1 / 17

War Expands in Vietnam

War Expands in Vietnam. 29-2. One American’s Story. Stan Goff sent to Vietnam Machine gunner Engaged Viet Cong Viet Cong to weak to face American firepower Guerilla warfare- surprise attacks by small bands of fighters Viet Cong were an elusive enemy. Direct Military Involvement Begins.

manchu
Download Presentation

War Expands in Vietnam

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. War Expands in Vietnam 29-2

  2. One American’s Story • Stan Goff sent to Vietnam • Machine gunner • Engaged Viet Cong • Viet Cong to weak to face American firepower • Guerilla warfare- surprise attacks by small bands of fighters • Viet Cong were an elusive enemy

  3. Direct Military Involvement Begins • South Vietnam was weak • Ineffective leadership • 1964- Viet Cong and the NVA forces controlled most of South Vietnamese countryside • United States subtle • General Minh- South Vietnamese Leader • General Nguyen Khanh- Leader in the NVA • General Khanh eventually overthrew General Minh

  4. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Johnson planned to bomb North Vietnam in 1964 • Ho Chi Minh was negatively supporting North Vietnam • August 2, 1964- U.S. destroyer Maddox fired on by two North Vietnamese torpedo boats • Second possible attack reported • Johnson asked Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=47779540619101779#

  5. Johnson Sends Troops • March 1965- Bombing of North Vietnam began • Number of troops sent increased from 75,000 to 184,000 in 6 months • Escalation- policy of increasing military involvement • General William Westmoreland- commander of U.S. forces in South Vietnam • 536,000 U.S. forces sent by 1968 • Stiff domestic and international opposition provoked by American military efforts

  6. A Different Kind of War • 3000119115.GIF • United States was overconfident • Landscape frustrated soldiers • Chinese forces threatened United States • Unfamiliarity with land proved to be a disadvantage • Assumptions that had dominated US foreign and military policy since 1945 were brought into question

  7. U.S. Disadvantages • Young, inexperienced soldiers • Years of service required shortened • No frontline • Viet Cong and NVA blended with general population • Unpredictable attacks put in place • The entire nation became their enemy • http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Asia/Vietnam_War_US_Lost.html

  8. Guerilla Warfare • Style of fighting differed • Sudden, unexpected attacks put the United States on the defensive side • Viet Cong had advantage because they were fighting on their own land • U.S. was yet to explore and learn about the land • Land and climate frustrated American soldiers • Soldiers not used to Vietnamese landscape • Viet Cong stayed dedicated • Vietnamese never gave up • “They see the war entirely as one of defense of their country against the invading Americans, who, in turn, are seen merely as successors to the French.” ~ Prisoner from Viet Cong

  9. American Strategies • Offensive and defensive setups • Napalm- jellied gasoline that burns violently • Agent Orange- a chemical that kills plants and other greenery • Harmful chemicals destroyed Viet Cong hideouts and food supply • Villagers harmed • U.S. plan backfired • Agent Orange harms everyone who comes in contact with it • Search-and-destroy missions • Innocent villagers feared Americans and communists

  10. Tet: A Turning Point • 1967-war at stalemate • General Westmoreland stayed positive • North Vietnam believed they could not sustain on the defensive side much longer • Victory was essential before the death of North Vietnamese communist leader, Ho Chi Minh

  11. The Tet Surprise • January 30-31, 1968- Communists launch Tet offensive • Tet Offensive- surprise Communist attack on U.S. and North Vietnamese forces in 1968 • 85,000 soldiers sent to bomb cities and towns • 100 towns and cities bombed by Viet Cong and NVA soldiers • Attack on Tet, Vietnamese celebration of Lunar New Year • http://www.encyclomedia.com/video-tet_offensive.html

  12. The Tet Surprise (Contd.) • Soldiers dressed as citizens and bombed local places • Citizens and soldiers killed • Ended ineffective • No land gained • 45,00 soldiers lost • U.S. embassy in Saigon, South Vietnam’s capital, bombed • http://www.u-s-history.c om/pages/h1862.html

  13. U.S. Doubts Grow • U.S. stunned by Tet offensive • Tet offensive pierced General Westmoreland • “Credibility Gap” present • Tet offensive made U.S. citizens question U.S. government’s wisdom in entering war • U.S. citizens started protests against continuation of war • Peace talks between U.S. and Vietnam began in 1968

  14. Works Cited "Gulf of Tonkin." Bodies of Water. Web. 4 Apr. 2010. <http://911review.com/precedent/century/imgs/tonkin.jpg>. "Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Britannica.com)." Google Videos. Web. 04 Apr. 2010. <http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=47779540619101779#>. "Powerpoint Templates." Office Online Home Page - Microsoft Office Online. Web. 04 Apr. 2010. <http://office.microsoft.com/en- us/templates/TC300011911033.aspx?AxInstalled=1&c=0>.  "Tet Offensive." United States History. Web. 05 Apr. 2010. <http://www.u-s- history.com/pages/h1862.html>. "Tet Offensive Video Clips, Free Online Videos – Encyclomedia." Free Video Clips - Streaming Online Videos - EncycloMedia. Web. 05 Apr. 2010. <http://www.encyclomedia.com/video- tet_offensive.html>. "Tet Offensive." Vietnam War. Web. 4 Apr. 2010. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Tet- Offensive-Map.jpg>.

  15. Works Cited (Contd.) "Vietnam." Asian Countries. Web. 4 Apr. 2010. <http://www.mon- photo.com/Asia/Vietnam_1/vietnam.gif>. "Vietnam War." Military. Web. 05 Apr. 2010. <http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/vietnam.htm>. "Vietnam War." The Vietnam War. Web. 05 Apr. 2010. <http://www.vietnampix.com/end.htm>. "Vietnam War Videos, Photos, and Stories." Battles of War - War History Videos and Footage. Web. 05 Apr. 2010. <http://www.battlesofwar.com/Vietnam_War.php>. "Vietnam War." Vietnam War. Web. 4 Apr. 2010. <http://www.cubanology.com/Vietnam/images/vietnamTrenc hes.jpg >.

More Related