19.2 Vietnam Divides the Nation

1. 19.2 Vietnam Divides the Nation

2. I. An Antiwar Movement Emerges A. General William Westmoreland claimed the enemy was on the brink of defeat (1967) "We have reached an important point, when the end begins to come into view. . . . The enemy's hopes are bankrupt. With your support, we will give you a success that will impact not only on South Vietnam but on every emerging nation in the world… I am absolutely certain that whereas in 1965 the enemy was winning, today he is certainly losing.” – General Westmoreland

3. I. An Antiwar Movement Emerges… • Media accounts of the war caused many to doubt govt. reports 1. Vietnam was the first “television war” 2. Credibility gap had developed, making it hard to believe what the govt. said S. Vietnamese General Nguyen Ngoc Loan shot & killed Vietcong operative Nguyen Van Lem. This picture became symbolic of the brutality of the Vietnam War. The picture was taken a split second after the trigger was pulled.

4. I. An Antiwar Movement Emerges… • Congress grew uncertain about the war & relied on policy makers to explain our military strategy • Colleges held teach-ins where they discussed the war & their reasons for opposing it Teach-ins were held across the country. This one was at the University of Pittsburgh in 1965.

5. I. An Antiwar Movement Emerges… • Protestors thought the draft was unfair 1. Until 1969, college students could get deferments 2. They protested by burning draft cards, being no-shows, & fleeing the country

7. I. An Antiwar Movement Emerges… F. 26th Amendment was ratified (1971), giving 18 year-olds the right to vote G. By 1968 the nation was divided into two camps: hawks & doves

8. II. 1968: The Pivotal Year • On Jan. 30, 1968 during Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, the Vietcong & Vietminh launched a surprise attack (Tet Offensive) 1. Military disaster for the Vietcong who suffered many losses 2. Political victory for the Vietminh 3. Turning point - Americans began to realize that the U.S. couldn’t win; number of doves surpassed hawks 45,000 Communist troops killed; 1,100 American troops killed; 2,300 S. Vietnamese troops killed; 12,500 Vietnamese civilians killed; over 1 million Vietnamese became refugees

9. II. 1968: The Pivotal Year… B. President Johnson announced that he would not seek reelection • On March 29, 1968 President Johnson spoke to the public, stating • He was going to limit the bombing • U.S. would try to negotiate with the Communists • He would not seek reelection for President “…With America's sons in the fields far away, with America's future under challenge right here at home, with our hopes and the world's hopes for peace in the balance every day, I do not believe that I should devote an hour or a day of my time to any personal partisan causes or to any duties other than the awesome duties of this office--the Presidency of your country. Accordingly, I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President. But let men everywhere know, however, that a strong, a confident, and a vigilant America stands ready tonight to seek an honorable peace--and stands ready tonight to defend an honored cause--whatever the price, whatever the burden, whatever the sacrifice that duty may require.”

10. Democratic candidates for President in 1968 included Eugene McCarthy, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, and Robert Kennedy. On June 4, 1968, Kennedy was assassinated after winning the California primary in Los Angeles. He had been a critic of the war & wanted to focus on poverty & racism. He was killed by a Jordanian immigrant, Sirhan Sirhan, who was upset with Kennedy’s stance toward Israel.

11. II. 1968: The Pivotal Year… C. Democrat Hubert Humphrey ran against Republican Richard Nixon in the 1968 Presidential election 1. Nixon won after promising to withdraw troops from Vietnam