1. Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War
Kennedy and Johnson
Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War

2. What does this quote mean to you?
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

3. Flexible Response
Kennedy maintained containment, and still viewed the Soviets as a threat.
Kennedy didn’t believe in massive relation, and was a change from the hard nosed attitude of Eisenhower.
Kennedy wanted multiple options that included diplomacy as well as military intervention.
He reiterated mutual defense and mutual security through building alliances, like NATO.

4. Alliance for Progress, Peace Corps, Limited Test Ban Treaty
The Good

5. Alliance for Progress
JFK called for financial assistance to aid the growth of Latin America.
He pledged 20 billions dollars in aid, and asked Latin American governments to pledge 80 billions dollars of their own.
It’s stated goals were to aid economic growth, increase stability of the middle class, and increase democracy across the region.
It also provided Military Assistance for friendly countries. (This became the only successful part of the program.)
Latin America only achieved 2% growth during this period, and it is considered a failure.

6. Peace Corps Kennedy recruited volunteers (College Aid Youth)
They would spend 2 years aiding the poorest areas of Third World Countries.
They would work on effecting social and economic changes in their area.
Highly successful, and still exists today.

7. Limited Test Ban Treaty
Khrushchev and Kennedy met for the first time to discuss nuclear weapons.
The Arms race started by Eisenhower had led to massive buildup of nuclear weapons for both countries.
On top of larger supplies it increased the need for nuclear tests. These test were emitted nuclear waste into the atmosphere.
Banned all nuclear tests in the atmosphere, in space, or underwater.

8. Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis
The bad

9. Bay of Pigs
Kennedy’s initial plan to overthrow Cuba led to a massive failure.
Led to international issues, as the US lied about involvement.
Led to regional issues, Castro strengthened his hold on Cuba, and became an example and leader of other Latin American countries in their revolutions.

10. Cuban Missile Crisis
July 1962 Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev reached a secret agreement with Cuban premier Fidel Castro to place Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba to deter any future invasion attempt.
US intelligence agencies found evidence of the development of these missile silos.
On September 4, 1962, President Kennedy issued a public warning against the introduction of offensive weapons into Cuba

11. Escalation
Despite the warning, the Soviets continued building their missile sites, and advancing forward with fortifying Cuba.
On October 14, 1962 Kennedy met with his foreign advisors.
On October 22, 1962, Kennedy orders a naval blockade of Cuba, stopping further Soviet supply shipments onto the island.
Kennedy pens a letter to Khrushchev, Kennedy states that he wants the bases removed from Cuba.
Kennedy also goes on National Television to make the public aware. (October 22, 1962)

12. Stevenson goes to the UN

13. US increases forces on the coast

14. Naval Blockade

15. Escalation continued.
On October 24, Khrushchev makes a public declaration that the naval blockade would be considered an act of aggression.
Soviet ships were told to continue onto Cuba.
Over the next 2 days, most ships were searched and allowed to continue, other ships turned around.
Kennedy, seeing no end in sight, prepared for a military invasion of Cuba.

16. De-escalation
Upon rising tensions, and inevitable war, back channel communications opened up through the News Media.
Both sides let it be know that an agreement could be reached.
The Soviets would remove the missile bases, as long as the US promised to not invade Cuba.

17. Letters to Kennedy Khrushchev sends 2 letters to Kennedy.
The First letter states that the Soviets would accept the terms to peace.
The second letter demanded that the peace would only be achieved if the US also removed missiles from Turkey.
Kennedy responded to the First letter, and ignored the Second.

18. Resolution
On October 28, Khrushchev makes a public announcement that the Soviets would remove the missile bases.
The US naval blockage was removed in November when all signs of Soviet equipment was gone.
In April 1963, the US official removed nuclear weapons from Turkey.

19. Long Term consequences
The Hotline.
What became clear was the lack of communication between the Soviets and the US.
A direct phone line between the White House and the Kremlin was created.
This line of communication remained open 24/7 to aid in the communication between countries.
“If there is no intention,” Krushchev said, “to doom the world to the catastrophe of thermonuclear war, then let us not only relax the forces pulling on the ends of the rope, let us take measures to untie that knot. We are ready for this.”

20. Hotline Bling You used to call me on my cell phone.
Late night when you want to talk.
Call me on my cell phone
Late night when you need my peace.
And I know when that hotline bling
That can only mean one thing
I know when that hotline bling

21. Intervention and Escalation of the Vietnam War.
The Ugly

22. First Indochina War
The French owned colonies in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
It stated as a small skirmish between the ruling French and angry rural farmers, called the Viet Minh.
In 1949, the war got more serious as foreign powers got involved.
The Viet Minh were supplied with weapons by the USSR and China.
French forces, as well as the ruling power of Vietnam was reinforced by the US.

23. Dien Bien Phu
Vietnamese forces surrounded and attacked an overconfident French army at Dien Bien Phu
After the humiliating defeat, the French admitted defeat and gave independence to Vietnam.
A Conference was set up in Geneva, Switzerland.
At this conference a variety of World Wide events were discussed.
As well as the Korean War being ended, The First Indochina War was also finished.
Laos and Cambodia were turned into independent states.
Vietnam was split into 2 halves, divided at the 17th parallel.

24. Vietnam Splits North Vietnam Run by the Viet Minh. Led by Ho Chi Minh.
Communist State
Instituted major communist reforms.
Nationalized farmers.
Executed Rivals, Elitist.
Military support from China and Soviet.
South Vietnam
Democracy
Maintained status quo of French Colony.
Supported by Korea and United States.
Constant efforts are made by the North Vietnamese to infiltrate South Vietnam.

25. Increase in American Forces.
North Vietnam opens up a supply route through Cambodia and Laos to send supplies to communist guerillas, nicknamed the Viet Cong, fighting in South Vietnam.
In 1960, Fearful of North Vietnamese influence in South Vietnam, JFK sends in 400 green berets, and authorized secret operations to attack North Vietnamese guerilla forces.
In 1962, The US forces begin to use herbicides and Agent Orange to destroy the forest of Vietnam, they were providing cover and assistance to Communist Forces.
Starting in 1963, US provides military assistance to sympathizers in South Vietnam.

26. 1964
President Johnson, fearing for the communist influence and invasion of South Vietnam wanted to increase the land forces in Vietnam.
On August 2nd, 1964 the USS Maddox was attacked in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam.
The incident was used the pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authorized the President of the US to provide military aide to any country in Southeast Asia with fear of communist aggression.
Initial Incident wasn’t seen as a big deal, but used by America Officials to overplay Vietnam aggression and use it for the increase in force in Southeast Asia.

27. American Intervention in Vietnam
In response to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the Soviets send additional troops and supplies into the North Vietnamese.
In 1965, President Johnson authorizes “Operation Rolling Thunder” a series of bombings on North Vietnamese targets. This program lasts 3 years.

28. American draft In 1965, President Johnson authorizes a military draft.
He drafts 35,000 troops into the military to fight in Vietnam.
By 1966, the size of military is 400,000 troops.
Size of US Army presence continues to rise through Johnson’s term.

29. US Strategy in Vietnam Seek and Destroy North Vietnamese strongholds.
American forces would head into North Vietnam, destroy targets and quickly return to bases.
Bombing of key military targets.
Americans used “carpet bombing” techniques and would destroy large areas of Vietnam in an effort to remove insurgences. (Operation Rolling Thunder, Operation Linebacker)
Army was not concerned about native country side or collateral damage, and in turn destroyed large amounts of territory in its pursuit of victory.

30. North Vietnamese Strategy
North Vietnam kept hundreds of very small bases. They were very hard to find, and would use the jungle of Vietnam for defense.
Offensive pushes were quick and hard to locate. Often caught the US by surprise.
North Vietnam used neighboring countries of Cambodia and Laos to create “The Ho Chi Minh Trail”. A foot worn trail to move people and supplies to reinforce North Vietnamese military positions.
Constant movement of troops, and supply chains running through “neutral” countries made fighting them difficult.

31. Tet Offensive
In January 1968, Viet Cong forces begin the Tet Offensive.
North Vietnam has a set of 100 coordinated attacks on US targets, including the US embassy in Saigon (Capital of South Vietnam)
The US forces are overwhelmingly successful.
The Tet Offensive marks a change in public support for the Vietnam War.
Images to War were played to Americans on television, pictures of the horror and violence were too much for Americans to handle.
This lead to a lack of support of the war effort by Americans.

32. Johnson does not seek reelection
Public sentiment became so negative, that Lyndon Johnson does not seek reelection in 1968.
Robert Kennedy, brother of JFK, runs but is assassinated.
Richard Nixon is elected in 1968, still has support for the Vietnam War, but anti-war movement is growning.

33. Vietnamization
Richard Nixon’s plan is called “Vietnamization” . He plans on training South Vietnam forces to provide for their own defense, and provides resources to train these troops.
Throughout Nixon’s time in office, he begins to shift power to the South Vietnamese.
As more training is given, the amount of US troops is decreased.
It is an attempt to pull out before defeat.

34. North Vietnam
After a series of North Vietnam offensives, the South Vietnam Army is overwhelmed, but not defeated.
In 1973, Richard Nixon signs the Paris Peace Accords, offically ended US involvement in the Vietnam War
US Army is fully withdrawn by the time of the victory.
In 1975, Siagon (South Vietnam’s capital) is officially conquered by North Vietnamese troops, and the war is ended.