US Involvement in Vietnam Escalates

1. US Involvement in Vietnam Escalates K. Mc Taggart

2. Johnson’s Attitude to Vietnam • LBJ not as experienced in international affairs as JFK • Also, he had suddenly been thrust into the job due to JFK’s assassination, inheriting the war • He believed that he must continue Kennedy’s policies • He accepted the domino theory • He retained most of Kennedy’s advisors K. Mc Taggart

3. Robert McNamara Sec. of Defence Dean Rusk Sec. of State K. Mc Taggart

4. He turned to both for advice 1.Both ANTI-COMMUNIST 2.Felt that SV needed to be protected from Communist a takeover 3.They worried about the damage to US prestige (image) if they withdrew from SV or if they were defeated K. Mc Taggart

5. 4.They feared that defeat would trigger a collapse of non-communist gov. in the region 5.Also that it would lead to communist attacks on other US interests in Asia (Japan, Taiwan) Therefore, SV was not to be abandoned. K. Mc Taggart

6. LBJ’s Views • LBJ agreed with their views • He feared his weakness would be exposed in upcoming elections • He must be seen to act ‘tough’ ‘I am not going to be the president who saw South-East Asia go to the way of China’ K. Mc Taggart

7. He did not want war in Vietnam however, ‘that raggedy- ass little fourth-rate country’ • More interested in domestic reforms • He hoped to turn the US into a GREAT SOCIETY • He declared a war on poverty and wished to improve health and education for the poor……and PREVENT WAR K. Mc Taggart

8. QUOTE • ‘I knew from the start that if I left a woman I really loved- the Great Society- in order to fight this bitch of a war’…..’then I would lose everything at home, my hopes, my dreams…’ L.B.J. K. Mc Taggart

9. Intially ....... • Initially decided to fight a limited war • Force NV to accept negotiated peace • Ignored his more aggressive advisors • Rejected any moves that might bring US or China into the war K. Mc Taggart

10. Despite his ‘misgivings’, step by step, LBJ found himself being dragged into a ….. FULL SCALE WAR K. Mc Taggart

11. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident • The event that triggered this involvement was the GULF OF TONKIN incident • August 1964, USS MADDOX (an American destroyer) exchanged fire with NV • Gave Johnson and his cabinet the perfect reason to increase US involvement in Vietnam K. Mc Taggart

12. The Gulf of Tonkin K. Mc Taggart

13. USS Maddox K. Mc Taggart

14. Johnson asked Congress to pass the TONKIN RESOLUTION • This allowed him to take ‘all necessary steps, including the use of military force’ to protect American security • In addition, it would allow Johnson to decide when ‘peace and security’ in the area had been achieved. K. Mc Taggart

15. American Reaction • At the time. Johnson’s actions were very popular • Poll in 1965 showed that 85% of the American’s supported his handling of the situation. • At first Johnson sent more advisors to the country • Put pressure on S Vietnamese to make their regime more popular K. Mc Taggart

16. In the 1964 Presidential election, Johnson portrayed himself as moderate • LBJ labelled his opponent, Barry Goldwater, an extremist • Johnson then stated he was not willing, ‘to send American boys nine or ten thousand miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves’ K. Mc Taggart

17. Johnson V Goldwater K. Mc Taggart

18. Johnson’s Election Victory K. Mc Taggart

19. Johnson won the election with a landslide • His victory was the largest ever achieved by a US President • What the Americans did not know was that Johnson was waiting until the election was over to implement (start) the very policies his Republican opponent had advocated!! (waiting to take firm action against the NV) K. Mc Taggart

20. Operation Rolling Thunder • After the election Johnson and his military advisors decided to escalate (increase) their efforts against N.Vietnam • How? • More troops were committed (sent to ) Vietnam • The US military was secretly planning a massive bombing campaign against NV to end Communist attacks K. Mc Taggart

21. THE US MASSIVELY INCREASED TROOP NUMBERS Reasons for this increased American presence in Vietnam: • 1) They hoped to Stabilise the South • 2) To force NV to stop supporting the Vietcong in SV and to negotiate a cease fire • 3) This was less likely to cost US lives and money (or so they hoped!!!!!!) K. Mc Taggart

22. LBJ Had to be careful: • 1) Not to provoke Chinese intervention (Not to force the Chinese to come in and support NV • 2) Not to damage relations with USSR (not to encourage the USSR to get involved either) • As a result the Americans and LBJ decided that bombing was banned within 40 km of Chinese border. (So they would not get involved) K. Mc Taggart

23. Operation Rolling Thunder was an aggressive bombing campaign (only involved the Airforce) • It was carried out against NV • The Americans hoped to close down Ho Chi Minh Trail (the leader of the Vietcong in NV was Ho Chi Minh and he was supplying the Vietcong in SV. This supply route was called the Ho Chi Minh trail • Operation Rolling Thunder was originally intended only to last 8 weeks …… • It lasted 3 YEARS • The Americans were carrying out 12,000 bombing attacks a month by Sept. 1966 (more than WWII) K. Mc Taggart

24. Ho Chi Minh Trail K. Mc Taggart

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26. Operation Rolling Thunder K. Mc Taggart

27. Operation Rolling Thunder FAILED to weaken NV’s support for the Vietcong Communist guerrillas in the South • Seemed, in fact to have the opposite effect as the Vietcong won a lot of support from the peasant population of SV • The bombing also acted as a propagandaweapon to use against the US • This was not helped by the fact that over 50,000 civilians in SV were killed. K. Mc Taggart

28. North Vietnamese Resistance • The Vietcong hid in the jungle and used guerrilla tactics • Arms production was removed from the capital (Hanoi), instead for protection it spread around the country • Some industries went under ground • Civilians were sent to live in countryside • 30,000 miles of tunnels were built in order to avoid detection form the Americans. K. Mc Taggart

29. When the US bombed Ho Chi Minh Trail, the Vietcong built another • 90,000 women, children etc. worked to keep the line open (shows how much support the Vietcong had) • Roads repaired quickly after bombing so North could supply Vietcong K. Mc Taggart

31. The First US Troops Arrive • Soon became clear that bombing alone could not defeat NV • Johnson now convinced for the need to send in US soldiers • March 1965, request for US soldiers to protect airbase and so US troops landed in Da Nang • By the end of the year there were over 180,000 Us troops in Vietnam and by 1966 there was over 350,000 and 500,000by 1967. K. Mc Taggart

32. By 1968 the was costing the US $30 billion • Many US soldiers were drafted or conscripted for one year of duty in Vietnam • This was seen by many as unfair in the US and many people objected to conscription. • The wealthy escaped by attending university, leaving or enlisting in the National Guard K. Mc Taggart

33. Victims of Vietnam K. Mc Taggart

34. Vietnam War Protestors

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