1 / 29

Vietnam

Vietnam. Bell Questions. At the start what percentage of Americans approved of the policy in Vietnam. 66 % What were those who wanted to withdraw from Vietnam known as? Doves How many were killed during for the My Lai Massacre? 504 civilians

soyala
Download Presentation

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. Vietnam

  2. Bell Questions • At the start what percentage of Americans approved of the policy in Vietnam. • 66 % • What were those who wanted to withdraw from Vietnam known as? • Doves • How many were killed during for the My Lai Massacre? • 504 civilians • How many people went to jail for the My Lai Massacre? • One • What were the communist-led guerrillas in Vietnam known as? • The Viet Cong • Who escalated the Vietnam War in 1965 with air strikes on the North? • President Johnson • Before the Tet Offensive, most of the fighting had been small skirmishes using what type of tactics? • guerilla tactics • In military terms who won the Tet Offensive? • The US • L • L • L: • L • L • l

  3. This Day in History

  4. Notes: A quick overview • Between 1945 and 1954, the Vietnamese waged an anti-colonial war against France • received $2.6 billion in financial support from the US • After French defeat - peace conference in Geneva • Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam received independence • Vietnam divided between an anti-Communist South and a Communist North.

  5. Notes • In 1956, South Vietnam, with American backing, refused to hold the unification elections. • By 1958, Communist-led guerrillas known as the Viet Cong had begun to battle the South Vietnamese government.

  6. Notes • US sent in 2,000 military advisors– support South’s government • By 1963- 16,300 • Condition deteriorated- by 1963 South Vietnam had lost the fertile Mekong Delta to the Vietcong • In 1965, Johnson escalated - air strikes on North Vietnam • ground forces of 536,000 in 1968.

  7. Notes • The 1968 Tet Offensive by the North Vietnamese turned many Americans against the war. • Nixon takes office- advocated Vietnamization -withdrawing US troops and giving S Vietnam greater responsibility for fighting the war.

  8. Notes • From 1968 to 1973 efforts were made to end the conflict through diplomacy. • In January 1973- agreement • U.S. forces were withdrawn • U.S. prisoners of war were released • In April 1975, South Vietnam surrendered to the North and Vietnam was reunited

  9. Notes • CONSEQUENCES: • Cost the US 58,000 lives - 350,000 total casualties • One to two million Vietnamese deaths • Congress enacted the War Powers Act in 1973 • requiring the president to receive explicit Congressional approval before committing American forces overseas. • Longest war in American history and the most unpopular

  10. Notes The Tet Offensive • January 31, 1968 - The Tet Offensive • 70,000 North Vietnamese soldiers • turning point in the Vietnam War • U.S. troops had been in Vietnam for three years • most of the fighting - small skirmishes -guerilla tactics • General Vo Nguyen Giap - time for the North Vietnamese to make a major surprise attack

  11. Notes • Early morning • North Vietnamese troops and Viet Cong –attacked 100 towns and cities in South Vietnam- broke ceasefire • surprised both the Americans and the South Vietnamese • North hoped for uprising from the people - met heavy resistance instead

  12. Notes • Some areas Communists were repelled quickly – hours • Some took weeks • In military terms- US won the Tet Offensive -Communists did not maintain control over any part of South Vietnam • Communists North- 45,000 killed

  13. Notes • Led the U.S. to realize that the South was much stronger than they had expected • Lyndon B. Johnson ended escalation of involvement in Vietnam

  14. Public Opinion FOR the war

  15. Notes • Domestic Opposition to the War • At first most Americans supported the military effort • 66 % approved of the policy in Vietnam • Commanders were confident -“we have reached an important point where the end begins to come into view.” the end was in sight.

  16. Notes • Media reports were less optimistic • Vietnam was the first “television war” • footage of combat appeared nightly on the evening news • began to doubt government reports

  17. Notes • University of Michigan starts a teach-in • Spreads to other colleges across the country • Reasons for opposition • Saw the conflict as a civil war • South Vietnam was a corrupt dictatorship -defending it was immoral and unjust • Anger at the draft

  18. Notes • Most prominent -J. William Fulbright • Democrat from Arkansas • chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee • broke with Lyndon Johnson over the war in Vietnam • February 1966 - six days of televised hearings on the conduct of the war

  19. Notes Early 1968, 53 % favored stronger military action - 24 % wanted to end the war • By 1968 we are divided • Doves - withdraw from Vietnam • Hawks - insisted that the country stay and fight • And then • The Tet Offensive

  20. Notes • In the weeks following the Tet Offensive, the president’s approval fell -35 % • handling of the war 26 % • The credibility gap now seemed too wide to repair.

  21. My Lai Massacre

  22. Notes • My Lai Massacre • 11th Infantry Brigade - Charley Company- Platoon - Lt William Calley • March 16, 1968 • Hamlet of My Lai • Northern part of South Vietnam • “search and destroy” mission • Going after 48th Viet Cong Battalion • Met no resistance in My Lai

  23. Notes • 700 inhabitants • No males of fighting age • In three hours they killed as many as 504 civilians • Most of the victims were old men, women, and children • fifty age 3 or younger, 69 between 4 and 7, and 27 in their 70s or 80s. • Women were raped • Some victims were mutilated with the signature "C Company" carved into the chest.

  24. Notes • Hugh Thompson -helicopter pilot • Threatened to fire on US troops in order to rescue the Vietnamese from the slaughter • My Lai massacre took place shortly after the TetOffensive • Charlie Company had suffered 28 casualties (five dead) just two days before the massacre • two days before the massacre-booby trap, killing a popular sergeant, blinding one GI and wounding several others.

  25. Notes • The Cover-Up • Claimed to have killed 128 Viet Cong during the operation • Only 3 weapons captured • Claimed that only 20 civilians had been killed inadvertently • Helicopter gunner wrote letters to 30 congressional and military officials

  26. Notes • 33 of the 105 members of Charlie Company participated in the massacre • 28 officers involved in cover up • Charges brought against 13 men • Only Lt. Calleywent to prison • Defining symbol of the Vietnam war • The actions of a small group convinced many people that the war was brutal and senseless

More Related