Vietnam War Vietnam

French Colony Communist Resistance –Ho Chi Minh (North) Communist Leader Dienbienphu falls 1954 Geneva Conference –Geneva Conference –Split at 17th parallel –Elections in 2 years (never happened) –Ngo Dinh Diem (South) –Eisenhower promised economic and military aid

Why Should US Get Involved? Domino theory –If Vietnam falls to Communists, so will the rest of Asia. –Potential of becoming a force in western Hemisphere

JFK Steps In Communist get stronger 1961 JFK sends more “military advisors” - Soldiers that are to help train and organize troops in a foreign nation. They are not to participate or lead in combat –Over 15,000

Gulf of Tonkin Incident August 1964 –Attack on US Navy by N. Vietnamese ships reported –Tonkin Gulf Resolution Gave President power “for all necessary action to protect our Armed Forces” and allies in Southeast Asia

“Escalation” President Johnson Belief that increasing manpower and the level of war would force N. Vietnam to peace table

Escalation March 1965 Operation Rolling Thunder Dec. 1965: 180,000 troops Dec. 1967: 500,000 troops $30 Billion/ year

The War Heart and Minds –The strategy that if the US troops helped and befriended the Vietnamese, then they would help resist communism. –Increased bitterness as soldiers did not know who to trust Body Count –Could not judge success by taking land. –Caused war to become especially bloody

A soldier in Vietnam was called a Grunt Draft –College/ essential skill exempt –African-Americans/ poor most affected Average age of a US soldier in Vietnam: –19

Frustration takes its toll Tour of Duty: –Time spent in Vietnam –Rotation system Soldiers are placed in units as individuals Guerilla Warfare –Hit and run tactics. No definable enemy. Difficult to see Civilians could be the enemy “booby traps” common Disillusionment (0-2:15) –Some troops becoming disenfranchised with war. Concentration on friends and themselves surviving, not “winning” –Turns to anger and frustration at times

1967: Siege of Khe Sanh Constant attack for 77 straight days

Tet Offensive January 1968 Attack on Vietnamese New Year –27 cities –US embassy in Saigon Effects: –Public opinion turned sharply against the war –200,000 more troops requested –March 31 LBJ announces a freeze and that he will not run for re-election Status Quo

My Lai Massacre March ambushes or booby trap incidents causing 5 deaths in one month –No direct contact Frustration overcomes army unit About 347 killed –Mostly women and children 26 soldiers charged –Lt. serves 3 years of life sentence 3 soldiers tried to stop it & were vilified Highly publicized

Counterculture Reaction to social norms of the 50’s and 60’s –Civil Rights –Anti-war protest Hippies –Opposed traditional values that got America in trouble in the first place: restraint, conformity, sense of right and wrong –Aimed to live free of these values as demonstrated through fashion, music, and open behavior Reflected in: –Drugs –Rock and Roll –Sexual Revolution –Women’s Rights

Places To Be Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco –Center for the counterculture –Many young people went there to live in communes and be free of “traditional” values. Woodstock –3 young entrepreneurs promise “3 Days of Peace and Music” –Top music Acts: Jimmie Hendrix, CCR, Joe Cocker, Janis Joplin –Soon went of control when 500,000 showed up

Anti-War Protests

1968 Democratic Convention Hubert Humphrey (Dem)  Johnson –Pro-war Eugene McCarthy (Dem) –Anti-war –“clean for Gene” Robert Kennedy –Anti-war –Killed June 5, 1968 Humphrey wins nomination  loses to Nixon in Election “The Whole Nation is Watching” (0-1:00)

Bombing Cambodia April 1970 Congress not consulted Invaded Cambodia Fierce protests –Kent State 4 dead/ 9 wounded 100,000 protest in Washington, DC June 29, 1970 Nixon calls back forces

President Nixon Asks for Help Asks the “Silent Majority” to make themselves heard in order to counter the protests –Believed that most Americans agreed with the war but were not as vocal as the minority Vietnamization –Nixons plan reduce troops and have S. Vietnamese stand on their own, militarily.

The Collapse of S. Vietnam N. Vietnam invades Massive evacuation April ,000 South Vietnamese

Effects 55,000 US Soldiers Dead Economy Falls –Inflation People mistrust the government