Vietnam: US Involvement

Vietnam’s History

French Indochina Revolts

Ho Chi Minh – Indochinese Communist Party WWII

Japan Minh returns to form Vietminh France regains South Minh’s vow

Vietnam’s History (cont’d)

U.S. aids France Why? Domino theory

French defeated Geneva Accords

Vietnam divided 17th parallel N – Communist S - Nationalist

The United States Steps In

Minh wins popular support in N National hero Land reform

Ngo Dinh Diem Corruption Religious restriction

Reunification election cancelled

The United States Steps In (Cont’d) Vietcong emerges in S U.S. increases aid, sends troops U.S. supports military coup

Diem assassinated Kennedy shortly after

“It’s their war”

Johnson & Vietnam

Tonkin Gulf Resolution Committed to containment Campaigned on limited involvement

BUT Began sending American troops

Fighting in Vietnam

Fighting in Vietnam

US confident of victory Superior weapons Overlooked difficulties

Fighting in Vietnam

Difficulties Jungle terrain Guerilla tactics Inability to distinguish enemy from civilian Traps/land mines Tunnels

Tactics for Winning

Attrition – gradually wear down enemy through harassment Body count

Tactics for Winning

Read page 945 “The Battle for Hearts and Minds” Advantages/disadvantages of each:

Napalm Agent Orange Search-and-destroy missions

Sinking Morale

Draft Length & difficulty of war Increased drug and alcohol use

The War at Home

Economy declines Tax increase “Living-room war”

War footage Body counts Credibility gap

Activity

Photos of War: Vietnam

A Nation Divided

A Nation Divided

What do these two magazine covers tell you about the differing opinions on Vietnam?

A Nation Divided

Credibility gap Draft

Ways around Medical deferment Joined National Guard or Coast Guard Enrolled in college

Why is this a problem?

The Protest Movement Emerges Protest spreads

Publicly burn draft cards March Flee country

Nation is divided Doves and Hawks

Doves Hawks War is immoral Vietnam was a civil war U.S. should stay out of

world affairs Draining U.S. resources President Johnson

revoked college deferments for poor grades

Fear of communism spreading

U.S. should escalate the war

Protests are acts of disloyalty

70% in 1967

The Role of Music

Express frustration Method of protest Most popular war protest song (ever?)

War – Edwin Starr

1968

Tet offensive Read pages 954-955

What happened? How did this even affect public opinion of the war?

Assassinations Kennedy MLK, Jr

Johnson steps down Nixon elected (Republican)

1968

Assassinations Kennedy MLK, Jr

Violence increases Johnson steps down Nixon elected (Republican)

On a half sheet of paper

Imagine it is 1967. Do you think you would ally yourself with the hawks or the doves? Explain your reasoning.

Would you consider the antiwar protests to be “acts of disloyalty”? Why or why not?

Imagine that you oppose the war and are called to serve in Vietnam? What decision would you make?