Where is Vietnam?

Longest and Most Unpopular War During the war: 58,000 Americans lost their lives. 61% of the men killed were 21 or younger. 304,000 were wounded. 75,000 were severely disabled. 800,000 diagnosed as having “significant” to “severe” problems of readjustment. The United States spent over $200 billion dollars on the war.

And in Vietnam… In Vietnam – over 2 million dead In Vietnam – 4 million wounded In Vietnam – 10 million displaced from their homes

A Different War First “living-room war – people watched footage of combat on the nightly news – first was in which television played a major role.

A Different War 76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower to middle class families. The average age of a soldier was 19. Most soldiers were drafted – few enlisted. Soldiers served a “tour of duty” – about 1 year.

A Different War Soldiers did not return home at the same time – usually by themselves. 7 Presidents made decisions concerning Vietnam. Music clearly proved how divided the people were in the United States. Soldiers invented their own vocabulary for the war.

Vietnam Terminology BC – body count Boonies – the jungle Bought the farm – killed in action Bouncing Betty – a type of mine that when triggered, is propelled into the air and explodes at groin to head level. Charlie – the VC (Vietcong) Cobra – heavily armed Army helicopter Dead Man’s Zone – slang for the DMZ – 17th parallel

Why Did the United States Fight a War in Vietnam? Basically to hold the line against the spread of world Communism. Followed the Truman Doctrine (1947) “to help free peoples to maintain their free institutions and their national integrity against … totalitarian regimes.”

Conflict Between France & Vietnam The Vietnam War grew out of the long conflict between France and Vietnam. In July 1954, after one hundred years of colonial rule, a defeated France was forced to leave Vietnam.

The Geneva Peace Accords Signed by France and Vietnam Divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel National elections to reunify the country planned for 1956. In the North a communist regime set up headquarters in Hanoi under leadership of Ho Chi Minh.

The Two Leaders of Vietnam Ho Chi Minh – leader of the North – but also many in South Vietnam look to him for leadership Supports NLF (Vietcong) in the South via Ho Chi Minh Trail Hero because he broke up large estates and redistributed land to the peasants and he had beaten the French

The Two Leaders Ngo Dinh Diem – “placed” into office by the United States. Corrupt govt. that suppressed opposition of any kind & used aid money for itself Offered little or no land distribution to peasants. Told to hold free elections – don’t happen.

Opposition to Geneva Accords America prevented the elections that were promised under the Geneva conference because it knew that the Communists would win. American policymakers developed the “Domino Theory” as a justification for the involvement.

December 1961 White Paper Report argued for: An increase in military, technical, and economic aid The introduction of large-scale American "advisers" to help stabilize the Diem regime and crush the NLF.

The Kennedy Response some of his other advisers urged the president to withdraw from Vietnam altogether. In typical Kennedy fashion, the president chose a middle route. The U.S. would increase the level of its military involvement in South Vietnam through more machinery and advisers, but no military troops.

Escalation of the Conflict At the time of the Kennedy and Diem assassinations, there were 16,000 military advisers in Vietnam. LBJ convinced that more aggressive action was needed. Didn’t want to be seen as an “appeaser” to Communist aggression.

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution August 1964 The Johnson administration used the August ‘attacks’ on U.S. ships to obtain a Congressional resolution that gave the president broad war powers.

“Americanizing” the War More U.S. troops committed 180,000 in 1965 500,000 by 1967 By this time, most soldiers are draftees Moved beyond adviser roles and assumed greater responsibilities Hoped to push the Communists to the peace table

Operation Rolling Thunder Began sustained bombing missions over North Vietnam in Feb 1965 Main target – Ho Chi Minh Trail In the South Goal is to “win the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people.”

Helicopters Of all aircraft, the helicopter was the most useful, dropping platoons in the jungle clearings and out again. They were excellent air ambulances.

How did the North Vietnamese Fight Back Against the U.S. Invaders? Guerilla tactics “Guerrillas must move through the peasants like fish through sea,” i.e., peasants supported them with shelter, food, weapons, storage, intelligence, recruits.

North Vietnamese Tactics Some areas of South Vietnam held by NLF - distributed the land to the peasants. Cheap and reliable weapons AK47 assault rifle Portable rocket launcher Booby traps Recycled American ‘dud’ bombs

Escalation 1965 200,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam Troops uncover massive tunnel complex – used as a base for guerrilla raids . Tunnel Rats – men responsible for going down tunnels to flush out the VC

Search & Destroy Tactics In areas where the NLF were thought to be operating, troops went in and checked for weapons. If they found them, they rounded up the villagers and burned the villages down. This often alienated the peasants from the American-South Vietnamese cause. As one marine said – “If they weren’t Vietcong before we got there, they sure as hell were by the time we left”.

Clearing the Jungle Reason - to expose the Vietcong tunnel and hideouts U.S. planes dropped napalm – a gasoline-based bomb that set fire to the jungle.

Agent Orange leaf-killing toxic chemical that devastated the landscape. U.S. dumped over 13 million gallons.

What Heart? U.S. did not win the “hearts and minds” of the Vietnamese people. Why? A. We burned their villages B. Killed livestock C. Chemicals caused skin diseases, birth defects, and cancer

Pictures of Victims

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Protracted War Strategy The Communist Party’s new strategy: get the United States bogged down in a war that it could not win militarily

Tet Offensive designed to force Johnson administration to bargaining table Jan. 31 1968 – 70,000 North Vietnamese and Vietcong attack cities in South Vietnam. Boldest move – 19 VC attacked the U.S. Embassy in Saigon killed 5 Am. soldiers.

Tet- turning point in war Why? A. military victory for U.S. but psychological victory for VC.

Tet Offensive – cont. B. American public thought U.S. was winning war – but watched as Americans were killed at the U.S. Embassy C. Created credibility gap – fewer Americans trusted the govt. D. Pres. Johnson said he would halt bombing of N. Vietnam – that will not be the total truth

My Lai Massacre March 16, 1968 group of U.S. troops under the command of Lt. William Calley Doing search and destroy mission – find “charlie” (Vietcong) and destroy them.

300 -500 – civilians – mostly old men, women and children -killed by Calley and men. After My Lai – many Americans view all Vietnam veterans as “baby killers.”

The War in America Since there were not enough volunteers to continue to fight a protracted war, the government instituted a draft.

Anti-War Sentiments As the deaths mounted and Americans continued to leave for Southeast Asia, the Johnson administration was met with the full weight of American anti-war sentiments.

The Counterculture Term used for those that went against traditional American norms. against the ‘establishment ‘– the govt., large corporations, etc. Often this group included white, middle-class college students.

Anti-War Protests Protests erupted on college campuses and in major cities at first, but by 1968 every corner of the country seemed to have felt the war's impact.

1968 Democratic Convention Hundreds of thousands of people came to Chicago in August 1968 to protest American intervention in Vietnam and the leaders of the Democratic Party who continued to prosecute the war.

A Plan to End the War Late March 1968, a disgraced LBJ announced that he would not seek the Democratic Party's re-nomination for president Negotiations with the Communists to end the war began in the spring of 1968 (doesn’t end until 1975) Democratic Party could not rescue the presidency from Republican challenger Richard Nixon who claimed he had a secret plan to end the war.

Can you answer these questions? Why did the U.S. enter the war in Vietnam? Who was the enemy of the United States? Our enemy? What tactics did U.S. forces use? What tactics did the enemy use? Why did the war become increasingly unpopular as time went on?