The Vietnam War

Roots of Involvement France controlled Indochina after WWII France vs. Communist – Communists wanted Indochina; formed Vietminh (led by Ho Chi Minh) – US aided France – France unsuccessful – Geneva Accords- peace agreement that divided Vietnam into North and South

US Involvement US aid to South Vietnam (noncommunist led by Diem) Vietcong (comm. in south) attacking SV gov’t Ho Chi Minh (leader of NV) sent supplies to Vietcong using Ho Chi Minh Trail (ran through Cambodia and Laos) JFK sent military advisors to SV Diem lost popularity and was killed; led to chaotic government

Ho Chi MinhEisenhower and Diem

Conflict Grows SV was unstable after Diem’s assassination Tonkin Gulf Resolution – USS Maddox “attacked” – Congress gave LBJ unlimited power – Operation Rolling Thunder-bombing of NV

Johnson Escalates Key decision makers – Robert McNamara: Secretary of Defense – Dean Rusk: Secretary of State ground troops sent to Vietnam 61% of Americans supported decision

Troop Buildup William Westmoreland: US general US worked with ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) By 1967: over 500,000 US troops

Support Fades Great Society programs were cut “Living-room war”- Americans seeing warfare on nightly news coverage Credibility gap- what the people were seeing on tv and what the president was saying were different; led to mistrust of the government

Opposition Grows The Draft – Ages (80% low income) – Exemptions: medical, college enrollment, homosexuality African Americans – 10% of US population, 20% of total combat deaths – Racial tension

Protest Groups Students for a Democratic Society – Felt that corporations and large gov’t had taken over the US Free Speech Movement – Started at UC Berkeley – Similar views as SDS

Protests Most at college campuses Reasons: draft, belief that it was a civil war, Vietnamese civilians dying Urged people to flee to Canada Civil disobedience Burnt draft cards AmGs AmGs

Johnson’s Struggle Caught in the middle: doves angry- not w/drawing, hawks angry- not doing enough w/ the military Secretary of Defense resigned

Tet Offensive Jan 30- Vietnamese New Year’s Eve Vietcong attacked 100 towns, 12 US bases, & US embassy in Saigon Fighting lasted for one month before US could regain control US military victory Communist moral victory (US lost support) LBJ announced he would deescalate war and not seek reelection Westmoreland replaced as general (Abrams)

ttp:// mM Tet Offensive ttp:// mM TyE&feature=related Walter Kronkite TyE&feature=related

Assassinations Martin Luther King, JR (April 4, 1968) – Killed by James Earl Ray – Sparked violence in many cities Robert Kennedy – June 5, 1968 – Running for president – Killed by a Palestinian DkI DkI

Election of 1968 Democrats- H. Humphrey (protests & rioting) Republicans- Nixon (promised to end war) Nixon Won

Nixon’s Strategy Vietnamization Gradual withdrawal of troops/replacing w/ SV “Peace with Honor” Ordered invasion of Cambodia and Laos to destroy Ho Chi Minh Trail

Trouble at Home My Lai Incident- soldiers killed 100 women/children in village of My Lai Invasion of Cambodia- led to many protests Kent State- student protest that led to the National Guard shooting four students Pentagon Papers- showed dishonesty of gov’t about war

Kent State Protests My Lai Massacre Nixon announces bombing of Cambodia

The End Henry Kissinger (Nat. Security Advisor)- met w/ NV Nixon won reelection Cease-fire: Jan 27, 1973 Last troops left- March 29 Cease-fire ended and SV capital (Saigon) fell- 1975

Vietnam’s Legacy 58,000 Americans killed/ 365,000 wounded returning soldiers faced bitterness at home Post Traumatic Stress Disorder War Powers Act- president has to inform Congress w/in 48 hrs of sending troops American cynicism about government