The Vietnam War: Understanding the Conflict and its Impact

1. WHO ARE WE FIGHTING?? AND WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR? KENNEDY TAKES OVER 1960 “PAY ANY PRICE, BEAR ANY BURDEN” THE PEACE CORPS??

2. THE KENNEDY BRAIN TRUST THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST… • ROBERT MCNAMMARA • SECRETARY OF DEFENSE • FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHIZ KID! • WALT W. ROSTOW • STATE DEPT. • ECONOMIC GENIUS • GEORGE BALL • STATE DEPT. • AGAINST INVOLVEMENT IN VIETNAM • ROBERT KENEDY • ATTORNEY GENERAL • CLOSEST ADVISOR • DEAN RUSK • SECRETARY OF STATE • WAR HAWK • THE GREEN BERET !!!

3. KENNEDY’S FOREIGN POLICY CHALLENGES • APRIL 17TH THE BAY OF PIGS FIASCO 1961 AUGUST THE BERLIN IS CONSTRUCTED 1961—1962 INDONESIA AND SUKARNO 1962 LAOTIAN CRISIS 1962---1963 THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS 1961—1963 JAPAN AND THE PHILLIPINES 1961----1963 VIETNAM KENNEDY PROGRAMS ALLIANCE FOR PROGRESS PEACE CORPS NEW PACIFIC COMMUNITY

4. ESCALATION 1 9 6 3 H O L D I N G THE BEACH HEAD • 3,100 TROOPS • 16,000 TROOPS • 20,000 TROOPS LBJ TAKES OVER

5. LBJ WHO’S--- WHO 1964 ??? DIEM IS DEAD ---- NGUYEN KHAN IS IN HO --- STILL HOLDING/ SQUABBLES ABOUND GIAP DEMOTED--- NGUYEN CHI THANH PROMOTED SINO—SOVIET RIFT ARVN--- STILL FIGHTING COMMIES WILLIAM WESTMORELAND --- TO THE RESCUE PLA OR VIETCONG???? NLF??? NVA???? WHO ARE ALL THESE GUYS?

6. LBJ’S WAY OF THINKING…. • KENNEDY TO SOFT • HANDS ON APPROACH • CRUSH THE COMMIE • BASTARDS • PREFERRED YES • MEN TO ANALYSIS THE MCNAMARA REPORT 12/1963 REPLACES GENERAL HARKINS WITH WESTMORELAND “HARKIN’S WAS THE GUY WHO THOUGHT THE SNOWBALL COULD SURVIVE IN HELL!” REPLACES GENERAL MAX TAYLOR WITH EARL WHEELER

7. GENERAL WESTMORELAND TO THE RESCUE 1964-68 • WEST POINT GRAD • WEST POINT SUPERINTEDENT • SERVED WWII • THOUGHT ARVN CORRUPT • CALLED FOR LARGE INCREASE • IN TROOPS INTORDUCE SWEEP AND DESTROY MISSIONS AGAINST VIETCONG

8. THE GULF OF TONKIN INCIDENT A REASON FOR WAR? “ I AM NOT GOING TO BE THE PRESIDENT WHO SAW S.E. ASIA GO THE WAY OF CHINA.” LBJ “ WE ARE NOT ABOUT TO SEND AMERICAN BOYS NINE OR TEN THOUSAND MILES AWAY FROM HOME TO DO WHAT ASIAN BOYS OUGHT TO BE DOING FOR THEMSELVES.” LBJ

9. WHY NATIONS GO TO WAR POWER NATIONS OFTEN GOT TO WAR TO INCREASE THEIR POWER OR TO PREVENT THEIR ENEMIES FROM INCREASING THEIRS. SOME NATIONS DO THIS BY ATTACKING WEAKER NEIGHBORS; OTHERS FORM ALLIANCES WITH OTHER NATIONS TO BUILD STRENGTH. PRESTIGE THE DESIRE TO DEFEND OR ADVANCE A NATION’S PRESTIGE– THAT IS, A NATION’S STANDING IN THE EYES OF THE WORLD—IS A SECOND FACTOR THAT MAY LEAD TO WAR. PRINCIPLES SOME TIMES NATIONS GO TO WAR TO ENFORCE CHERISHED PRINCIPLES, SUCH AS ENSURING HUMAN RIGHTS OR THE RIGHTS OF VESSELS AT SEA. PROFIT NATIONS GO TO WAR FOR PROFIT, THAT IS, TO ADVANCE THEIR ECONOMIC INTERESTS BY PROTECTING INVESTMENTS, SECURING RAW MATERIALS, OR GAINING NEW MARKETS FOR THEIR EXPORTS. PROTECTION WHEN A NATION IS ATTACKED OR INVADED BY ANOTHER NATION, IT USUALLY WILL FIGHT TO PROTECT IT’S PEOPLE AND TERRITORY. READ THE HAND OUT AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

10. WHO FOUGHT IN THE WAR ?? WHO ARE THE SOLDIERS WHO FIGHT THEIR NATION’S WARS ? FROM WHAT CITIES TOWNS AND VILLAGES DO THEY COME ? IMAGINE YOU ARE 18 AND GETTING READY TO GRADUATE? THE TIME IS THE SIXTIES. THE WAR IN VIETNAM IS GOING STRONG! HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR FUTURE? WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS? DO YOU OWN A CAR? DO YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND? PLANS FOR MARRIAGE? GO TO COLLEGE? A TOUR OF DUTY IN THE MILITARY? WHAT DO YOU DO?

11. AMERICAN TROOP LEVELS 1959--1973 YEAR TROOPS KIA 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 760 900 3,205 11,300 16,300 23,300 18,4300 385,300 485,600 563,100 475,200 334,600 156800 24200 50 0 . . . . . 3,078 6,053 11,058 16,511 11,527 6,065 2,304 561 300

12. PERSONEL … OF THE VIETNAM ERA 9,087,000 MILITARY PERSONNEL WERE ON ACTIVE DUTY 3,403,100 SERVED IN THE S.E. ASIA THEATRE 2,594,000 SERVED WITHIN THE BORDERS OF SOUTH VIETNAM 1.6 MILLION SAW SOME TYPE OF COMBAT 7,484 WOMEN SERVED IN VIETNAM 83.5% WERE NURSES 58,156 WERE KILLED IN ACTION INCLUDING 68 WOMEN 2,388 MISSING IN ACTION 766 PRISONERS OF WAR 114 DIED IN CAPTIVITY

13. ETHNIC BACKGROUND… OF THE MEN WHO SERVED IN VIETNAM… • 88% WERE CAUCASIAN • 10.6% WERE BLACK • 1.0% OTHER RACES OF THE MEN KILLED IN ACTION IN VIETNAM… • 86.8% WERE CAUCASIAN • 13.5 % WERE BLACK • 1.1% OTHER RACES

14. LIKELIHOOD OF VIETNAM-ERA SERVICE MILITARY SERVICE VIETNAM SERVICE COMBAT SERVICE (%) (%) (%) 40 30 20 19 12 9 15 7 7 LOW-INCOME MIDDLE-INCOME HIGH- INCOME 42 45 23 14 17 9 18 21 12 HIGH-SCHOOL DROOUTS HIGH SCHOOL GRADS COLLEGE GRADS

15. VIETNAM AND THE DRAFT……….

16. THE DRAFT… WHO WENT? WHO DIDN’T? …OF 26.8 MILLION VIETNAM ERA DRAFT AGE -MEN • 15.4 MILLION WERE DEFERRED, EXEMPTED OR DISQUALIFIED • 570,000 COMMITTED DRAFT VIOLATIONS • 200,000 THOUSAND TURNED OVER TO PROSECUTORS • 1. 8,750 WERE CONVICTED • 2. 3,250 WENT TO PRISON • 3. 3,000 WENT INTO HIDING • 4. 100,000 LEFT THE COUNTRY OH CANADA! 60% OF DRAFT ELIGIBLE MEN ESCAPED MILITARY SERVICE

17. HOW TO AVOID VIETNAM……. SELECTIVE SERVICE CLASSIFICATIONS-- I-A AVAILABLE FOR MILITARY SERVICE I-A-O CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR/NON-COMBAT JOB I-C MEMBER OF ARMED SERVICES, PUBLIC HEALTH I-D MEMBER OF RESERVES/STUDENT IN TRAINING I-S HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT I-Y QUALIFIED FOR SERVICE ONLY IN EVENT OF WAR OR NT’L EMERGENCY I-W CONSCIENTIOUS OBJ. DOING CIV. WORK NAT’L HEALTH, SAFETY II-A DEFERRED BECAUSE OF CIVILIAN JOB II-C DEFERRED DUE AGRICULTURE JOB II-S DEFERRED BECAUSE OF STUDY III-A DEFERRED HAS A CHILD, OR EXTREME HARDSHIP IV-A REGISTRANT HAS COMPLETED SERVICE-SOLE SURVIVING SON IV-B OFFICIAL DEFERRED BY LAW IV-C ALIEN IV-D MINISTER OF RELIGION OR DIVINITY STUDENT IV-F REGISTRANT NOT QUALIFIED FOR MILITARY SERVICE V-A OVER THE AGE OF MILITARY SERVICE

18. HOW THEY KEPT FROM GOING… 172,000 WERE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS A. HAD TO WORK FOR 2 YEARS B. LOW PAYING COMMUNITY-SERVICE JOBS C. OUTSIDE OF COMMUTING DISTANCE FROM HOME GO TO COLLEGE… ENROLLMENT UP 7% A. SHOW STEADY PROGRESS TOWARD ADEGREE B. CONTINUE ON TO GRAD SCHOOL C. FAIL AND IT IS BACK TO THE DRAFT GO INTO TEACHING, MEDICINE, OR THE MINISTRY • HARDSHIP DEFERMENTS • SOLE PROVIDER • GET MARRIED AND HAVE KIDS GO IV-F -- GET A DOCTOR TO DECLARE YOU UNFIT JOIN THE NAVY, AIRFORCE OR COAST GUARD A. RESERVES B. NATIONAL GUARD

19. HOW THE WAR WAS FOUGHT THE WAR CONSISTED OF FIVE DISTINCT STAGES STAGE I 1961-1964 COUNTERINSURGENCY STAGE II 1965-1967 GROUND AND AIR COMBAT AND PACIFICATION STAGE III 1968 THE TET OFENSIVE STAGE IV 1969-1973 VIETNAMIZATION AND U.S. DISENGAGEMENT STAGE V 1974-1975 SOUTH VIETNAM WILL SINK OR SWIM ON IT’S OWN!

20. THE U.S. ENTERS COMBAT OUR ALLIES… THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM ARMED FORCES 1965—514,000 MEN TO 1972– 1.1 MILLION MEN 170,000 ARVN KILLED IN ACTION A. UN-MOTIVATED B. CORRUPT C. BRUTAL D. OFTEN UNTRUSTWORTHY E. INFILTRATORS

21. THE POLITICS OF WAR…. THINGS HOLDING US BACK… • JOHNSON’S GREAT SOCIETY 2. PUBLIC OPINION/ ANOTHER ASIAN WAR • N. VIETNAM MUTUAL DEFENSE • PACT/ WITH CHINA • U.S. COULD MANAGE WAR LONG ENOUGH • TO ALLOW ARVN AND GOV. TO BUILD • STRENGTH.

22. THE VIETCONG APPROACH VIETCONG LONG RANGE OBJECTIVES.. 1. WAGE A PROTRACTED WAR 2. SMALL ENGAGEMNETS 3. BOOBYTRAPS AND TERROR 4. HEARTS AND MINDS CAMPAIGN VIETCONG NVA

23. NON-EXPLOSIVE BOOBY TRAPS

24. NON-EXPLOSIVE BOOBY TRAPS

25. AMBUSH LAY-OUT

26. TIGER PIT

28. U.S. MILITARY STRATEGY 1965-67 OBJECTIVE… WAR OF ATTRITION 3 STRATEGIES • U.S. ARMY AND MARINES CONDUCT SEARCH • AND DESTROY MISSIONS / LARGE SCALE • U.S. TROOPS DESTROY VILLAGES OCCUPIED • BY VIETCONG SYMPATHIZERS “FREE FIRE • ZONES” • U.S. NAVY AND AIRFORCE WOULD CONDUCT • EXTENSIVE BOMBING CAMPAIGN IN NORTH VIETNAM. • 1. CUTOFF SUPPLIES TO SOUTH • 2. HO CHI MINH TRAIL

29. TYPICAL GROUND MISSION 1966 “SEARCH AND DESTROY” INFANTRY “HUMP THE BOONIES” ENGAGE THE ENEMY CALL IN ARTILLERY—HELICOPTER GUNSHIPS FIGHTER-BOMBER AND AIRMOBILE REINFORCEMENTS GAUGE SUCCESS BY A BODY COUNT

30. ULTIMATE FAILURE… INFANTRY USED AS BAIT!!! A. SEARCH AND AVOID B. FRAGGING C. BODY COUNT PRESSURE • USE OF NAPALM & AGENT ORANGE • 4.5 MILLION ACRES SPRAYED DID NOT WIN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF PEASANTS

31. AGENT ORANGE

33. THE AIR WAR 1965-1967 OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER OBJECTIVES • BREAK THE WILL OF THE N. VIETNAMESE • TO SUPPORT VIETCONG IN THE SOUTH II. TO DESTROY VIETNAMS INDUSTRIAL BASE • TO STOP THE FLOW OF MEN AND MATERIAL • TO THE SOUTH

34. OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER 1965-1967 1965 SORTIE– A SINGLE PLANE AND MISSION 1. 3,600 IN APRIL TO 5,500 BY THE END OF YEAR • 134 TARGETS BOMBED 3. SUSPENDED FROM DEC. 1965 -- JAN. 1966 1966 BEGAN ATTACKING N.V. GAS-OIL AND LUBE FACILITIES • 70% DESTROYED • STUDY SHOWED NO IMPACT • VIET CONG DID NOT NEED PETROL • NO TANKS- PLANES- HELIOS • LIVE OFF LAND TRAVEL LIGHT

35. OVERALL BOMBING EFFECTIVNESS 1965 25,000 SORTIES 63,000 TONS DROPPED 1966 79,000 SORTIES 136,000 TONS DROPPED 1967 108,000 SORTIES 226,000 TONS DROPPED LOST 2,257 AIRCRAFT 2,700 AIRMEN $10 U.S. SPENT FOR EVERY $1 DAMAGE TO N.V.

36. MY LAI MASSACRE 3/16/1968 On March 16, 1968 the angry and frustrated men of Charlie Company, 11th Brigade, American Division entered the Vietnamese village of My Lai. "This is what you've been waiting for -- search and destroy – and you've got it," said their superior officers. A short time later the killing began. The agitated troops, under the command of Lt. William Calley

37. MY LAI MASSACRE Poised for Conflict My Lai lay in the South Vietnamese district of Son My, a heavily mined area where the Vietcong were deeply entrenched. Numerous members of Charlie Company had been maimed or killed in the area during the preceding weeks. In the course of three hours more than 500 Vietnamese civilians were killed in cold blood at the hands of US troops.

38. MY LAI THE RESULTS--- CHAOS WHAT HUGH THOMPSON SAW—PILOT OF HELICOPTER GUNSHIP Women were gang raped; Vietnamese who had bowed to greet the Americans were beaten with fists and tortured, clubbed with rifle butts and stabbed with bayonets. Some victims were mutilated with the signature "C Company" carved into the chest. By late morning word had got back to higher authorities and a cease-fire was ordered. My Lai was in a state of carnage. Bodies were strewn through the village. The death toll totaled 504. Only one American was injured – a GI who had shot himself in the foot while clearing his pistol.

39. MY LAI BURNING

40. VICTIMS

41. MY LAI COVER-UP It took more than a year for the shocking story of the My Lai massacre to reach the news stands. Efforts had been made to cover up the atrocity from day one. Charlie Company's Captain Ernest Medina, who was on the ground at My Lai, realized that news of the events could cause trouble. Despite witnessing at least 100 bodies, when questioned by a superior close to the scene, he maintained that between 20 and 28 civilians had been killed by gunship and artillery fire. That was also the essence of a report submitted a month later by the commander of the 11th Infantry Brigade, Col Oran K Henderson. 20 civilians had been killed inadvertently, he claimed.

42. THE COVER-UP UN-WINDS Ronald Ridenhour, a soldier with the 11th Brigade soldier and also serving in Quang Ngai Province, was sharing a beer with members of Charlie Company when one of them started to boast of their exploits in My Lai. RIDENHOUR SENDS THE STORY TO 30 TOP OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON D.C. Evidence was amassed and the inquiry became a criminal investigation. Lt Calley, commander of the 1st platoon at My Lai, was called back to the US as a potential suspect and in September of 1969 he was charged with 109 murders.

43. THE WHITE WASH BEGINS THE PEERS REPORT In late 1969 the grisly details of My Lai were unleashed on the public, following a report by the investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. The Peers inquiry recommended that charges should be brought against 28 officers and two non-commissioned officers involvedin the concealment of the massacre. But the prospect of prosecutions crumbled . Army lawyers decided only 14 officers should be charged. Only one came to court, and he was acquitted.

44. THE GROUND TROOPS—GUILTY?? A similar pattern emerged in the prosecution of the ground troops who had done the killing at My Lai. The CID report said there was evidence to charge 30 soldiers with major crimes. 17 had left the army and charges against them were quietly dropped. Elsewhere charges were dismissed or the accused found 'not guilty'

45. LT. CALLEY FOUND GUILTY In the end, Charlie company's commanding officer, Lt Calley, was the only one to be convicted. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour. Within three days he was out of prison, pending appeal, on the personal instructions of President Richard Nixon. WILLIAM CALLEY He spent the next three years under house arrest at Fort Benning in Georgia. Freed on bail in 1974 his sentence was then cut to 10 years. Later that year he was paroled after completing one third of his sentence.

50. Your subtopic goes here