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Vietnam War – Part III

Vietnam War – Part III. Reality of the Vietnam War. As the war went on, evidence mounted that America had been entrapped in an Asian civil war, fighting against highly motivated rebels who were striving to overthrow an oppressive regime

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Vietnam War – Part III

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  1. Vietnam War – Part III

  2. Reality of the Vietnam War • As the war went on, evidence mounted that America had been entrapped in an Asian civil war, fighting against highly motivated rebels who were striving to overthrow an oppressive regime • Johnson was bent on “saving” Vietnam and assured Americans he could see “the light at the end of the tunnel”

  3. Tet Offensive • The Viet Cong and North Vietnamese launched a major offensive • The Tet Offensive included surprise attacks on 27 major cities, towns, and American military bases throughout South Vietnam • Even though they were turned back with heavy losses, the Viet Cong had won a psychological victory

  4. Tet Offensive • The Tet Offensive demonstrated that: • The Viet Cong could launch attacks anywhere they wanted • Johnson’s strategy of gradual escalation would not work • The war would continue for many more years • Images of the fighting on TV continued to increase reservations towards the war • American military leaders requested 200,000 more troops

  5. End of LBJ • In March 1968, after losing the New Hampshire primary, President Johnson announced in a television address that: • Bombing north of the 20th parallel would be stopped • He announced he would not seek reelection

  6. War was winnable Escalated U.S. involvement War was not winnable, but wanted “peace with honor”, which meant a “decent interval” between U.S. withdrawal and the defeat of S. Vietnam Vietnamization deescalated the war (except invasion of Cambodia & Laos) Vietnam War Policies ofJohnson and Nixon

  7. Increased bombing, but would decrease bombing to try to negotiate an end to the war Increased bombing to try to negotiate an end to the war Triangular diplomacy with USSR and China had the hopes of those two countries pressuring N. Vietnam to negotiate Vietnam War Policies ofJohnson and Nixon

  8. Vietnam War Policies ofJohnson and Nixon • Neither wanted to be the first U.S. president to lose a war • Both inherited the war from earlier administrations • Both saw the war as a part of the larger picture of the Cold War • Both faced increasing public protest • Both kept information from the public • Both were concerned about Chinese involvement • Both were interested in negotiating an end to the war • Both had domestic policies that distracted in the war effort

  9. Vietnamization • Plan was to withdraw the 540,000 U.S. troops in South Vietnam over an extended period • The South Vietnamese, with American money, weapons, training, and advice, could then gradually take over the burden of fighting their own war • Nixon Doctrine – the U.S. would honor its existing defense commitments, but that in the future, Asians and others would have to fight their own wars without the support of large amounts of American ground troops • Between 1968 and 1972, American troop strength dropped from 543,000 to 39,000

  10. Dove Reaction to Vietnamization and Nixon’s Reaction • Most demanded a prompt and complete withdrawal • They staged a massive protest on the Boston Common in October 1969 with 100,000 people and 50,000 next to the White House • Nixon tried to appeal to the “silent majority” who he believed supported the war • Unleashed the vice-president to attack the “nattering nabobs of negativism” (doves) • Called student antiwar demonstrators “bums”

  11. Reality of the Vietnam War • By January 1970, the Vietnam War: • Was the longest in American history • 40,000 killed • 250,000 wounded • 3rd most costly war • Became very unpopular • Soldier fought against: • Vietnamese enemy • Booby traps • Hot jungles • Couldn’t determine foes • Drug abuse, mutiny, and sabotage dulled the army’s fighting edge. Morale was low

  12. Invasion of Cambodia and Laos • Nixon expanded the war when he bombed and invaded Cambodia and Laos in 1970 (without Congress’ consent) and hid his actions from the public • His goal was to clear out Communist camps there, from which the enemy was mounting attacks on South Vietnam • Nixon’s actions were eventually reported and more protests resulted

  13. Kent State • In Ohio, students broke windows and burned the army ROTC building on campus • In response, the governor of Ohio ordered the National Guard to Kent State • When students threw rocks and empty tear-gas canisters at them, they fired • 4 died while 9 others were wounded

  14. Jackson State • In Mississippi, similar violence broke out • A confrontation between students and police left two students dead and 11 wounded • The outbreaks of violence against students shocked the nation

  15. Pentagon Papers • In June 1971, a State Department official, Daniel Ellsberg, leaked a study to the The New York Times called the Pentagon Papers. They revealed that Kennedy and Johnson had lied about the war: • The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution had been prepared a month before the incidents reported • The U.S. destroyers had been in North Vietnamese waters trying to land marines of the South Vietnamese Army on the shore to engage in acts of sabotage

  16. More Antiwar Discontent • They revealed that government officials had lied to Congress and the American people about the war • Such revelations shocked the public and gave a boost to the growing antiwar movement

  17. More Antiwar Discontent • Antiwar protestors were partly pleased when: • Congress repealed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • 26th Amendment was passed in 1971 – lowering the voting age to 18

  18. Watergate • Nixon became increasingly worried about protestors and political opponents • The Committee to Reelect the President (CREEP) decided to wiretap the phones at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. • Nixon tried to authorize the CIA to persuade the FBI to stop its investigation on the grounds that the matter involved “national security”

  19. Watergate • Members of CREEP gave hush money to Watergate defendants while the 1972 election was going on • The trial of the Watergate burglars began in January 1973 • Nixon decided to prove his innocence by appointing a special Watergate prosecutor, Archibald Cox • The prosecutor asked Nixon for his White House tape recordings, but he refused to give them up

  20. Watergate • Nixon ordered the Attorney General to fire Cox • When he didn’t, he resigned and Nixon fired Cox himself • The firing set off a series of resignations and firings (called the “Saturday Night Massacre”) • Congress then issued an order for Nixon to turn over the tapes • He refused, citing executive privilege • The Supreme Court ruled that Nixon must give up the tapes because it had nothing to do with national security, as he had claimed

  21. Watergate • Nixon gave up the tapes, which gave clear evidence of Nixon’s involvement in the cover-up • Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974 • Vice-President Gerald Ford was sworn in and a month later he pardoned Nixon

  22. Effects of Watergate on the Vietnam War • Nixon would lose congressional support • The credibility gap would widen • It would be a negative distraction from the Vietnam War

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