1. Chapter 30 The Vietnam War Years

2. French Indochina War
France attempts to reestablish rule in Vietnam after WWII To deal with dissent, restrict freedom of speech and assembly and jailing nationalists US: provide France with economic and military support in order to strengthen ties to France and fight communism May 1954: Dien Bien Phu – Vietminh overran French outpost Geneva Accords: division of Vietnam along 17th parallel; election to unify country 1956

3. Ho Chi Minh
Leader of Vietnamese revolutionaries Indochinese Communist Party Vietminh: organization whose goal it was to win Vietnam’s independence from foreign rule Ho Chi Minh receives popular support in North by breaking up large estates and redistributing land to peasants

4. Ngo Dinh Diem
South Vietnamese president – Ngo Dinh Diem – recognized popularity of Minh and refused to take part in elections Diem created corrupt government that suppressed opposition and offered little to no land distribution to peasants Attacks on Buddhism (imprisoned, killed, destroyed temples) – monks in protest public burned themselves to death Kennedy military aid to Diem (advisors) Nov. 1, 1963: US-supported military coup toppled Diem’s regime; Diem was assassinated (against Kennedy’s wishes)

5. Vietcong
1957: Communist opposition group in the South Attacks on Diem government officials Political aspect of group – National Liberation Front (NLF) Ho Chi Minh Trail: network of paths along which Ho Chi Minh supplied arms to the Vietcong Guerilla (surprise) attacks

6. President Johnson and the Expansion of Conflict
Diem’s death chaos to South Vietnam
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
Aug. 2, 1964: North Vietnamese boat fired torpedo at American destroyer, USS Maddox patrolling in Gulf of Tonkin off North Vietnamese coast
Another alleged attack 2 days later prompted President Johnson to allow bombing strikes on North Vietnam
Aug. 7: Congress approves Johnson’s request to take “all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the US and to prevent further aggression”

7. President
Vietnam Policy
Goals
Truman
Economic aid to France
Containing communism
Eisenhower
Economic and military aid to South Vietnam
Preventing domino theory
Kennedy
Economic and military advisers
Avoiding appearing “soft” on communism
Johnson
Stepped-up U.S. military involvement
Preventing control of Vietnam by Communists

8. Johnson Increases US Involvement
Johnson foreign policy advisers Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and Secretary of State Dean Rusk March 1965: began dispatching tens of thousands of US soldiers to fight in Vietnam Many Americans viewed this action as contradictory to Johnson’s stance during campaign

9. Troop Buildup Accelerates
End of 1965: 180,000 Americans in Vietnam General William Westmoreland American commander in South Vietnam Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN): South Vietnamese Army 1967: number of troops reached 500,000

10. War in the Jungle Elusive enemy Hit-and-run ambush tactics
Difficult to discern friend from foe, enemy lived amidst civilians
Booby traps and land mines
War of attrition: gradual wearing down of enemies
Battle for “hearts and minds” (rural population)
Napalm: gasoline based bomb
Agent Orange: leaf-killing toxic chemical
Search-and-destroy missions
Sinking morale (soldiers, corruption in South Vietnamese government)

11. The Draft “Manipulatable” Draft Selective Service System
Ways around the draft
Sympathetic doctors
Changed residence to stand before more lenient draft board
Joined National Guard or Coast Guard
College deferment
80% American soldiers from lower economic levels
African Americans in Vietnam
Served in disproportionate numbers as ground combat troops
First several years of war, blacks 20% of combat deaths though only made up 10% of US population
Racial tension in platoons

12. Opposition and Protest
New Left: youth movement wanting changes in American society
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS): restoration of “participatory democracy” and greater individual freedom
Free Speech Movement (FSM): UC-Berkeley
April 1965: SDS organize march on Washington DC; many others over the years (October 1967 – 75,000 demonstrators)
Reasons for opposition
Conflict in Vietnam a civil war
Oppressive South Vietnamese regime no better than Communist regime
US could not police world and war draining American strength
Morally wrong
A nation divided (doves: support US withdrawal; hawks: support greater military force to win war)

13. 1968: Tet Offensive
January 30 Vietnamese New Year truce proclaimed Vietcong launch surprise attack on over 100 towns and cities as well as US military bases in South Vietnam Attack US embassy in Saigon Last for a month until US and South Vietnamese forces can regain control US military success but psychologically (and politically) credibility of the Johnson administration weakened

14. Turbulent Race for President
Antiwar coalition in Democratic Party leads to division during primary race
Robert F. Kennedy (perceived Johnson weakness) and Eugene McCarthy (running on an “end the war” platform) run against Johnson who eventually drops out of the race
Democratic convention in Chicago – leading candidates McCarthy and Johnson’s Vice President Hubert Humphrey
10,000 protestors show up to express displeasure with Humphrey’s nomination; leads to violence between protestors and police officers trying to keep them under control
Turmoil in convention hall as well is seen by millions of Americans on TV
Presidential Candidates
Party
Career Highlights
Views
Hubert Humphrey
Richard Nixon
George Wallace

15. President Nixon’s Vietnam Policy
National Security of Advisor: Henry Kissinger along with Nixon came up with plan to end America’s involvement
Vietnamization: gradual withdrawal of US troops in order for South Vietnamese to take on more active combat role in war
“Peace with Honor”: maintain US dignity while withdrawing from war; preserve US clout at the negotiation table
However, at the same time, approved bombing campaign on supply routes and bases in North Vietnam as well as in Laos and Cambodia

16. Continued decline in public opinion
My Lai Massacre: November 1969, New York Times reported that on March 16, 1968 US platoon massacred innocent civilians in small village of My Lai Invasion of Cambodia: April 30, 1970 Nixon announced US troops invaded Cambodia to clear out North Vietnamese and Vietcong supply centers Violence on campus Kent State University (May 4, 1970): massive student protest, burning of ROTC building; National Guard called in response, fired on crowd wounding 9 and killing 4 Similar violence 10 days later at all-black college of Jackson State in MS Pentagon Papers: document written for Defense Secretary McNamara Revealed government plans to enter war even though Johnson promised would not send troops to Vietnam Never plans to end war as long as North Vietnamese persisted

17. America’s Involvement in War Comes to an End
Henry Kissinger adviser for national security affairs and top negotiator in Vietnam
Met setbacks when South Vietnamese refused plan to allow North Vietnamese troops to be stationed in South Vietnam
January 27, 1973: US signed “Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam” – North Vietnamese troops remain in South Vietnam; Nixon respond full force to any violation
March 29, 1973: last of US combat troops leave Vietnam
The war itself continued until the North Vietnamese launched full scale invasion into the South; April 30, (invasion of Saigon) South Vietnamese surrendered to North Vietnamese

18. Legacy of the Vietnam War
American veterans cope back home
National response to veterans cold; faced indifference and hostility
15% of 3.3 million soldiers developed post-traumatic stress disorder
Turmoil in Southeast Asia
Unification of Vietnam under Communism – imprisoned 400,000 South Vietnamese into labor camps
Millions of people flee Vietnam (US supporters, business owners, poor – boat people); thousands perished on the seas
After US invasion Cambodia, breakout of civil war; communist group – Khmer Rouge- seized power 1975; transform country into peasant society; during reign, thought to have killed over 1 million Cambodians
US policy changes
Abolish draft
War Powers Act: curb President’s power; must inform Congress within 48 hours of sending in forces; within 90 days must receive approval of Congress for action’s or declare war
Altered America’s views on American foreign policy
Cynicism of Americans towards government