Section 2 American Involvement

Vocabulary Alter-to change in some way; to make different Sequence-one thing occurring after another; series of events. Escalate-step up Napalm- a jellylike substance that burst into flames, sticking to people’s bodies Hawks- supported the war in Vietnam Doves- believed the Vietnam War could no be won and was morally wrong Conscientious objector- people who refuse to participate in war because of a strong belief that war is wrong

Growing American Involvement http://www.google.com/search?q=u.s%20north+vietnam *After the fall of Diem, the government of South Vietnam became increasingly unstable. As the ruling generals bickered among themselves, the South Vietnamese military quickly lost ground to the Vietcong. * Like President Eisenhower and Kennedy that were before President Johnson believed in the domino theory. “He saw Vietnam as a test of the resolve of the United States to resist the spread of communism. A short while after President Johnson took office, Johnson ordered economic aid, military advisers, armed forces to South Vietnam. While he was doing this, Johnson authorized secret attacks in North Vietnam. China and the Soviet Union were supplying North Vietnam.

The Gulf Tonkin Incident http://www.google.com/search?q=us+airstrikes+against+north+vietnam In August of 1964 altered the U.S. role in Vietnam. North Vietnam’s torpedo boats had attacked American destroyers in Gulf of Tonkin, off the coast of North Vietnam. President Johnson escalate U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. President Johnson gave a speech that the U.S. would do airstrikes against North Vietnam. The next day, Congress backed Johnson up to resolve the conflict. President Johnson announced that U.S. would resolve the conflict against North Vietnam

Unconventional War A Massive Buildup The Vietnam War was different from many wars the U.S. fought before. Under the Constitution, only Congress can declare war. Even if the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave the President the authority to use military forces, it was not declared war. A Massive Buildup In the fall of 1964, President Johnson was involved in a campaign for a reelection, and the U.S. took very little action in Vietnam. When Johnson got elected in 1964, he and his advisers were getting plans for Vietnam. On March 1965, President Jonson ordered 3500 marines to defend an American airbase in Da Nang. In 1965, Vietcong attacked an American base at Pleiku, in South Vietnam. Johnson ordered airstrikes in North Vietnam. The airstrikes lasted for three years.

Search and Destroy A military leader named Nguyen Cao Ky took power in June 1965 and crushed antigovernment protest by Vietnamese Buddhist. UH-1 Huey helicopter The Americans used the M16 rifle, UH-1 Huey helicopter, M134 Gatling Minigun,XM158 Rocket Launchers ,B-52 heavy bomber, F-4 Phantom fighter plane, the Naplm bomb, flamethrower, M-48 tank, and the M-60 machine gun. Airplanes dropped bombs containing napalm. Agent Orange was also used. Agent Orange was controversial, with birth defects, cancer, and other long term health problems with the U.S. soldiers and Vietnamese. M-48 tank B-52 heavy bomber

Continue of Search and Destroy A typical warfare the Americans used was to take heavily armed helicopters while carrying hundreds of troops, and clear an area where there was a lot of Vietcong's. Once they clear the Vietcong’s out, the Americans land their helicopters and to sweep the area that the soldiers were assigned to do. The mission of the war was to kill as many Vietcong’s, so North Vietnam would surrender. The Vietcong were familiar with their land, so they would do hit-and-run attacks. The Americans were not so used to the jungle, so there were confusion in the battles because they could tell the friendlies and enemy's.

The Tet Offensive A Nation Divided North Vietnam use the celebration as cover to launch attacks on every major city in South Vietnam. North Vietnam even had attacks on an ancient capital -Hue “On January 31, 1968, the Vietnamese began to celebrating Tet, their New Year Holiday” A Nation Divided American was split into two camps because America was divided. Hawks supported the war in Vietnam. They wanted to send all- military effort in Vietnam. Doves believed the Vietnam War could not be won and was morally wrong. They would do sit-ins and Marches to protest about the war. During the war 1.8 million men were drafted. Men that were against the war fled to Canada and Mexico. TV helped Americans to be against the war.

Bibliography http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/weapons-of-the-vietnam-war/videos/tank-platoon-leader http://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&biw=1600&bih=791&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=m48+tank+vietnam http://all-that-is-interesting.com/vietnam-war-photo-history/2

Austin Ross