War Expands in Vietnam The Vietnam War Years ( ) Chapter 30, Section 2

Essential Question: Is it right for one group to force its’ beliefs on to another group, even if its’ for their benefit?

Lyndon B. Johnson When LBJ Took Over As President (1963), South Vietnam was Very Close to Becoming Communist LBJ’s Military Advisors Wanted to Bomb North Vietnam Wanted to Stop Ho Chi Minh from Supporting the Viet Cong in S. Vietnam Who’s Why?Why Can’t a President Just Bomb a Country? Who’s Approval Does the President Need? Why?

The Gulf of Tonkin Story of the U.S.S. Maddox Fired Upon in the Gulf of Tonkin on August 2 nd, 1964 AgainFired Upon Again on August 4 th, 1964 No One Can Confirm the 2 nd Attack Hmm……LBJ Asked Congress to Declare War! Hmm……

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution After the 2 nd Attack On the U.S.S. Maddox, LBJ Asked Congress for a Declaration of War! isBTW, Firing on a U.S. Ship is an Act of War NOTCongress Did NOT Declare War Congress Gave LBJ the Power to use “Military Force in Vietnam” The Vietnam “Conflict” Started

Escalation in Vietnam LBJ Immediately Began Bombing North Vietnam Escalation is the Policy of Increasing Military Operations U.S. Troops Increased From 75,000 in 1965 to 536,000 by 1968 General Westmoreland Was the Commander of the Armed Forces in Vietnam

Vietnam: A Frustrating War Problems Fighting in Vietnam: –Vietnam Was a Limited War –Vietnam Was a Limited War: U.S. Feared Bringing China into the War & Starting WWIII –Most U.S. Soldiers Were Young (19) & Inexperienced 1 6 –Most U.S. Soldiers Were Young (19) & Inexperienced: Soldiers Only Had to Serve 1 Year (6 Months in the Field Fighting) Then They Could Go Home –Not Enough Experienced Officers & Soldiers to Fight in the Vietnam Jungles = Many Deaths

A Frustrating War… Problems Fighting in Vietnam: –There Was No Frontline –There Was No Frontline: Viet Cong Were the South Vietnamese/Mixed in with the General Population –Guerrilla Warfare –Guerrilla Warfare: Viet Cong Used Guerrilla Warfare/Knew They Couldn’t Defeat the U.S. Military Head On –Always Favors the People Who Know the Land: Ho Chi Minh Trail, Booby Traps, Ambushes & Surprise Attacks American Revolution Iraq & Afghanistan Today

A Frustrating War… Problems Fighting in Vietnam: –Land and Climate of Vietnam –Land and Climate of Vietnam: 100 Degrees and Humid All the Time Terrain is Jungle/ Swamps Jungle/Guerrilla Warfare –Viet Cong Were a Dedicated Enemy –Viet Cong Were a Dedicated Enemy: “One Man Defending His Homeland is Better Than 10 Men Fighting to Take It Over”

Napalm & Agent Orange Both Were Used to Either Burn or Destroy the Jungle to Find the Enemy (Viet Cong) & Ho Chi Minh Trail Napalm = Jellied Gasoline Agent Orange = Orange Chemical That Kills Vegetation: –Helped Destroy Hideouts & Food Supplies of the Viet Cong –Destroyed Innocent Civilians Homes and Food –U.S. Soldiers Were Exposed To It (Cancerous) –Ruined the Environment

Effects of Agent Orange Too Grotesque to Show You!

Search & Destroy Missions American War Tactic American Soldiers Would Hunt Down Viet Cong by Burning and/or Bombing Villages Innocent South Vietnamese Lost Everything (Homes/ Food/Supplies) –Turned Against the U.S. Are We Really “Winning the Hearts & Minds of the People?”

The Tet Offensive (1968) 100On January 30 th and 31 st, 1968, The Communists Launched a Surprise Attack on More Than 100 Cities & Towns in South Vietnam Viet Cong Living in South Vietnam Planned the Attack Smuggled Weapons into Each City and Dressed as Regular South Vietnamese Citizens Turning Point of the War

The Tet Offensive (1968) Despite the Surprise Attack, the Viet Cong & the Communists Lost: –Gained No Cities –Lost 45,000 Troops –U.S. Lost 1,100 Physical Loss, Mental Victory: –U.S. Realized They Can’t Win –Americans Start to Question Why Are We Even in Vietnam? General Westmoreland Asked for 206,000 More American Troops After the Tet Offensive

LBJ Changes War Policy Tet Offensive NoFollowing the Tet Offensive, LBJ Tells General Westmoreland No More Troops Stops the U.S. Bombing of North Vietnam Announces U.S. Would Seek Peace with North Vietnam (1968) Announces He Will Not Run for Reelection in 1968

My Lai Massacre On March 16 th, 1968, American Soldiers Went Out on a Search and Destroy Mission Looking for Viet Cong Lt. William Calley, Jr. Rounded Up the Village of My Lai (Innocent Civilians) & Massacred Them A U.S. Helicopter Flying Over Ordered the U.S. Troops to Cease Fire (Helicopter Fired Warning Shots)

Hypothesize YOUHow do YOU think the American public reacted when they found out what happened at My Lai?

Lt.William Calley, Jr. Lt. William Calley, Jr. Ordered the Massacre Think Nuremberg Trials Faced Charges of Crimes Against Humanity Found Guilty: –Pardoned in 1976

Essential Question: Is it right for one group to force its’ beliefs on to another group, even if its’ for their benefit?