U.S. Involvement in the Vietnam War

http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history/videos/the-road-to-war\ Review & preview

Review – Discuss 1. Who fought in the First Indochina War? 2. Explain containment 3. Describe the leadership characteristics of Ho Chi Minh (N. Vietnam) & Ngo Dinh Diem (S. Vietnam)

U.S. Involvement Truman Eisenhower Kennedy Containment theory > sends $3 billion to French in 1st Indochina War Eisenhower Intervened in 1955 due to belief in the domino theory Gave South Vietnam money & weapons; sent advisers to train army in the South Kennedy Believes in containment & domino theory After Bay of Pigs & Berlin Wall, determined to show strength Increases number of advisers & special forces (Green Berets) 1961: 3,000 advisers, 1963: 16,000 advisers

Diem’s Government in South Vietnam Buddhist Response to Diem Buddhists protestors were killed Buddhist monks protested by setting themselves on fire U.S. Response Public was shocked Privately leaders planned to overthrow Diem Nov. 1963 Diem was murdered

Gulf of Tonkin March 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident (1964) Vietcong (VC) controlled 40% of South Vietnam LBJ wanted to increase troops but needed Congress Gulf of Tonkin incident (1964) USS Maddox attacked in Gulf of Tonkin LBJ misrepresented facts

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Approved by Congress on August 7, 1964 Gave President “all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against forces of the U.S” Ability to expand the war Johnson’s policy = ESCALATION Response Only 2 Senators opposed Resolution “I believe that history will record we have made a great mistake. We are in effect giving the President war-making powers in the absence of a declaration of war.” – Senator Wayne Morse

Air War 1st major DIRECT US military activity in air Operation Rolling Thunder (1965) Sustained bombing of North Vietnam *We dropped more bombs on Vietnam than in WWII Ho Chi Minh Trail Supply route from North Vietnam through Laos, Cambodia to South Vietnam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTxrq_Erw-k

Weapons of War Agent Orange Napalm Cluster Bombs Effects Destroyed jungle vegetation to see trail Napalm Jellied form of gasoline for fire bombs Cluster Bombs Sharp fragments exploding Effects Trail rebuilt quickly (with aid from USSR & China) 1968 LBJ bombs Laos, Cambodia, South Vietnam Discuss: Which of these weapons do you think did the most damage? Justify/defend your response

Ground War General William Westmoreland Pacification Commander of U.S. ground troops Ordered “search & destroy” missions Pacification “pacify” or calm Goal to win hearts & minds of South Vietnamese Unsuccessful because it caused many to relocate without help Due to infrastructure improvements or to search for Vietcong

Declining Troop Morale Faced same problems as French Difficult to id enemy Booby traps/tunnels Resistance to fight Home “field” advantage Review: Explain guerrilla warfare What were some of the new weapons introduced/used in Vietnam?

Mobilizing U.S. Forces U.S. Troops Draft ~ Approximately 2.5 million served Soldiers were slightly younger than those who served in Korea & WWII Most were not well educated (80% had some high school education or less) Early troops in Vietnam were professional soldiers (volunteers) who enlisted Draft Defer for college > increase in university enrollment (30%) Could get drafted if low grades Defer for medical reasons (25%) More poor Americans served Large numbers of African Americans served 3% dodged draft (Canada) 1969 lottery system based on birthday was used 1973 draft ended http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HO06__Z_So

Public Opinion Shifts Initial support Media As deaths increased, so did questions of government Media TV crews on frontlines “Living room” war Images contradicted government reports Two groups emerged: Hawks: supported war vs. Doves: opposed war

Anti-war Movement Students, civil rights workers, doctors, homemakers, retirees, teachers… Much of the anti-war activity took place on college campuses Student for a Democratic Society (SDS) was the most vocal of the anti-war groups April 1965 SDS let 1st national anti-war demonstration (20,000 attended) Visible but small percentage of total population Discuss: Which group generally supported the war effort? How did public attitudes toward the war change over time?

Vietnam Pro/Con Chart PROS (Reasons to enter or remain in the war) CONS (Reasons not to enter or remain in the war)