Chapter 21; Section 1 Deepening American Involvement The Vietnam War and American Society …Intro Video…

The Vietnam War was one of the most tragic events of the cold war. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers served in Vietnam and billions of dollars were spent on the war effort.

Over time, many Americans questioned the extend of U.S. involvement in this faraway conflict. As we continue in this chapter, think about the war and other issues that caused deep divisions within American society.

Geneva Conference An international conference in 1954 in which Vietnam was divided into two nations.

Viet Cong A force of Communist guerrillas in South Vietnam who, with North Vietnamese support, fought against the South Vietnamese government in the Vietnam War

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution 1964 Congressional resolution authorizing President Johnson to take military action in Vietnam

 August 2, 1964: the U.S.S. Maddox was attacked by torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin  A second attack was reported two days later on the U.S.S. Turner Joy and U.S.S Maddox in the same area.  The next day, Congress approved the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

The resolution gave the President the power to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the U.S. and prevent further aggression.” U.S.S. MaddoxPresident Johnson

3:49 minutes Gulf of Tonkin

escalation Expansion by stages, as from a limited or local conflict into a general, especially nuclear, war

Ho Chi Minh Trail Supply route that carried troops and supplies from North Vietnam to South Vietnam

Tet Offensive 1968 attack by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces throughout South Vietnam

4:00 minutes Tet Offensive

Q: Explain the Tet Offensive. Example: A series of North Vietnamese surprise attacks on major cities and American military bases in South Vietnam launched on Vietnamese New Year.

Q: Look at the map on p How might the Ho Chi Minh Trail have contributed to the Tet Offensive? It allowed the North Vietnamese government to provide the Viet Cong with ammunition and other supplies for the Tet Offensive.

Main Idea The United States entered the Vietnam War to defeat Communist forces threatening South Vietnam.

Q: Why were American soldiers sent to fight in Vietnam? American leaders felt that if Vietnam fell to the Communists, there could be a Communist takeover of the rest of the world.

Q: What specific events led to an increase in American involvement in Vietnam in 1964? Gulf of Tonkin Incident and Johnson’s Reelection

Q: Look at the picture on p. 619 of Buddhist monks protesting Ngo Dinh Diem’s government by burning themselves to death on the streets of Saigon. How does this symbolize the difficult problems Johnson inherited in Vietnam? It shows the unpopularity of the United States- backed Diem among its own people

Q: Why did the U.S. get more and more involved in the conflict in Vietnam? Fears of communism spreading throughout the region. Presidents also used real and alleged incidents (events) to step up American involvement.

Q: Review the timeline on p Which event do you think affected Kennedy’s viewpoint on Vietnam the most? Explain. Possible Answer: 1963—military coup (overthrow) of Diem, because Kennedy realized the struggle could not be won under Diem’s rule

Q: What do you think Johnson hoped to gain by authorizing the bombing of targets in North Vietnam in 1965? Possible Answer: The escalation of war and increased American involvement