 President Truman gives $10 million in aid to the French fighting the communist Vietnamese forces led by Ho Chi Minh

 France lose war  Vietnam split in half  North controlled by commie leader H.C. Minh  U.S. becomes main supporter of S. Vietnam

 Kennedy send thousands of military “advisors” to South Vietnam

 Sixty U.S. “advisors” are killed in action

 North Vietnamese gunboats attack a U.S. naval ship  President Johnson asks Congress to pass the Tonkin Gulf Resolution Gives the President authority to use unlimited military force in Vietnam

 U.S. begins bombing of North Vietnam

 President Johnson increases ground troops to 500,000  Young drafted soldiers did one year “tour of duty”  Weapons no match for guerilla tactics of Vietcong

 South Vietnamese who were loyal to & fought for Communist North Vietnam

 A leaf-killing pesticide

 Vietcong launch the Tet Offensive  Communist forces launched an all-out attack against targeted cities in S. Vietnam  TV showed huge gains for Commie’s  My Lai Massacre  Increase of anti-war protest back in U.S.  Low morale among U.S. troops  MLK Jr. & Robert Kennedy assassinated

DOVES Wanted Peace HAWKS Wanted War

 People against the war  Preached love & nonviolence  Adopted a style of life & dress that offended older people  Hair long  Taking drugs  Valued personal honesty & creativity  Opposed marriage, patriotism & business Only a minority

South of Albany, east of the Catskill Mts

 Two different sides were being presented to the public  Government’s view vs. Public’s view Kent St. Protest – 4 killed; National guard opened fire on peaceful demonstration

 SDS  Weathermen

 Richard Nixon starts to withdraw troops  It’s called Vietnamization  Gradual withdrawal of troops from Vietnam 1970 – Nixon orders invasion & bombings of Cambodia

 NY Times wanted to publish the Pentagon Papers, which was U.S. foreign policy on Vietnam.  Fed. Gov’t sues to stop publication for security reasons  Supreme Court rules in favor of NY Times  Victory for freedom of the press

 W/in 48 hrs. of sending troops into combat, Pres. must inform Congress of the reasons for the action  If U.S. troops are involved in fighting abroad more than 90 days, the Pres. must obtain Congress’s approval for continuing the use of troops

 South Vietnam invaded by North Vietnam  Communists takeover and unite the two

 58,000 died  365,000 wounded  $150 billion  Strain on U.S. economy  National debt increases

 Decreased the size & influence of the Federal Gov’t  Believed LBJ’s Great Society gave the Fed. Gov’t too much power

 Distribute a portion of federal power to state and local gov’ts

 High inflation and high unemployment  Deficit spending  Competition in international trade  New workers (minorities)  Dependency on foreign oil (OPEC)

 President Nixon orders a break-in into Democratic Party national headquarters

 Pres. Nixon refuses to give up Oval Office tapes as evidence of his knowledge of the Watergate break-in.  “Not Above the law”  VP Gerald Ford takes over

 Foreign policy based on what is really happen and not ideology/fantasy  “Real Politics”

 Relaxation of tension with rival nations (USSR & China)

 Froze the number of strategic ballistic missile launchers at existing levels

 18 year olds the right to vote

 Created the EPA 1970  Clean Air Act 1970  Marine Mammal Protective Act 1972  Safe Drinking Water Act 1974  Endangered Species Act