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Americanizing the Vietnam War: Causes, Effects, and Strategies

Explore the causes and effects of America's growing involvement in the Vietnam War from 1965-1973. Learn about American strategies, General Westmoreland's approach, the use of bombs, chemical warfare, and American troops in Vietnam. Discover how the Vietcong doctrine and battlefield conditions impacted the war, as well as the rise of the anti-war movement in the United States.

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Americanizing the Vietnam War: Causes, Effects, and Strategies

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  1. Vietnam War: “Americanizing the War” Focus Question: What were the causes and effects of America’s growing involvement in the Vietnam War?

  2. American Strategies-1965 Increase military presence in Vietnam and increase the fighting “Americanize the War” General William Westmoreland

  3. “Americanizing” the War Between 1965-1973 6 million tons of bombs on the enemy (3x more than WWII)

  4. American Strategy In addition to conventional weapons the U.S. will utilize chemical warfare: • Napalm • Agent Orange

  5. American Strategy In addition to airstrikes: American troops landed in Vietnam March 8, 1965 • Guarded bases- • ex. Da Nang • Search and destroy to kill enemy guerillas-VC

  6. Vietcong Doctrine: A Determined Enemy Supplied with weapons, food, and fighters along the Ho Chi Minh Trail Ho Chi Minh compared his troops to a tiger Traveled light carrying a Rifle and some rice Dug tunnels during the day Attacked at night **Wear down the enemy**

  7. American Results Did: • disrupt industry and slow supplies, but not enough to divide Vietminh & Vietcong Did Not: • Cause the North Vietnamese to surrender or lose morale

  8. The war escalates By 1968: escalation of troops 500,000 soldiers 30,000 deaths America’s Mission: to help South Vietnam build a stable government and win the hearts and minds of its citizens However, many Americans question who is our enemy?

  9. Defeating the Enemy Vietcong and NVA avoided significant engagements • Fought smaller battles • Small unit abilities • Had knowledge of the land

  10. Battlefield Conditions Neutral Cover Enemy clad in black pajamas Fighting at night Not knowing your enemy

  11. Women in War • About 10,000 women served • Mostly as nurses

  12. Morale Declines By 1965 most soldiers had been drafted

  13. Effect on the Economy Enormous cost of fighting the war Government: • Raised taxes • Cut back on Great Society programs

  14. Anti-War Movement Begins After Tonkin Gulf—Congress split on escalation of war by 1967 Hawks: • mostly conservative • Believed in containment policy • Accepted rising troop rates, rising costs and rising battlefield deaths • Crucial front in the Cold War

  15. Anti-War Movement Begins Doves: • Liberal politicians, pacifists, student radicals, civil rights leaders • Questioned the war on moral and strategic grounds • Was a localized civil war • William Fulbright began hearings in 1967-68 to investigate conflict- National Civil War or Cold War conflict?

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