Vietnam War Years

1. Vietnam War Years Ms. Garratt Chapter 22:

2. Origins of US Involvement • US put pressure on Allies to get rid of colonies. • However, 2 factors led US to get involved in VN • “loss of China” • Korean War • French defeat at Dien Bien Phu led to US involvement “containment policy.” • Begins with advisors, then air bombings and eventually troops by 1965. • All the while each president is promising not to send troops

3. The Vietminh & Vietcong • Who were we fighting? • Ho Chi Minh formed the Vietminh whose goal it was to win VN independence (Japan, then France)

4. Domino Theory • Eisenhower is the 1st to use the term

5. Diem • Corrupt • Failed to implement land reform • Strategic hamlet program • Catholic who persecuted the Buddhist majority • Assassinated with tacit American approval

6. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • NVN patrol fired torpedo at USS Maddox which was off NVN coast • 2 days later US claimed they were fired upon again (although highly unlikely due to poor weather) • LBJ used alleged incident to begin bombing NVN • Asked Congress for power to “take all necessary to repel armed attack against US” • It was not dec of war but gave LBJ broad powers to wage war in VN • Congress gave LBJ the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • LBJ prepared resolution months before

7. Operation Rolling Thunder 1965 • Sustained bombing of NVN • First US combat troops arrive (50,000 by June)

8. LBJ Admin Favors Escalation • Despite 1964 presidential campaign promise NOT “to send American boys 9 or 10,000 miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to do for themselves.” • LBJ’s advisors urged escalation

9. The Elusive Enemy • Vietcong – Guerrilla warfare • Jungle Fighting • Tunnels • Allowed them to withstand bombings • Surprise attacks & ability to disappear quickly • Napalm • Agent Orange • Search & Destroy Missions • Strategic Hamlet Program

10. Westmoreland’s Strategy • Wear the NVN down through a war of attrition and high body count was NOT working. • Alienated South Vietnamese due to: • Napalm • Agent Orange • Search & Destroy Missions (3 million refugees) • Strategic Hamlet programs

11. Declining Morale • Guerilla warfare • Jungle terrain & climate • Drug use • Lack of domestic support • Corruption of SVN gov • Television war • High casualties

12. Credibility Gap • LBJ & Nixon misled the public • USS Maddox • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Tet Offensive exposed misinformation of the USG • Television War

13. Manipulatable Draft • 18 years old • Was war fought primarily by lower classes because could not get college deferrment • AA were disproportionately represented • Dr. King finally spoke out against the war

14. Roots of Opposition • New Left • Youth movement • Campus Activism • Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) • Free Speech Movement (FSM) • Anti-war movement • Teach-ins • DC march • Video clip

15. Tet Offensive

16. 1968 Election

17. Nixon & Vietnamization

18. My Lai

19. Invasion of Cambodia

20. Pentagon Papers

21. Fall of Saigon

22. Painful Legacy

23. War Powers Act 1973