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The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War. Section 3 Vietnam Divides the Nation. Growing Credibility Gap. Gen William Westmoreland – Commander in S. Vietnam for years declared the enemy was on the brink of defeat. Media contridicted those reports. 1 st “television war” These reports caused the credibility gap.

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The Vietnam War

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  1. The Vietnam War Section 3 Vietnam Divides the Nation

  2. Growing Credibility Gap • Gen William Westmoreland – Commander in S. Vietnam for years declared the enemy was on the brink of defeat. • Media contridicted those reports. • 1st “television war” • These reports caused the credibility gap.

  3. Gen. Westmoreland

  4. Teach-Ins • Teach-In – U of Michigan teachers and students formally discussed issues of the war instead of regular material. • May 1965, 122 colleges held, “National Teach-In” by radio.

  5. Anger At the Draft • Beginning of war, college students could defer service until after graduation. • This meant, low income and minorities were more likely to be drafted. • This got Dr. MLK involved and as war went on America increased the draft putting everyone at risk. • Estimated 500,000 refused to serve.

  6. Anger At the Draft • 3,300 were prosecuted for refusing to serve. • America went to a lottery system instead. • 1971, 26th Amendment, lowered the age to vote in all elections to 18.

  7. Hawks vs. Doves • Doves – wanted the U.S. to withdraw from the war • Hawks – insisted the U.S. stay and fight

  8. 1968 – The Pivotal Year • January 30, during Tet, Vietnamese New Year, The Vietcong launched a massive surprise attack known as the Tet Offensive. • Attacked all American airbases and most major cities, and the American embassy in Saigon.

  9. Tet Offensive

  10. 1968 • Militarily, the Tet Offensive was a disaster for the Vietcong. • Politically, it was a nightmare for the U.S. that someone, “close to defeat”, could mount such a huge attack. • Media claimed the war would end in a stalemate.

  11. Walter Cronkite

  12. 1968 Presidential Election • Johnson is defeated in the New Hampshire primary by Eugene McCarthy and decides to leave the race. • Sen. Robert Kennedy enters the race after Johnson leaves.

  13. Season of Violence • April, 1968, James Earl Ray, kills MLK, Jr. • June, 1968, SirhanSirhan, an Arab nationalist assassinates Robert Kennedy. • Riots break out at the Dem. National Convention.

  14. MLK, Jr. Assassinated James Earl Ray Lorraine Motel, Memphis, TN

  15. Robert Kennedy Assassinated SirhanSirhan Robert Kennedy

  16. 1968 Election • Richard Nixon wins by a very slim margin. • He promises to have a plan to end the war. • His chief goal was to, “Bring Us Together”.

  17. Richard Nixon

  18. End of Section 3 Next: Section 4 The War Winds Down

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