JFK –LBJ- Nixon: Vietnam and the US Involvement

1. JFK –LBJ- Nixon: Vietnam and the US Involvement

2. JFK – Domestic and Foreign Policy • Increased military spending • Bay of Pigs – US tried to overthrow Communist gov’t in Cuba (fidel Castro) • CIA trained anti-Castro Cubans > info leaked to Castro • Military disaster

3. JFK – Domestic and Foreign Policy • Berlin Wall • After the disaster of the Bay of Pigs > Khrushchev tries to intimidate JFK and get him to leave Berlin • JFK refuses > Berlin Wall built

4. JFK – Domestic and Foreign Policy • Cuban Missile Crisis • Soviets places missiles in Cuba and aimed them at US • Oct 22, 1963 > JFK ordered a naval blockade of Cuba • Blockade was successful > no more weapons to Cuba and missiles were removed

5. JFK – Domestic and Foreign Policy • Peace Corps: American volunteering to go to developing countries to assist > help to spread democracy • Alliance for Progress > improve US relationship with Latin America

6. JFK – Domestic and Foreign Policy • “New Frontier” • April 1961 > Soviets orbit the Earth • May 1961 > Alan Shepard orbits the Earth > Feb 1962 John Glenn orbits the Earth 3 times • Civil Rights • 1963 > Proposes 2 Civil Rights bill with help of his brother – Robert Kennedy (bans discrimination in business and voting) • 1962 > 24th Amendment > prohibiting poll tax • 1962 > U of Mississippi > James Meredith • Nov 22, 1963 > Kennedy assassinated in Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvey Oswald • LBJ takes over as President

7. Pre-US Involvement • During WWII – Ho ChiMihn (rebel leader) approached the US for assistance in gaining their independence from France • US refused to give Ho any time so he turns to China (Communism)

8. Fight for Independence • Early 1950’s Vietnam is in a full scale revolt to get rid of the French • The French want to leave but the US insists that they stay (domino theory) • US gives France money and weapons to keep their occupation in Vietnam • 1954 > French army massacred at Dienbienphu and withdraws

9. North and South Divided • When Vietnam gained their independence, North and South Vietnam became divided • North – Ho Chi Mihn (Communist) • South – Diem (democratic)

10. Elections to Unify Vietnam • Elections were suppose to be held the unify the North and South • Diem and US knew that if the elections were held, Ho Chi Mihn would win and make Vietnam a Communist country • So Diem kept stalling and pushed off the elections • This led the many South Vietnamese turning against democracy and siding with Ho Chi Mihn and the North

11. Getting Rid of Diem • President Diem became uncontrollable by early 1960’s • Stopped listening to the US, who supplied him with weapons and $ to hold off Ho Chi Mihn • Started to become greedy and only listened to his wife and brother-in-law • Us had him assassinated in 1963

12. US Involvement under JFK • After Diem assassination there was chaos in South Vietnam – no other leaders that could control the South • US had to assert more control • JFK increased # of US “advisors’’ already in Vietnam to 16,000

13. LBJ and Vietnam • Escalation of Vietnam • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • US boat attacked in waters off North Vietnam • Congress gave President Johnson the power take all necessary measures to repel any armed attacked against US • They never mention in Vietnam • Like a blank check for the military • Increases # of troops and starts Rolling Thunder

14. Rolling Thunder: Air Superiority vs. Guerilla Warfare

15. Why Fight? • Prevent the Fall to Communism • Stop Aggressor nations • We are a SUPERPOWER and a DEMOCRACY

16. LBJ and the Home front • Resistance to the War • Anti-War Movement • Hawks and Doves • Teach-ins – college movement • Draft resisters • Hippies and Flower Children – Start of the Counter Culture Movement

17. A Country Divided

18. The Great Society • LBJ’s domestic policy becomes known as the Great Society • Extension of the New Deal • Programs for the low incomes/ underprivileged • More programs passed than FDR in his first 100 days

19. LBJ’s Downfall • LBJ tries to do too much • He can’t push his Great Society and the same time as fighting a controversial war • He divides the country • The federal government tries to hide the negatives and only reports the positive of the war • Problem was there was live footage being sent home and the gov’t couldn’t control the TV

20. LBJ’s Downfall • Johnson announces in 1968 that he will not seek another term as President • Johnson's Speech

21. Nixon and Vietnam • Escalates war even more to 540,000 • Runs on a policy of Vietnamization – South is going to take more responsibility for the war • Reduce US involvement • Can’t reduce because South Vietnam is not strong enough

22. Nixon and Vietnamization • Nixon orders more bombings through Rolling Thunder • Invasion of Cambodia • Bombings of the HO Chi Mihn Trail

23. Ho Chi Mihn Trail

24. More Unrest in the US • Country gets more divided on the expansion of the bombings • Kent State Protest

25. Kent State Protest

26. Bringing Home US Troops • Dec 1970 Congress repeals the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Sept 1972 > withdrawing of troops > only 60,000 left > Nixon continues the bombings • Oct 1972 > cease fire is reached • Nixon announces on the eve of election day> Nixon wins re-election • Talks falter between two sides • Jan 1973 > “Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam’’ was signed • US troops are withdrawn over the next few months

27. Results of the War • Longest war in US history • 57,000 deaths • 300,000 wounded • $150 billion spent on the war • War Powers Act • The President can sends troops into action for 60 days then must get permission from Congress to keep them in action • (Congress never specifically gave the President permission for Vietnam > No declaration of war)