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War Expands in Vietnam

War Expands in Vietnam. The Vietnam War Years (1954-1975) Chapter 30, Section 2. Essential Question:. Is it right for one group to force its’ beliefs on to another group, even if its’ for their benefit?. Lyndon B. Johnson.

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War Expands in Vietnam

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  1. War Expands in Vietnam The Vietnam War Years (1954-1975) Chapter 30, Section 2

  2. Essential Question: • Is it right for one group to force its’ beliefs on to another group, even if its’ for their benefit?

  3. Lyndon B. Johnson • When LBJ Took Over As President (1963), South Vietnam was Very Close to Becoming Communist • LBJ’s Military Advisors Wanted to Bomb North Vietnam • Wanted to Stop Ho Chi Minh from Supporting the Viet Cong in S. Vietnam • Why Can’t a President Just Bomb a Country? Who’s Approval Does the President Need? Why?

  4. The Gulf of Tonkin • Story of the U.S.S. Maddox • Fired Upon in the Gulf of Tonkin on August 2nd, 1964 • Fired Upon Again on August 4th, 1964 • No One Can Confirm the 2nd Attack • LBJ Asked Congress to Declare War! Hmm……

  5. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • After the 2nd Attack On the U.S.S. Maddox, LBJ Asked Congress for a Declaration of War! • BTW, Firing on a U.S. Ship is an Act of War • Congress Did NOT Declare War • Congress Gave LBJ the Power to use “Military Force in Vietnam” • The Vietnam “Conflict” Started

  6. Escalation in Vietnam • LBJ Immediately Began Bombing North Vietnam • Escalation is the Policy of Increasing Military Operations • U.S. Troops Increased From 75,000 in 1965 to 536,000 by 1968 • General Westmoreland Was the Commander of the Armed Forces in Vietnam

  7. Vietnam: A Frustrating War • Problems Fighting in Vietnam: • Vietnam Was a Limited War: U.S. Feared Bringing China into the War & Starting WWIII • Most U.S. Soldiers Were Young (19) & Inexperienced: Soldiers Only Had to Serve 1 Year (6 Months in the Field Fighting) Then They Could Go Home • Not Enough Experienced Officers & Soldiers to Fight in the Vietnam Jungles = Many Deaths

  8. A Frustrating War… • Problems Fighting in Vietnam: • There Was No Frontline: Viet Cong Were the South Vietnamese/Mixed in with the General Population • Guerrilla Warfare: Viet Cong Used Guerrilla Warfare/Knew They Couldn’t Defeat the U.S. Military Head On • Always Favors the People Who Know the Land: Ho Chi Minh Trail, Booby Traps, Ambushes & Surprise Attacks • American Revolution • Iraq & Afghanistan Today

  9. A Frustrating War… • Problems Fighting in Vietnam: • Land and Climate of Vietnam: • 100 Degrees and Humid All the Time • Terrain is Jungle/ Swamps • Jungle/Guerrilla Warfare • Viet Cong Were a Dedicated Enemy: • “One Man Defending His Homeland is Better Than 10 Men Fighting to Take It Over”

  10. Napalm & Agent Orange • Both Were Used to Either Burn or Destroy the Jungle to Find the Enemy (Viet Cong) & Ho Chi Minh Trail • Napalm = Jellied Gasoline • Agent Orange = Orange Chemical That Kills Vegetation: • Helped Destroy Hideouts & Food Supplies of the Viet Cong • Destroyed Innocent Civilians Homes and Food • U.S. Soldiers Were Exposed To It (Cancerous) • Ruined the Environment

  11. Effects of Agent Orange • Too Grotesque to Show You!

  12. Search & Destroy Missions • American War Tactic • American Soldiers Would Hunt Down Viet Cong by Burning and/or Bombing Villages • Innocent South Vietnamese Lost Everything (Homes/ Food/Supplies) • Turned Against the U.S. • Are We Really “Winning the Hearts & Minds of the People?”

  13. The Tet Offensive (1968) • On January 30th and 31st, 1968, The Communists Launched a Surprise Attack on More Than 100Cities & Towns in South Vietnam • Viet Cong Living in South Vietnam Planned the Attack • Smuggled Weapons into Each City and Dressed as Regular South Vietnamese Citizens • Turning Point of the War

  14. The Tet Offensive (1968) • Despite the Surprise Attack, the Viet Cong & the Communists Lost: • Gained No Cities • Lost 45,000 Troops • U.S. Lost 1,100 • Physical Loss, Mental Victory: • U.S. Realized They Can’t Win • Americans Start to Question Why Are We Even in Vietnam? • General Westmoreland Asked for 206,000 More American Troops After the Tet Offensive

  15. LBJ Changes War Policy • Following the Tet Offensive, LBJ Tells General Westmoreland No More Troops • Stops the U.S. Bombing of North Vietnam • Announces U.S. Would Seek Peace with North Vietnam (1968) • Announces He Will Not Run for Reelection in 1968

  16. My Lai Massacre • On March 16th, 1968, American Soldiers Went Out on a Search and Destroy Mission Looking for Viet Cong • Lt. William Calley, Jr. Rounded Up the Village of My Lai (Innocent Civilians) & Massacred Them • A U.S. Helicopter Flying Over Ordered the U.S. Troops to Cease Fire (Helicopter Fired Warning Shots)

  17. Hypothesize • How do YOU think the American public reacted when they found out what happened at My Lai?

  18. Lt.William Calley, Jr. • Lt. William Calley, Jr. Ordered the Massacre • Think Nuremberg Trials • Faced Charges of Crimes Against Humanity • Found Guilty: • Pardoned in 1976

  19. Essential Question: • Is it right for one group to force its’ beliefs on to another group, even if its’ for their benefit?

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