1.  LBJ will escalate - increase U.S. involvement in the war.  Sec. of Defense – Robert McNamara – recommends the U.S. send more troops

2.  August 1964 –Gulf of Tonkin  The U.S.S. Maddox was attacked by N. Vietnamese torpedo boats  2 days later – ship C. Turner Joy is “supposedly attacked  LBJ ask Congress to act

3.  Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave LBJ a “Blank check” to do whatever steps needed to repeal attacks.  1965 – VC attack advisers near Pleiku and kill 8 Americans.  1965 – Operation Flaming Dart – used of B52 bombers on North Vietnam

4.  Operation Rolling Thunder – intense bombing of N. Vietnam.  Main target – Ho Chi Minh Trail

5.  1965 200,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam  1967 Operation Cedar Falls- U.S. attack VC headquarter in the Iron Triangle.  Troops uncover massive tunnel complex – used as a base for guerrilla raids.  Tunnel Rats – men responsible for going down tunnels to flush out the VC

8.  Dear John letter- letter from a girlfriend at home ending the relationship.  DEROS – Date Eligible for Return from Overseas.  In Country – Vietnam  Kit Carson Scouts – VC defectors recruited by Marines to serve as scouts.

9.  MASH – Mobile Army Surgical Hospital  MIA – Missing In Action  Million-dollar wound – a noncrippling wound serious enough to warrant a return home to the U.S.  Newbie- new soldier  Point Man – man in the front of a squad on patrol.

10.  Jan. 31 1968 New Year – 70,000 North Vietnamese and Vietcong attack cities in South Vietnam. Boldest move – 19 VC attacked the U.S. Embassy in Saigon killed 5 Am. soldiers.

11.  Why turning point:  A. military victory for U.S. but psychological victory for VC.  B. American public thought U.S. was winning war – but watched as Americans were killed at the U.S. Embassy

12.  C. Created credibility gap – fewer Americans trusted the govt.  D. Pres. Johnson said he would halt bombing of N. Vietnam – that will not be the total truth  E. Pres. Johnson announces that he will not seek re-election.

13.  March 16, 1968  Charlie Company – group of U.S. troops under the command of Lt. William Calley  Doing search and destroy mission – find “charlie” and destroy them.

14.  300 – civilians – mostly old men, women and children killed by Calley and men.  Officer Hugh Thompson – pilot – will report “killings” to U.S. headquarters.

15.  Clearing the jungle – reason to expose the Vietcong tunnel and hideouts  U.S. planes dropped napalm – a gasoline- based bomb that set fire to the jungle.

16.  U.S. also used Agent Orange – leaf-killing toxic chemical that devastated the landscape.  U.S. dumped over 13 million gallons.  Name comes from the orange barrels that stored the chemical.

17.  U.S. did not win the “hearts and minds” of the Vietnamese people.  Why?  A. We burned their villiages  B. Killed livestock  C. Chemicals caused skin diseases, birth defects, and cancer

18.  Dust off – medical evacuation by helicopter.  Five O’clock follies – slang for the daily press briefings that reported the BC – body count.  Freedom Bird – airplane that returned troops to home.  Friendly Fire – accidental attack on your own force/troops.

19.  Puff the Magic Dragon – U.S. Air Force  Punji Stakes – weapon used by the VC – sharpened bamboo stakes hidden at ground level often smeared with poison.

20.  Short Timer- soldier that did not have much time left to serve.  Sky Pilot – a Chaplain  Teach-ins – night long university meetings at campuses across America in protest to the war.  The World – what the troops called the U.S.

21.  The Zoo – nickname for the North Vietnamese POW camp near Hanoi – known as one of the worst camps.  POW – Prisoner of War  MIA – Missing In Action

22.  The Counterculture – term used for those that went against traditional American norms.  Counterculture was against the Establishment – the govt., large corporations, etc.  Often this group included white, middle-class college students.

23.  Opposition to the War:  Hawks – those that supported the war.  Doves – those that were opposed to the war.  Draft – required all men to register when they reached the age 18.

24.  Conscientious objectors – men that claimed because of their religious beliefs that they could not fight in the war.  Deferments – delayed entrance or not have to go at all. Mainly included upper class – because they could afford college.  Dodge draft – go to Canada.

25.  Students for a Democratic Society – SDS – radical group formed on major colleges to protest the Vietnam War.  SDS – wanted an end to the ROTC programs at the colleges.