Thursday, May 7Objective:• Students will

investigate how the Vietnam War affected the end of the Cold War.

Agenda:• Struggle in

Vietnam• Song Project• What did you learn

in School?

“Domino Theory”• The domino theory was a theory used by Pres. Dwight. D.

Eisenhower, that speculated that if one state in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow in a domino effect. The domino theory was used by the United States administrators during the Cold War to justify the need for American intervention around the world

In 1965, Pres. Johnson Escalated the War• LBJ and the US have been looking

for a way to start a war in Vietnam.• After the USS Maddox was

“attacked” in the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, LBJ initiates an all out war against Vietnam.

• Massive bombings of North and South Vietnam

• But the communists only grew stronger: The Tet Offensive of 1968 was a major Vietcong Victory and demoralizing defeat for the American Forces.

American commanders had been saying the war was winding down…

• The Vietnamese New Year is called “Tet”. On Tet, there are parades, parties and celebrations for the dead.

• The Vietcong hid weapons and supplies in the coffins for the dead and distributed them to Vietcong supporter.

• Many South Vietnam cities fell to the Vietcong.

The Credibility Gap• Americans felt their leaders were not

telling the truth.• Americans began to doubt everything

government officials said.• Many young students began

protesting against the war.• Many young Americans hated the

Draft (where young men were selected into serving in the Military against their will..

• LBJ’s approval rating fell and he did not run for reelection.

College students experimented with drugs and sex

They became known as:

•hippies

Soldiers’ frustrations lead to…Drug use Fragging

• Refers to the act of murdering members of the military, particularly commanding officers. Soldiers would throw grenades into their officer bunks and kill them. This became very common.

Republican Richard M. Nixon was elected president.

Vietnamization• Nixon knew Americans

hated the draft. He introduced a new policy: Vietnamization: a slow, organized withdrawal of troops from Vietnam.

• While decreasing the number of American combat troops in Vietnam, Nixon increased the bombing of North Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.

• And in 1969, Nixon ordered the SECRET bombing of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Cambodia and Laos… Operation Rolling Thunder

More War

• In 1970, Nixon would launch an invasion of Cambodia, sparking massive antiwar protests in the US.

Kent State Tragedy• At Kent State, National

Guard troops shot dead four students onMay 4, 1970.

• Students had been protesting the expansion of the war.

• Alison Krause, a Kennedy HS graduate, was one of the four victims in the shooting.

Ten days later, state police killed two students at Jackson State, Mississippi

Agreement to end the war came in 1973, under the following terms:

The US would withdraw all its forces from South Vietnam

All prisoners of war would be released

The 17th parallel would continue to divide North and South Vietnam until the country could be reunited.

So….• The United States

succeeded in its goal of containing communism by virtue of the fact that South Vietnam was allowed to remain anti-communist.

•Why, then, is the war considered such a DISASTER?

Within 2 years, North Vietnam would invade the

south, making Vietnam one communist nation, as it

remains today.

Some results of the Vietnam War• The U.S. ended the draft• More than 1 million refugees fled Vietnam; many

live in Silver Spring• Credibility gap continues• War Powers Act: The War Powers Resolution

requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days without Congress’ permission.

What Did You Learn In School?

1. Which quote is the most accurate in your opinion?

2. Do you think that Kennedy was killed by the US Gov. to get LBJ into power?