hawks”

  13. Public Opinion (Article) • According to these Gallup polls, popular opinion didn’t fully shift until 1968, when the number of troops in Vietnam peaked.

  14. McNamara Resigns • Defense Secretary McNamara resigns in November 1967 • Key architect of the escalation in Vietnam • “It didn’t add up…what I was trying to find out was how…the war went on year after year when we stopped the infiltration or shrunk it and when we had a very high body count and so on. It just didn’t make sense.” Despite the resignation of this key advisor, LBJ continues to push forward in Vietnam. 1963

  15. 1968: A Tumultuous Year • January 30 (Vietnam NYE) • “Tet” = New Year’s Day Celebration • Most important of Vietnamese culture = “truce” • However, in 1968: • VC hid weapons in coffins (funerals held amidst celebrations) • Attack on cities went on for 1 month before U.S. regained control • 100 towns, 12 air bases, U.S. Embassy in Saigon

  16. 1968: A Tumultuous Year • Despite “U.S. Victory”, Tet had shifted U.S. perspective on war • U.S. public was told multiple times that end was near • This aggressive attack disproved this “fact” • Shocking pictures seemed to shatter image of victory that government had been promoting Cronkite's Newscast: Stalemate?

  17. 1968: A Tumultuous Year Def. Sec. Clark Clifford (former “Hawk”): “We seem to have a sinkhole…We put in more—they match it. I see more and more fighting with more and more casualties on the U.S. side and no end in sight to the action.”

  18. 1968: A Tumultuous Year • Johnson withdraws from 1968 election in March • Feb 1968: 60% of public disapproved of his policy on Vietnam • “If I’ve lost Walter [Cronkite], then it’s over. I’ve lost Mr. Average Citizen.”

  19. 1968: A Tumultuous Year News Report: MLK’s Assassination Robert F. Kennedy's Announcement April 4, 1968 RFK's Assassination …63 days later, June 5.

  20. 1968: A Tumultuous Year • RFK was a promising presidential candidate “We had already glimpsed the most compassionate leaders our nation could produce, and they had all been assassinated. And form this time forward, things would get worse: Our best political leaders were part of memory now, not hope.” - Newfield, RFK’s speech writer

  21. 1968: A Tumultuous Year • August: Riot at Democratic Convention • Hubert Humphrey (LBJ’s VP) vs. McCarthy (anti-war) • Humphrey received nomination; anti-war “Yippies” protest in Chicago streets • Democratic party fractured “Everybody’s watching!”

  22. 1968: A Tumultuous Year • Nixon reappears as Republican candidate • “Restore law and order” in face of chaos • Vaguely promised to end war • Wins by narrow margin

  23. 1968: A Tumultuous Year • My Lai Massacre (sounds like “me lie”) • March: U.S. Platoon searching for Vietcong rebels • Killed 200 civilians despite no sign of enemies • Inc. women and children • “Kill anything that breathed…” – Lt. Calley

  24. Review: 1968 • What key events rattled the nation in 1968? • How did these events impact the conflict in Vietnam? • How was the Democratic party affected? • What did the nation want?

  25. President Nixon and Vietnamization • 1969: First U.S. troops withdrawn • “Vietnamization” entailed training S. Vietnamese troops to take over majority of combat • ‘69-’72: 500,000 troops to 25,000 • Secret bombing campaign continued to destroy supply lines. Goal = protect S. Vietnamese gov’t 1969 1970 1968 1971 1972

  26. “Secret War” Leaks to Public • Month after Cambodian invasion called “the most disastrous month of May in the history of higher education” by Pres. Of Columbia University…Why? • Kent State, Columbia U. Protests • Students burned ROTC building @ Kent • National Guard opened fire and killed four • SDS take over admin buildings at Columbia- tear gas • “Hardhats” and other blue collar Americans dismayed over privileged student “bums” speaking out against war • Further division wracks nation

  27. Meanwhile…

  28. Government Loses Support… Again • 1970: Congress repealed Tonkin Gulf Resolution in face of Cambodian bombing • Nixon had done so w/out notifying Congress • 1971: Pentagon Papers released • Document indicated early plans to invade Vietnam (despite LBJ’s early promises) and no termination plan as long as N. Vietnam persisted • Once again, public feels betrayed by lack of honesty

  29. 1972: Stalemate Imminent • March 1972: N. Vietnam launches largest attack since Tet • Nixon responds with mines in harbor to prevent Chinese/USSR ships from supplying • Stalemate persists; 60% Americans supported withdrawal What is significant about this year that might prompt Nixon to finally withdraw?

  30. The War Ends for U.S. • Nixon wins election in 1972: “Peace is at hand”- Kissinger (Nixon’s advisor) • Final bombing campaign = Christmas 1972 • Makes no difference • January 27, 1973: “Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam” • NV would stay in SV, but if they violated peace agreement then US would respond • All troops out by March 29, 1973

  31. The Fall of Saigon • Cease-fire agreement is broken b/w North and South- fighting persists • March 1975- full scale invasion of South • South appeals to U.S. • Only receive economic, not military, aid • Gerald Ford: “American can regain its sense of pride… but it cannot be achieved by refighting a war…” • April 30, 1975: Saigon fell and S. surrenders

  32. The Toll of the War • American casualties: 58,000 • Wounded: 303,000 • PTSD: ~15% reported cases of 3.3 million soldiers • Vietnamese deaths: 2 million • The aftershock: • Cynicism towards government • Caution regarding foreign conflict • Veterans received no fanfare; Hostility instead

  33. The Wall: Erected 1982

  34. What Happened to S. Vietnam? • 400,000 S. Vietnamese imprisoned • “reeducation” (labor) camps • 1.5 million fled • Non-communists; Business owners (why?) • Many drowned trying to cross S. China Sea • Cambodia- Civil War • Khmer Rouge – Communist Group • Killed professionals; the educated; anyone with foreign ties (~ 1 million people)

  35. The Legacy of the War • The draft is ended (registration still exists though hasn’t been used since Vietnam) • War Powers Act (1973) • President must inform congress within 48 hours of sending forces into hostile area without declaration of war • Can remain no longer than 90 days without approval from Congress • “Vietnam Syndrome”- consider U.S. interests before intervening in other countries’ affairs

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