1. The Reluctant Empire? U.S. Foreign Relations in the 20th Century
3/25/2017
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg Curt-Engelhorn Chair in American History Prof. Dr. Manfred Berg Winter Term 2008/2009
The Reluctant Empire?
U.S. Foreign Relations in the 20th Century
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg 1 1 1 1 1

2. The Vietnam War The Origins of American Involvement
The Escalation of the War
The Conduct of the War
In Search of Peace with Honor
The War at Home
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

3. The Domino Theory
“You have a row of dominoes set up. You knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly. So you could have the beginning of a disintegration that would have the most profound influences.”
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1954
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

4. The Historians’ Vietnam Debate
Quagmire
Flawed Containment
Bureaucratic Blundering
Imperialism
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

5. Ho Chi Minh,
“The entire Vietnamese people are determined to mobilize all their physical and mental strength, to sacrifice their lives and property in order to safeguard their independence and liberty.”
Vietnamese Declaration of Independence, 1945
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

6. Indochina
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

7. Ngo Dinh Diem,
Appointed Prime Minister of South Vietnam by Emperor Bảo Đại in 1954
President Republic of Vietnam,
Executed during successful coup d'état led by Gen. Dương Văn Minh, Nov. 1, 1963
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

8. Lyndon B. Johnson, 1908-1973 U.S. Rep., 1937-1949
U.S. Senator,
U.S. Vice President,
U.S. President,
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

9. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
“The Congress approves and supports the determination of the President, as Commander in Chief, to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression .”
U.S. Congress, August 10, 1964
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

10. Operation Rolling Thunder
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

11. General William Westmoreland, 1914-2005
Served in U.S. Army from 1936 to 1972
Deputy Commander of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV),
U.S. Army Chief of Staff,
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

12. Robert McNamara, b.1916 U.S. Sec. of Defense, 1961-1968
President of the World Bank,
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

13. Search and Destroy
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

14. My Lai, May 1968
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

15. Napalm
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

16. Tet Offensive, January 1968
Two U.S. Marines battle Communist troops inside the walls of the Citadel at Hue.
The U.S. military suffers casualties during a VC attack near Tan Son Nhut Airport on January 31, 1968.
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

17. Richard Nixon, 1913-1994 U.S. Rep., 1947-1950 U.S. Senator, 1950-1953
U.S. Vice President ,
U.S. President,
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

18. The Paris Peace Talks
North Vietnamese Diplomat, Le Duc Tho, and then National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger, meet in Paris, 1973.
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

19. Christmas Bombings, 1972
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

20. Saigon, April 1975
Helicopters transport the last remaining U.S. officials and citizens from the roof of the U.S. Embassy, 1975
U.S. soldiers attempt to maintain order at the U.S. Embassy during the evacuation.
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

21. Senator J. William Fulbright, 1905-1995
U.S. Rep.,
U.S. Senator,
Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

22. Draft Card Burning
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

23. Kent State, May 4, 1970
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

24. “Hanoi Jane” Fonda
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

25. POW/MIA
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

26. Rambo
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

27. Vietnam Memorial Wall
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

28. Vietnam Heroes
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

29. Vietnam Nurses Memorial
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

30. No More Vietnams War Powers Act 1973 The Vietnam Syndrome
Post Vietnam Strategy:
Popular Support
Guaranteed Victory
Exit Strategy
Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg