The Vietnam War

1. The Vietnam War A Long History of U.S. Involvement, 1940s-1975

2. Why Do We Care about the Vietnam War? • Example of Cold War ideologies and policies • Student activism, New Left, protests against war • A media war, heightened exposure/criticism • New type of warfare, guerilla war, thorny questions of friends and foes • Draft raised issues of support for war, duty vs. freedom of dissent

3. Why Did U.S. Get Involved in Vietnam? • General ideological or policy inertia: • Fear of communism • Containment policies • Domino Theory • Duty as powerful nation • Peacekeeping nation • Learning from past experience with Nazis, Soviets: leadership believed that they must stop evil before it spread Video Clip: PBS, “Vietnam: A Television History”

4. Background History of Vietnam • 2000+ years of war: Video Clip • Repeated invasions and subjugation from outside imperial powers • China – for 2000 years • French – colony since 1860s • Japanese – occupiers during WWII: Video Clip • Chinese – occupier at end of WWII • French again – colony again after WWII • U.S.? • Vietnamese resistance to them all • Lessons?: (at least some) Vietnamese would resist U.S. as outside aggressor

5. Doc: Vietnamese Declaration of Independence • Link to document, written by Ho Chi Minh • Criticism of French and colonialism – pointed out irony of French colonialism vs. French ideals of liberty and equality • Appealed for U.S. support – used language of U.S. Declaration of Independence • Vietnamese supported Allies during WWII • Allied “Atlantic Charter” (self-determination), so let them have independence

6. Vietminh: Communist or Nationalist? Does it matter? • What were goals of Ho Chi Minh and the Vietminh? • Independence • Resistance to colonialism, outside control • Ho and Vietminh were nationalists first, communists second • Why do goals matter? • Not all communists are the same • Nationalist struggle not the same as communist aggression or spread of communism • If Vietminh were nationalists, then movement was primarily a home-grown historical phenomena, not part of domino theory or inevitable spread of communism from outside the country • Nationalism, movement for independence provided opening for U.S. to get involved in supportive way, rather than oppositionally OR stay out of internal politics of new independent country of Vietnam

7. Vietnam, late 1940s and 1950s • U.S. support for France – bulwark against communism in Europe and Asia • Allowed France to reassert control over colonies, incl. Vietnam • May, 1950, Truman authorized direct aid to French against Vietminh • U.S. became primary financier of French efforts to defeat Vietminh • In early 1950s, 80% of war funds came from U.S., over a billion a year • Problems with U.S. stance? • Anticommunism was primary goal, rather than other U.S. ideals • Conflict with U.S. anti-colonial history • Conflict with Atlantic Charter: nations have right to self-determiniation

8. End of French Control; Now What? • Battle of Dien Bien Phu, 1954: • French base in mountains, believed they were unbeatable • Vietminh surrounded base, cut off supplies • French surrendered: 1500 killed, 4000 wounded, 10000 captured; Vietminh, 8000 killed • Lessons?: Vietnamese are strong, committed foe, question getting involved in war with them OR if you want to fight a war, better to fight yourself rather than leave it to French • Geneva Conference, 1954: • What will happen to Vietnam? • One country? Or divided like Korea? • Elections?: Ho and Vietminh would win • Ceasefire; country divided; elections to be held in 1956 • Ho accepted compromise under pressure from Soviets and Chinese

9. America’s War in Vietnam • Problems from the beginning • U.S. support for S.V. leaders in 1950s: Ngo Diem: Catholic (Buddhist majority), corrupt, lacked popular support • Many factions in South Vietnam, French interference – who should U.S. support? • Diem repressed and killed all critics – democracy? • S.V. and U.S. violation of Geneva agreement – no election held in 1956 – feared Ho Chi Minh would win • Formation of National Liberation Front (NLF) in S.V.: against Diem, a communist-led coalition of anti-Diem and anti-U.S. forces • Civil war in S.V. – should U.S. choose sides in a civil war? • Questions: • 1. Does U.S. support democracy if those elected aren’t capitalist? • 2. Should U.S. support Diem (or any ruler) if he isn’t supported by his own people?

10. U.S. Escalation, JFK, 1961-63 • U.S. proving its mettle against USSR • JFK making up for early failures, proving he was tough on communism • Bay of Pigs, 1961 • JFK support for counter-insurgency efforts – 15,000 “advisors,” money, special forces training, arms to S.V. • Secrecy and evasion in U.S. • Support for coup against Diem – killed in 1963; more instability in S.V.

11. 1964: Restraint to Escalation • LBJ tried to show restraint • Won Presidential election on promises of restraint in Vietnam (Daisy ad) • Domestic goals vs. foreign policy: Video Clip • Responded to VC attacks on U.S. bases with bombing of North Vietnam, Operation Rolling Thunder: Video Clip • National Security Council & McGeorge Bundy, were pro-bombing • Opposition, George Ball, UnderSec. of State

12. LBJ and Tonkin Gulf Resolution, 1964 • Video Clip • Importance?:

13. 1965 • March 8, 1965, 3500 Marines landed to protect U.S. airfields used for bombings (Westmoreland’s request): Video Clip • Continued troop build-up, played down or hidden by LBJ and McNamara • 72,000 by spring • Change in mission from defensive to offensive against VC (first time offensive) • LBJ promised Ho Chi Minh a TVA on Mekong Delta for Vietnam if Ho ended goals • Bombing did not end supplies from north to south • Successful VC attacks on S.V. troops and villages • Fall of S.V. government, Nguyen Cao Ky became P.M. – continuing pattern of instability in South Vietnamese government

14. 1965: “Debate” on Troop Build-up • Video Clip • Video Clip • McNamara memo

15. 1965: Decision, 200,000 Troops

16. Summary and Evaluation • U.S. involvement and escalation in Vietnam: based on sound ideals or policies? • Evidence? • Major problems or issues? • Effects on U.S. society, politics, culture?

17. Problems of War: My Lai Massacre • Pacification strategy: clear strategic hamlets of Vietcong support • Question of friend or foe? • Video Clip on pacification strategies • My Lai Massacre, March 16, 1968 • Between 300-500 civilians killed by U.S. Army unit • Increased domestic U.S. opposition to the war • Only one serviceman prosecuted

18. 1968: Protests and Chicago • 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago: • Video, Chicago, 1968: Link to #1 (of 4) • Video, 1968: The Year that Shaped a Generation: Link to #1 (of 6)

19. 1968: Watershed Year • Tet Offensive in Vietnam: losing war • Video Clip • LBJ decided not to run for 2nd term: opening for Democratic peace candidate? • Assassinations of MLK and Robert Kennedy • Urban riots • 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago: Humphrey nominated (pro-LBJ); death of idealistic liberal alternative

20. Vietnam: Major Events Post-1968 • 1968 Presidential election: Nixon’s victory • Domestically, Nixon ran on southern strategy and Law and Order campaign themes • On foreign policy, ran on “Peace with Honor” rhetoric • Nixon’s Vietnamization strategy: Video Clip • Nixon’s mixed war strategies: Video Clip • Nixon secrecy: Video Clip

21. End of Formal U.S. Involvement • April 29, 1975: North Vietnamese took Saigon – U.S. evacuated last personnel • Video Clip