31.2 The Brutality of War Vietnam Angela Brown Chapter 31 Section 2 1

Bellringer: Define the term just war and consider what factors make a war just. Learning Targets: Describe the conditions under which American soldiers fought in Vietnam. Identify the effects of the war Vietnamese civilians Summarize the impact of the massacre at My Lai. 2

Conditions U.S. had superior arms and supplies VC advantages – swamp and jungle protection, border sanctuaries in Cambodia and Laos, support of Local population 3

Battlefield Conditions Most U.S. soldiers began enthusiastic about job they were doing but found war the confusing and disturbing. They were defending freedom of people indifferent to American effort Dishonest and inept government in Saigon caused indifference. 4

Conditions Conditions different than in films Soldiers walked through jungles of 10 foot tall elephant grass and across flooded rice paddies with 60 lb packs. Fought leeches, fever, and jungle rot – tropical fungus that infected skin Never knew what to expect next or who was friend or foe 5

Vietnam Swamps 6

Jungle Rot 7

Conditions VC avoided head-on clashes- They launched sneak attacks and practiced sabotage. Hid in elaborate underground tunnels – some equipped with running water and electricity- largest contained hospitals, stores and weapons storage facilities Booby traps of guerrilla fighters included animal snares, camouflaged holes filled with razor sharp punji stakes sometimes poisoned, hidden land mines, grenades triggered with concealed trip wires. GIs could go weeks without making contact with enemy – most never did. 8

Traps THUMBS/4Cuchi_Tunnels/DSC00029_small.JPG uploaded_images/Cu%20Chi%20Tunnels, %20Booby%20Trap jpg 9

More Traps

Effect on Civilians American soldiers were never sure who was sympathetic to VC, civilians suffered as soldiers did April 1966 Americans introduced B-52 bombers to smash roads and bridges in North Vietnam. Dropped thousands of tons of explosives over large areas. saturation bombings tore North Vietnam apart- also used in South – killed countless Civilians 11

B-52 Bomber 12

U.S. used chemical weapons against Vietnamese. Herbicide Agent Orange killed jungle foliage and exposed VC. also killed livestock and crops later found to cause health problems in civilians and soldiers Napalm – jellylike substance “fire bomb’ dropped from planes burned uncontrollably 13

Agent Orange 14

The My Lai Massacre March 1968 small village in South Vietnam was rumored to be sheltering 250 Viet Cong. U.S. infantry company moved in to clear out village. Instead found women, children and old men 15

Troops had suffered heavy losses and were worn down by tensions, terror, and frustrations…lost control. Lt. William L Calley Jr. in charge ordered round everyone up and gave the command for prisoners to be killed. 175 to 400 Vietnamese died. More would have perished but a heroic helicopter crew stepped in to stop the slaughter. 16

Army Photo of My Lai Massacre March 16,

Huge Thompson, pilot, saw 10 civilians beginning chased by armed U.S. soldiers and saw civilian bodies laying dead. Landed copter between soldiers and fleeing Vietnamese. He ordered door gunner to fire machine gun if troops shot at villagers. Thompson confronted leader of soldiers and arranged to evacuate civilians. 18

Despite Thompson’s testimony superiors covered up the incident. Story came out in 1969 and shocked America Lt. Calley began serving a life sentence in prison with hard labor. Americans called him a scapegoat – outcry = President Nixon reducing sentence to 20 years 19

Lt. Calley Hugh Thompson 20

Calley released for good behavior three years later. Thompsons crew honored with the Soldier’s Medal. The highest award for bravery unrelated to fighting enemy In

Hue News of My Lai Massacre overshadowed atrocities at Hue were communist slaughtered anyone labeled an enemy – officials, doctors, teachers. Communists ordered all civil servants, military personnel, and those who had worked for Americans to report to a special location. 22

The who obeyed were killed. The bodies were found in mass graves when South Vietnam and Americans retook city. 23