vietnam war pictures. 1- climate/terrain of vietnam humid, tropical climate many americans not used...
TRANSCRIPT
Vietnam War Pictures
1- Climate/Terrain of Vietnam
• Humid, tropical climate• Many Americans not used to this• Viet Cong are used to it• Huge advantage to opposition
2- Viet Cong Soldiers
• Blended in with rest of Vietnamese people• Included children, women, etc.• Supported unification of Vietnam under
communism
3- Viet Cong guerilla warfare
• Used extensive tunnel system to move throughout different parts of Vietnam
• Known for use of land mines• Definition- the use of hit-and
run tactics by small, mobile groups of irregular forces operating in territory controlled by a hostile, regular force
4- American Soldiers
• Young, innocent recent high school/college graduates
• Initially excited for fighting• Many questioned why there were fighting the
war
5- B-52s and Saturation bombing
• U.S. armed forces most destructive way of fighting
• Saturation- concentrated in one place• Often killed as many innocent civilians as
enemy soldiers
6- Agent Orange
• Used as herbicidal warfare• Deadly gas often dropped in densely forested
areas• Manufactured for U.S. armed forces by private
chemical companies• Killed thousands, over 3 million people allegedly
affected, livestock and crops affected as well• Many still affected today• Now illegal
7- Napalm• Gel-like substance that is very flammable• Used as bombs for United States• Dropped throughout Vietnam
8- Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
• North Vietnam allegedly sank the U.S.S. Maddox- August 4, 1964
• LBJ supported resolution to start American involvement in Vietnam War
• Resolution- August 7, 1964– Almost unanimously agreed
9- Tet Offensive
• 1US losses more than 1100, ARVN 2300• More than 12, 500 civilians killed• Devastating Effect on American public
opinion – 78 percent of Americans said no progress was being made; 26 percent approved Johnson’s handling of the war
• Increase in the credibility gap – Tet seemed to show LBJ’s progress offensive was an exaggeration, to some a lie – Kennedy speech
10- My Lai Massacre
• On March 16, 1968, the men of Charlie Company, 11th Brigade, America Division entered the village of My Lai. “This is what you’ve been waiting for--search and destroy-- and you’ve got it,” said their superior officers.
• “Lieutenant Calley, for his part, was said to have rounded up a group of the villagers, ordered them into a ditch, and mowed them down in a blast of machine gun fire”
• It took more than a year for the shocking story of the My Lai massacre to reach the news stands.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWchy6ykNnQ
11- Vietnamization
• Process of removing soldiers out of Vietnam• Remove American troops but continue to train
South Vietnam– Hopefully they can win war
• Took place from 1969-1973• Nixon did this because– Military advisors said that SV soldiers were ready– Pressure from American public
12- U.S. Bombing of Cambodia
• Fear of the domino theory• Viet Cong and North Vietnamese bases there• Since Vietnamization, we still need to help out• Nearly 500,000 civilian casualties from bombs• Cambodia ultimately fell to a communist
regime• PR nightmare for Nixon!