Vietnam

1. Vietnam Chapter 22 Sect 1-2

2. Why did the U.S. fight in Vietnam? • Strengthen ties to France post WWII • Domino Theory- Must stop spread of Communism • U.S. Changed view of Ho Chi Minh- (Now he is a communist aggressor) • France was defeated, U.S. must pick up slack • LBJ wants to look tough on Communism • Final Spark- Gulf of Tonkin Incident- They fired at us?…?

3. What was the war like before U.S. entry? • Diem was corrupt!!! But anti communist… • Diem suppressed Buddhism (Majority of population) Monks respond

4. What was war like before U.S. entry? • Vietcong assassinate South Vietnam officials • Diem losing support of his own people and the U.S. • 1963 Diem was overthrown by the CIA backed coup. • Diem was assassinated during the coup.

5. How did the War Change once U.S. enters? • 61% of U.S. citizens support War in Vietnam 1965. Only 24% oppose War. • Massive amounts of troops • 50,000 -1965 early • 180,000- 1965 late • 500,000- 1967 • Vietcong use Guerrilla tactics

6. Vietcong Guerrilla War Tactics • Blend in with local villagers • Fight using tunnels • Booby Traps

7. How did the War Change once the U.S. entered? • Try to win through Attrition • Gradual wearing down of enemy by continual harassment. • Napalm- “Apocalypse now” video • Agent Orange • Search and Destroy- suspected Vietcong • “Must destroy the town in order to save it”

8. How did the War Change the U.S. at home? • American support fades away as the war continues. • Military Draft- All men over 18 have to register • Could get out of it by going to college. • Result- 80% of soldiers lower economic level. • LBJ Great Society loses funding to the War. • Civil Rights leaders Voice opposition • MLK Jr. War distracts from Civil Rights movement • “Blacks are good enough to go fight, but not have equality at home?”

9. How did the War Change the U.S. at Home? • College students protest • SDS- Students for a Democratic Society • Corporations/government has taken over America • March on Washington 1965 • 20,000 March to Protest War in Vietnam

10. Why did the Youth Oppose the War? • Vietnam War was a Civil War. Let them deal with it. • South Vietnam was just as bad as North Vietnam. • U.S. Cannot police the entire world. It is a drain on American society. • Morally wrong!

11. Morally Wrong

12. Protest Music • Listen to Jimi Hendrix playing the “Star Spangled Banner” • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt3cYpFLJiM • What feeling or emotion do you think he is trying to portray with this version of the song? • How does he do this?

13. Protest continues • 1967 - 70% anti war protest show disloyalty • Hawks Vs. Doves • 1967 Robert McNamara “Defense Secretary” resigns • Tet Offensive 1968- North Vietnam launches surprise attack- • U.S. Public realized Westmoreland (General) was not truthful about how close U.S. was to winning

14. Tet Offensive • Pages. 748-749 • Tet Offensive 1968- North Vietnam launches surprise attack- • Results… • U.S. Public realized Westmoreland (General) was not truthful about how close U.S. was to winning • Public opinion against war increased. • Media openly starts to criticize the war • Clark Clifford, (McNamara’s replacement) “We seem to have a sink hole…No end in sight to the action” • 60% of American’s now think Vietnam is a mistake.

15. 1968 Cont… • Johnson does not seek re-election • Later admits “That war… killed the lady I really loved- The Great Society” • MLK Jr. and Robert Kennedy Assassinations • Riots after MLK assassination all over country • College campuses 200 major demonstrations • 1968 Chicago convention Riot • http://www.history.com/videos/violence-batters-1968-democratic-convention#chicago-seven-conspiracy-trial

16. Protest cont. • Lost of support for the War at home • My Lai massacre-1968- U.S. marines kill 200 innocent villagers. Only Lieutenant Calley is imprisoned. • Invasion of Cambodia 1970- 1.5 million students protest.

17. Kent State University

18. Kent State University • Kent State University- Protest results in 4 dead, 9 wounded. • Jackson State- Protest results in 2 dead, 12 wounded

19. Losing support for the War cont. • Pentagon papers- • 7,000 page document written by McNamara in 1967-1968 • Details plans for Vietnam War during time period that LBJ promised not to escalate the war • No plan to end the war as long as North Vietnam persisted • Most Americans view pentagon papers as proof the Government is lying to the public

20. Fast Fact • 2.6 Million tons of bombs dropped during WWII and Korean War combined • 8 million tons of bombs dropped during Vietnam War.

21. How the U.S. got out of the Vietnam war • Vietnamization- Gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops starting in 1969 to allow South Vietnam’s military to have a more active role in the war. • 500,000 troops 1968 • 25,000 troops 1971 60% of Americans want full withdrawal 1971

22. Cont. • 1973 U.S. signed agreement to end war in Vietnam. Stalemate = divided country • 1975 North Vietnam invades South Vietnam and the U.S. refused to send troops back in to help South Vietnam this time. • South had to surrender to North Vietnam. • General Ford’s comment “America can regain its sense of pride that existed before Vietnam. But it cannot be achieved by refighting a war that is finished as far as America is concerned.”

23. Lessons from Vietnam • Americans feel more cynical toward government • Watergate scandal/Pentagon papers • Divided nation over foreign affairs • Think first then react. (Bomb Syria? Why not?) • Hawks believe Anti-war movement made us lose the war. Anti war= unpatriotic? • War Powers Act of1973- • President must inform congress within 48 hours when troops are deployed • Troops cannot remain past 90 days without approval