1. Vietnam War

2. Beginnings French colony After World War 2 (US had support Ho vs.
1800s- WW2
After World War 2
France tries to reclaim it
Ho Chi Minh leads revolution
Communist
Guerilla warfare
(US had support Ho vs.
Japan in WW2)

3. Early US involvement Truman
“Truman Doctrine” ,000,000 in aid to France
US pumps in billions, basically paying for France’s war

4. 1954- France is defeated Vietnam divided North Vietnam South Vietnam
Communist
USSR supports
South Vietnam
Under Ngo Dinh Diem
USA supports

5. WHY DID THE US SUPPORT SOUTH VIETNAM?
Eisenhower 1954:
Domino theory- if one nations “falls” to communism, the rest of South East Asia will fall

6. Trouble in South Vietnam
Diem unpopular
CIVIL WAR
Vietcong
South Vietnamese guerilla
fighters v. Diem gov.
The first view some Americans have of Vietnam is Buddhist monks burning themselves in protest of Diem
Famous picture of a Vietcong being killed

7. Kennedy By ’61, Diem gov. in danger of falling
American military comes in as advisors to South Vietnamese army,
,000 troops in Vietnam

8. Texts?
Please complete Regents questions on classroom by Tuesday of next week.
Today? Vietnam….
Nixon- Détente and Watergate…

9. Lyndon Baines Johnson 10/63- Diem assassinated 11/63 JFK assassinated
LBJ takes over
Increases aid

10. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Aug. 1964
North Vietnam supposedly
attacks a US boat in Gulf of Tonkin
Congress passes Resolution
Gives LBJ power to take “all
necessary measures”

11. Escalation- increasing numbers of American troops sent over
US bombs North Vietnam, targets in South
War “escalates” under LBJ
, >500,000 soldiers sent in
Fighting both Vietcong, and N Vietnam

12. Guerilla warfare No traditional “front”
US troops- “search and destroy” missions
Root out Vietcong strongholds, move on

13. Things get ugly
Vietcong hides in jungles; don’t face US troops head on
Villagers support them
Who is the enemy?

14. Tet offensive January 1968 HUGE offensive all around Vietnam
US pushes back, but enormous political victory for Vietcong, N Vietnam

15. Why did many Americans oppose the Vietnam War?

16. Fortunate Son- CCR What does this song say about the draft?
Some folks are born made to wave the flag,
Ooo, they’re red, white and blue.
And when the band plays hail to the chief,
Ooo, they point the cannon at you, y’all! It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no senator’s son, Son.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one. No. Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,
Lord, don’t they help themselves, y’all!
But when the taxman comes to the door,
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale. It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no millionaire’s son. No, no.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one. No. Some folks inherit star spangled eyes,
Ooo, they send you down to war, y’all.
And when you ask them, how much should we give?
Ooo, they only answer more! More! More! Y’all.

17. March 16, Victims of the “My Lai Massacre”, in which US soldiers killed between innocent civilians in the village of My Lai Army photographer- Ronald L. Haeberle

18. The draft Many wealthy, middle class able to legally get out of it
High % of poor, Afr. Am., and Hispanic

19. At home
1st “televised” war
Hawks: support war
Doves: anti war

20. College campuses- anti war protests
Baby boom kids, 60s, 70s
Marches
Sit-ins
Burn draft cards
Take over buildings
Destroy property
Spirit of rebellion- “counter culture”
Rejection of Am. values; clothes, music, drugs

21. May 4, A distraught protester looks on at a student from KENT STATE, on of four whom had been shot and killed by Ohio National Guardsmen Photographer: John Filo

22. Muhammad Ali- Registers as concientious objector
"I Ain't Got No Quarrel With The VietCong... No VietCong Ever Called Me N****r" — Muhammad Ali, 1966
"No, I am not going 10,000 miles to help murder kill and burn other people to simply help continue the domination of white slavemasters over dark people the world over. This is the day and age when such evil injustice must come to an end." —Muhammad Ali

23. LBJ doesn’t run in 1968
Bobby Kennedy (JFK’s) brother running…

24. June 5, 1968

25. 1968 Democratic National Convention- Chicago
Anti- war protestors riot with police

26. America is split in 2: Who do you sympathize with more?
Anti-War protestors…
The “silent majority”
How can both sides claim to be “patriotic” or “American”?

27. Election of 1968
Richard Nixon (Republican) wins

28. Nixon and Vietnam “Vietnamization”
Prepare South Vietnam to defend itself
1st- bomb “Ho Chi Minh Trail” in Cambodia
Starts Civil War there

29. …Nixon While bombing, brings troops home slowly
Peace talks begin in Paris

30. Nixon goes to China 1972- Nixon recognizes communist China
“saves face” for w/drawal from ‘Nam

31. End of war
1973- cease fire is arranged
1974- last troops leave

32. Aftermath US continues to aid S Vietnam w/ $$$$
April Vietnam reunited, communist
Modern day celebration of “Reunification Day”

33. …Aftermath Cambodia goes Communist
Brutal reign of terror by (Pol Pot) Khmer Rouge

34. Aftermath…
> 58,000 American dead
> 1,000,000 Vietnamese

36. War Power Act 1973 Limits president’s war making powers
President must inform Congress w/in 48 hours of sending in troops to a hostile area
Troops can only stay 90 days w/out Congressional approval
***How is this related to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?

37. Impact of Vietnam
America more hesitant to get involved in foreign affairs with no direct interest
Americans more cynical and suspicious of government
“Pentagon Papers”- released in New
York Times in 1971, show LBJ planning
on entering war while claiming we weren’t
26th Amendment (18- voting age)

38. Which situation was a result of the Vietnam War?
South Vietnam was able to maintain its noncommunist status.
The United States questioned its role as a police officer of the world.
Richard Nixon was forced to resign the presidency.
The War Powers Act was repealed by Congress

39. One reason the United States became involved in the Vietnam War was to
prevent the spread of communism in Indochina
reduce French influence in Vietnam
stop China from seizing Vietnam
support the government of North Vietnam

40. right to regulate commerce with foreign nations
A constitutional issue that was frequently raised about United States involvement in the Korean conflict and the Vietnam conflict was the
right to regulate commerce with foreign nations
use of deficit spending to finance wars
lack of a formal declaration of war by Congress
Supreme Court’s role in foreign policy decision-making

41. The primary purpose of the War Powers Act (1973) is to
limit Presidential power to send troops into combat
allow for a quicker response to a military attack
assure adequate defense of the Western Hemisphere
stop the use of troops for nonmilitary purposes

42. Vietnam compared to Iraq/ Afganistan Wars
How do they compare?