The Stormy 1960sThe Stormy 1960s

Vietnam & the Great SocietyVietnam & the Great Society

Lyndon B. JohnsonLyndon B. Johnson

LBJ’s hero was LBJ’s hero was FDRFDR Former Senate Former Senate Majority Majority

LeaderLeader Wanted to enact Wanted to enact

groundbreaking groundbreaking reformreform legislation= saw JFK’s legislation= saw JFK’s assassination, his assassination, his presidency & the presidency & the Vietnam War as an Vietnam War as an opportunity to opportunity to improveimprove American societyAmerican society

LBJ used national LBJ used national sadnesssadness over JFK’s over JFK’s death to pass Civil Rights death to pass Civil Rights reform= Civil Rights Act reform= Civil Rights Act of 1964: of 1964: outlawed outlawed discrimination in discrimination in employment or public employment or public facilities based in race, facilities based in race, color, religion or gendercolor, religion or gender

Also used Also used intimidationintimidation & & his status as a his status as a southernersoutherner

LBJ is re-elected in LBJ is re-elected in 19641964 Goal= pass his domestic agenda called the Goal= pass his domestic agenda called the

““Great SocietyGreat Society”= foundation of modern ”= foundation of modern welfarewelfare state state– Declared a “Declared a “War on PovertyWar on Poverty””

Project Project Head StartHead Start VISTAVISTA= domestic Peace Corps= domestic Peace Corps HUDHUD (Dept. of Housing & Urban Development) (Dept. of Housing & Urban Development) MedicaidMedicaid (medical care for poor) (medical care for poor) Welfare & food stampsWelfare & food stamps

Problem= Problem= fundingfunding both the Great Society & both the Great Society & the Vietnam War.the Vietnam War.

Start of VietnamStart of Vietnam

Vietnam War started Vietnam War started between Vietnamese & between Vietnamese & FranceFrance at the end of at the end of WWIIWWII

Vietnamese wanted Vietnamese wanted independenceindependence & & France didn’t want to France didn’t want to give it to them.give it to them.

Result: Revolution led Result: Revolution led by Vietnamese by Vietnamese nationalist nationalist Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh

the battle of Dien Bien Phu the battle of Dien Bien Phu During the During the

French/Vietnamese war, French/Vietnamese war, President President EisenhowerEisenhower sent in military sent in military advisorsadvisors to help the Frenchto help the French

USA didn’t want another USA didn’t want another domino domino (Vietnam) to fall (Vietnam) to fall to communismto communism

In 1956 the French lost to In 1956 the French lost to the Vietnamese in the the Vietnamese in the battle of battle of Dien Bien Phu Dien Bien Phu

After Dien Bien Phu, the French agreed to After Dien Bien Phu, the French agreed to leave Vietnam, but to leave Vietnam, but to dividedivide Vietnam Vietnam between the North & South.between the North & South.– North Vietnam= North Vietnam= CommunistCommunist & led by & led by MinhMinh– South Vietnam- South Vietnam- capitalistcapitalist & led by & led by Ngo Dien Ngo Dien

DiemDiem– In 1960 there would be an In 1960 there would be an electionelection & the nation & the nation

would be reunited under whoever won the would be reunited under whoever won the electionelection

Review QuestionsReview Questions1.1. What made the 1960 Presidential election different than any What made the 1960 Presidential election different than any previously? Who previously? Who

won the election?won the election?

2.2. What are 2 examples of things President Kennedy (JFK) established as part What are 2 examples of things President Kennedy (JFK) established as part of the New Frontier for America?of the New Frontier for America?

3.3. Which country fell to communism in 1959? Who led the communists in that Which country fell to communism in 1959? Who led the communists in that country?country?

4.4. What did the Bay of Pigs invasion plan to do? Did it fail or succeed?What did the Bay of Pigs invasion plan to do? Did it fail or succeed?

5.5. What was the Berlin Wall?What was the Berlin Wall?

6.6. Which country put their nuclear missiles on Cuba? Why?Which country put their nuclear missiles on Cuba? Why?

7.7. Who assassinated President Kennedy (JFK)?Who assassinated President Kennedy (JFK)?

8.8. Who took over as president after Kennedy was assassinated?Who took over as president after Kennedy was assassinated?

9.9. What was President Johnson’s (LBJ) plan for the USA called? What did it What was President Johnson’s (LBJ) plan for the USA called? What did it attempt to do?attempt to do?

10.10. After the French and Vietnamese ended their war, what happened to After the French and Vietnamese ended their war, what happened to Vietnam?Vietnam?

Diem RegimeDiem Regime

Problem: no one in Problem: no one in South Vietnam liked South Vietnam liked Diem. He took away Diem. He took away their their rightsrights & & imprisonedimprisoned anyone who opposed anyone who opposed himhim

Diem kept pushing back Diem kept pushing back the the election in 1960election in 1960 because he knew he because he knew he would lose.would lose.

To help Diem control To help Diem control South Vietnam, JFK South Vietnam, JFK sent in more military sent in more military advisorsadvisors & CIA agents & CIA agents

Still no one liked DiemStill no one liked Diem– Communists in North Communists in North

Vietnam= Vietnam= VietminhVietminh– Pro-communist guerillas Pro-communist guerillas

in South Vietnam= in South Vietnam= VietcongVietcong

In 1963 JFK allows the In 1963 JFK allows the CIA to help a CIA to help a coupcoup to to overthrow Diem overthrow Diem

Diem is Diem is assassinatedassassinated 2 weeks later JFK is 2 weeks later JFK is

assassinated & LBJ assassinated & LBJ takes overtakes over

LBJ could have LBJ could have withdrawnwithdrawn troops, but troops, but refuses. Feels USA refuses. Feels USA can overwhelm any can overwhelm any opposition= opposition= increasesincreases “advisors” in South “advisors” in South VietnamVietnam

Gulf of Tonkin IncidentGulf of Tonkin Incident In 1964 US Navy reports the In 1964 US Navy reports the

NorthNorth Vietnamese sank a US Vietnamese sank a US destroyer in the Gulf of Tonkindestroyer in the Gulf of Tonkin

LBJ goes to LBJ goes to CongressCongress & asks & asks for permission to respondfor permission to respond

Congress passes the “Congress passes the “Gulf of Gulf of Tonkin ResolutionTonkin Resolution” giving LBJ a ” giving LBJ a ““blank checkblank check” (authority) to do ” (authority) to do whatever he feels whatever he feels necessarynecessary to to protect American interestsprotect American interests

EscalationEscalation Result: Result: massive escalationmassive escalation

– Congress never declares Congress never declares war= UN war= UN police actionpolice action

– Increased # of American Increased # of American troopstroops

– Increased Increased bombingbombing of of North VietnamNorth Vietnam

– AmericanizationAmericanization of the of the war= US took over war for war= US took over war for South VietnamSouth Vietnam

– Americans told we’re Americans told we’re winningwinning the war & it will be the war & it will be over shortlyover shortly

Turning PointTurning Point In 1968 the In 1968 the Tet Offensive Tet Offensive

occurs= massive occurs= massive VietcongVietcong uprising in all uprising in all major South Vietnamese major South Vietnamese citiescities

Shocks Americans who Shocks Americans who think war was almost think war was almost over= realize the military over= realize the military exaggeratedexaggerated wins wins

Public opinion turns Public opinion turns againstagainst the war because the war because people feel lied topeople feel lied to

War ProtestWar Protest

After Tet= war After Tet= war protestsprotests increase increase– Oppose the Oppose the draftdraft– Started at Started at UC UC

Berkeley Berkeley & college & college campusescampuses

New Left New Left movement movement starts by the SDS starts by the SDS ((Students for a Students for a Democratic SocietyDemocratic Society))– Anti-war protesters Anti-war protesters

called “called “dovesdoves””

LBJLBJ

LBJ goes on TV & LBJ goes on TV & withdraws from the withdraws from the 1968 election1968 election

3 people run for the 3 people run for the democratic democratic nomination:nomination:– Eugene McCarthy Eugene McCarthy (anti-(anti-

war)war)– Robert Kennedy Robert Kennedy (JFK’s (JFK’s

brother)brother)– Hubert Humphrey Hubert Humphrey

(LBJ’s VP)(LBJ’s VP)

1968 Unrest1968 Unrest In April Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinatedIn April Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated Riots break out in 150 cities to protest the Riots break out in 150 cities to protest the

assassinationassassination In June democratic frontrunner Robert In June democratic frontrunner Robert

Kennedy is assassinatedKennedy is assassinated Assassinations convince many peaceful Assassinations convince many peaceful

change is impossiblechange is impossible In August riots & fights break out at the In August riots & fights break out at the

Democratic National Convention in ChicagoDemocratic National Convention in Chicago

1968 Election1968 Election

Republican= Republican= Richard NixonRichard Nixon

Democrat= Democrat= Hubert HumphreyHubert Humphrey

Independent= Independent= George WallaceGeorge Wallace

Nixon promised to end Nixon promised to end the the Vietnam War Vietnam War & & appealed to the “appealed to the “Silent Silent MajorityMajority” who were not ” who were not war protesterswar protesters

Humphrey was depicted Humphrey was depicted as being crazy & as being crazy & pro-pro-nuclearnuclear war war

Wallace ran on a Wallace ran on a pro-pro-segregationsegregation, white , white supremacy campaignsupremacy campaign

Nixon wonNixon won

VietnamizationVietnamization Nixon promised to end US involvement in Nixon promised to end US involvement in

Vietnam by replacing American troops with Vietnam by replacing American troops with Vietnamese troops= “Vietnamese troops= “VietnamizationVietnamization””

But he also increased the number of But he also increased the number of air air strikesstrikes into North Vietnam & started into North Vietnam & started bombingbombing Laos & CambodiaLaos & Cambodia

Public opinion started to turn against Nixon Public opinion started to turn against Nixon when by when by 19721972 we still were not out of Vietnam we still were not out of Vietnam

It looked like Nixon might lose the 1972 It looked like Nixon might lose the 1972 election to election to George McGovernGeorge McGovern

End of VietnamEnd of Vietnam

Secretary of State Secretary of State Henry Kissinger Henry Kissinger finally finally negotiated a peace negotiated a peace agreement pulling US agreement pulling US troops out of Vietnam troops out of Vietnam in 1972 right before the in 1972 right before the electionelection

Nixon wins in 1972Nixon wins in 1972

War Powers ActWar Powers Act

In 1973 Congress passed the In 1973 Congress passed the War Powers ActWar Powers Act= = ends blank checks to Presidents. Says Presidents ends blank checks to Presidents. Says Presidents must get must get approvalapproval from Congress for any military from Congress for any military commitment lasting more than commitment lasting more than 6060 days days

The Vietnam War The Vietnam War finally ends in finally ends in 19751975 when North when North Vietnamese troops Vietnamese troops take over the South take over the South Vietnamese capitol of Vietnamese capitol of SaigonSaigon