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L BJ GOES TO WAR According to your pocket Constitution, which branch of the US gov’t can declare war? When was the last time that branch actually did it?. Gulf of Tonkin. OPlan 34a/NSA-273. DeSoto Patrols of SV Special Forces trained by the CIA “hit and run” along NV coast – WHY?
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LBJ GOES TO WAR • According to your pocket Constitution, which branch of the US gov’t can declare war? • When was the last time that branch actually did it?
OPlan 34a/NSA-273 • DeSoto Patrols of SV Special Forces trained by the CIA “hit and run” along NV coast – WHY? • Goal: harassment, political pressure, intelligence – WHY?
August 2, 1964 • DeSoto patrols hit NV coast, islands • NV responds with torpedo attack on USS Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin • US response: LBJ -wags his finger at Ho; sends USS Turner Joy to support Maddox
Gulf of Tonkin • What is the US doing – protecting an ally or provoking an enemy?
August 4, 1964 • A second NV attack on the Maddox and Turner Joy!!! Gulf of Tonkin old school clip @ 10:30-16:10 • …BUT IT NEVER OCCURRED!! • Secretary of Defense Bob McNamara from Fog of War(SICK documentary!)
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Congress gives the power to the pres to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the US and to prevent further aggression.” • Blank check, grandma’s nightshirt • Passed House 414-0 • Passed Senate 88-2 • Senator Greuning (AK) • Senator Morse (OR) – “All Vietnam is not worth the life of a single American boy.” Wayne Morse
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • LBJ to an aide – “Those dumb stupid sailors were just shooting at flying fish.” • Johnson to Congressional leaders – “Some of our boys are floating around in the water.”
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Where did the G of T Res put the pendulum of power? Quote what it allowed the president to do. • Is it a declaration of war? • What often happens to executive power during a time of crisis? Explain why this might be and support with an example outside of this time period.
Authorization for Use of Military Force9/18/01 – 420-1 (Barbara Lee D-CA), 98-0 • …The President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.
Iraq – 297-133, 72-23 • Whereas Iraq both poses a continuing threat to the national security of the United States and international peace and security in the Persian Gulf region and remains in material and unacceptable breach of its international obligations by, among other things, continuing to possess and develop a significant chemical and biological weapons capability, actively seeking a nuclear weapons capability, and supporting and harboring terrorist organizations; • The President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to-- (1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and (2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq.
Gulf of Tonkin Analysis With a friend or two, answer these questions to the best of your ability. • Some have argued that the NV were to blame for the Gulf of Tonkin incident, while others maintain that the US was at fault. What case might each side make? 2. Why did LBJ go to Congress and the American people immediately after the “second attack” rather than wait for a full investigation? 3. Why did LBJ believe that bipartisan Congressional support was necessary for the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution? 4. LBJ referred to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution as “grandma’s nightshirt.” What did he mean by this?
Election of 1964and The Battle Against Presentism LBJ (D-TX) vs. AuH2O (R-AZ)
LBJ Daisy Ad Goldwater ad
LBJ’s Great Society • What does LBJ hope to achieve through the Great Society?
THE GREAT SOCIETY – LBJ’s domestic plan for the US • Community Action Program - $$ for urban areas • Job corps – job training for the poor • Gov’t jobs – jobs for the poor • Tax cut • Affirmative Action • Head Start - preschool • $$ for low-income schools • Medicare - $$ for elderly health care • Medicaid - $$ for poor’s health care • Food Stamps • Low-income Housing – build more • Low-income house subsidies - $$ for rent • The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and The Voting Rights Act of 1965 • The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 • The Immigration Act of 1965 • Riddle – If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and flies like a duck, what is it? • What is LBJ walking, quacking and flying like?
LBJ – “I knew from the start that I was bound to be crucified either way I moved. If I left the woman I really loved – the Great Society – in order to get involved with that bitch of a war on the other side of the world, then I would lose everything at home. All my programs. All my hopes to feed the hungry and shelter the homeless. All my dreams to provide education and medical care to the browns and the blacks and the lame and the poor. But if I left that war and let the communists take over South Vietnam, then I would be seen as a coward and my nation would be seen as an appeaser, and we would both find it impossible to accomplish anything for anybody on the entire globe….Losing the Great Society was a terrible thought, but not so terrible as the thought of being responsible for America’s losing a war to communists. Nothing would be worse than that.”
LBJ’s Legacy? The woman he loved vs. That bitch of a war - How can the war in Vietnam impact the Great Society? Draw your own cartoon or to illustrate LBJ’s Vietnam-Great Society dilemma OR write a few sentences explaining it.
Upping the Ante Bien Hoa – Nov ’64 6 B-57s wrecked, 20 damaged, 5 Ams killed Flaming Dart Pleiku – Feb ’65 10 aircraft destroyed 8 Ams killed Flaming Dart to ROLLING THUNDER What did LBJ decide to do about Vietnam in the Summer of 1965? Why did he make that choice?
Rolling Thunder – Heavy bombing on NV and SV; supposed to last 8 wks (lasts 3 yrs) GOALS: Stop supplies from moving down HCMTS Break will of NV Support SV Keep Ch/USSR out “They can’t bomb an outhouse without my approval.” LBJ Bombing clip
Rolling Thunder - Effects CH/USSR increase material support for NV Supply flow uninterrupted NV will strengthened We need troops in SV to protect airbases March 1965 – U.S. Marines land in Danang, SV to “protect planes” 1st U.S. combat forces in Vietnam!! They are allowed to be OFFENSIVE
The woman he loved vs. That bitch of a war How can the war in Vietnam impact the Great Society?