Vietnam War At Home

• Years: 1954-1975 (U.S. 1964-1973)– 1954- Vietnam Independence– 1975- Saigon (SV) falls to NV

• US Involvement– Eisenhower- sent in small

number of troops– JFK- sent in small number of

troops– LBJ- Gulf of Tonkin Resolution,

starts the war– Nixon- ends US involvement in

1973• -Paris Peace Agreement- US

and NV signed, withdrawal of all remaining U.S. forces from Vietnam

• US Cost of War– The U.S. spent over $140

billion– 58,000 U.S. soldiers were

killed– 350,000 were wounded– Public lost confidence

and rebelled– Very costly economically,

hurt the US economy

How Did the War Affect Politics?

• Election of 1968– LBJ decides not to run for re-election

• After Tet Offensive, public viewed Johnson’s handling of the war negatively

• Impact of TV- Walter Cronkite– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1vJqTN-qVI– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn4w-ud-TyE

– JFK’s younger brother Robert assassinated, so Vp Hubert Humphrey runs- Democrat

– Former VP Richard Nixon- Republican– Nixon wins a close election due to many disillusioned

Middle Americans

How Do Americans Respond To War?

• At first, response was not all negative– Some war hawks wanted to expand fighting, while

many people thought the war was morally wrong• By the end of the war, most Americans want

to get out• Students and younger people have most to say– https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeFMyrWlZ68

Key Anti-War Ideas

• Limiting conformity– Rock & Roll, TV/movies, rebel culture

• College/education caused many students to question aspects of American life– Organizations, Students for a Democratic Society,

New Left, Teach-ins, Kent State• Civil Rights Movement encouraged young

people to speak up for justice– Free Speech, Conscientious Objectors, Deferment

Protest Songs

• Music was one of the lasting impacts of the Vietnam War Era

• Most songs about Vietnam were PROTEST songs

• Vietnam War Music Assignment