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Fighting the War Chapter 31 Section 2
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Points to Ponder How did battlefield conditions in Vietnam affect American soldiers? How would you describe the course of the war between 1965 and 1968? Why was the Tet Offensive a turning point in the war?
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Battlefield Conditions
American ___________ Superior arms and supplies American Frustrations Viet Cong’s _______________ Jungle/Swamp Terrain Viet Cong’s Support Laos, Cambodia, and even South Vietnamese
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The Ground War _________ Tactics Underground ______ Systems
Sneak Attacks and ________ Booby-Traps ______ Traps—camouflaged pit with sharp (some poisoned) stakes Land Mines Trip Wire __________
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The Air War B-52 Bomber Fragmentation Bombs
Smash roads and heavy ________ 1,000s of tons of explosives __________ Bombing Fragmentation Bombs Bombs that threw ________ of ______ in all directions Used in North and South
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The Air War Chemical Weapons
_______ _______ -herbicide to expose the Viet Cong Negative Effects Killed crops Caused Health problems __________ Jellylike substance Burns uncontrollably
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The Course of the War (1965-68)
Johnson begins military escalation Devoted more. . . ________ Troops/Personnel Supporting the S.V. Gov’t Led by ____________
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Intensifying the War Ho Chi Minh Trail
Supply route through _____ and _________ Johnson responds to attacks by bombing NV The war was a __________ (‘65-‘67) Operation _________ Thunder-3 years of bombing
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Hawks and Doves Hawks: War ___________ Doves: War ____________
“America should not be called upon to solve the problems of that nation (Vietnam)” ~ George Kennan Despite the arguments, the war continued
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The Tet Offensive Surprise Attacks on major cities, towns and US military bases in South Vietnam Tet: Vietnamese ______ ____ _____
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Communist Brutality Massacre at ____ _____
__________ anyone they saw as an enemy Including doctors and teachers Massacre at ____ _____ American troops heard 250 Viet Cong members were being sheltered at My Lai Actually they found only women, children and elderly Prisoners were rounded up and shot 400 died, but more would have if an American helicopter crew didn’t come to the rescue
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Massacre at My Lai What would bring American soldiers to commit such an atrocity? The American Commander, Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr, was sentenced to life in prison After a series of political influences, he ended up serving 3 year
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Results of the Tet Offensive
Demonstrated power and initiative of the ______ ________ Psychological Warfare Images on American ______ Were American Troops being held back? Johnson lost popularity
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Points to Ponder How did battlefield conditions in Vietnam affect American soldiers? How would you describe the course of the war between 1965 and 1968? Why was the Tet Offensive a turning point in the war?
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