U.S. Support of the War at Home & Abroad Chapter 29 Section 2 The Vietnam War Riddlebarger

President Lyndon B. Johnson “I have asked the commanding general, General Westmoreland, what more he needs to meet this mounting aggression. He has told me. And we will meet his needs. We cannot be defeated by force of arms. We will stand in Vietnam.” President Lyndon B. Johnson

The Air War 1st major direct U.S. military activity in Vietnam takes place in the air Operation Rolling Thunder Bombing campaign over North Vietnam. Ordered by Pres. Johnson to weaken enemy’s ability & will to fight. Also, assures South Vietnamese of U.S. commitment

Rolling Thunder

Operation Rolling Thunder U.S. pilots bomb military targets such as army bases & airfields. What other targets might the U.S. consider? Bridges, roads, railways, power plants

Ho Chi Minh Trail One of the major targets of the bombing campaign is the Ho Chi Minh Trail. A network of paths that began in North Vietnam and worked southward through Laos, Cambodia and into South Vietnam North Vietnam uses it to send troops, weapons, food & supplies to South Vietnam. Aid Viet Cong

Agent Orange Much of the Ho Chi Minh Trail ran through thick jungles Makes spotting enemy movements from the air nearly impossible. U.S. begins spraying defoliants to kill the vegetation Agent Orange is most popular Toxic Legacy

Other Air Weapons Napalm “Cluster Bombs” Carpet Bombing

Impact of bombing campaign on war effort Bombings do not weaken enemy’s war effort Flow of troops & supplies actually increased. Vietcong was able to quickly repair roads & bridges when necessary Made underground bunkers for protection Continued assistance from China & USSR Frustrated LBJ expands air war in 1968 Effect: more South Vietnamese join/aid Vietcong

The Ground War As war continues, LBJ calls for an escalation of U.S. ground forces in Vietnam. Number of U.S. troops in South Vietnam grows from 185,000 in 1965 to 486,000 in 1967 U.S. marines landing at Da Nang in March 1965

Vietcong Tunnels

U.S. strategy In response to enemy’s guerilla tactics, U.S. General William Westmoreland orders thousands of search-and-destroy missions Try to drive enemy from hide-outs. After U.S. patrols “clear” an area, VC usually moved back in.

Pacification To improve rural security, U.S. forces put in place a program called pacification Goal: To win the “hearts & minds” of South Vietnamese Improve infrastructure & provide economic programs People were moved out of their villages & sent to safe camps where food & housing provided. Old village burned to keep VC from using Instead of winning their support, many resent U.S. because of forced move away from their land

Declining Troop Morale 1st US troops in Vietnam are convinced they will succeed. Short stay expected In reality, US faces same problems as French before them VC use of guerilla warfare, knowledge of geography & aid of local peasants are advantages. US forces face constant danger: ambush, booby-traps, telling friend from foe, US inflicts heavy casualties on communist forces but doesn’t lead to victory. BODY COUNTS

US Forces Mobilize Over 2.5 million Americans serve in Vietnam -On average, most are younger than in previous wars -Most not well educated: 80% have high school diploma or less -Most from rural areas or inner cities -Many, initially, are sons of WW2 or Korean veterans

The Draft At the start, most US troops were professional soldiers As US troops in Vietnam increase, more and more are drafted soldiers Men enrolled in college were able to get deferments. Leads to increased college enrollment College deferments means most who are drafted come from poorer families Causes some bitterness African-Americans serve in high numbers Some people flee country to avoid draft

Non-combat positions Most who serve in Vietnam are in non-combat positions Administration, communication, engineering, medical & transportation Still face dangers from mortar or rocket strikes About 10,000 women serve in non-combat positions About 30,000 women serve in Red Cross and similar organizations See horrors of war on daily basis.

Public Opinion Shifts Most Americans support the war at the beginning By the end of 1968, over 16,000 Americans had been killed in combat Growing numbers begin to question the war This war was hard to measure progress on a map Soldiers are fighting village to village Success was measured by body counts Military commanders sometimes inflated the numbers

The Media’s Impact News media coverage had a strong impact upon American opinion Looser restrictions on media compared with previous wars. Scenes of firefights & burning villages on TV screens Vietnam War called 1st “Living Room War” Images on TV contradicted government reports on progress of war Many in press question the war

Hawks & Doves As gap between media reports & government reports increases, the debate at home over the war increases. LBJ is criticized by both doves (opposed to war) and hawks (support war’s goals) Doves: Don’t see Vietnam as crucial to U.S. security See us fighting against wishes of Vietnam people Costs of war are hurting us at home. Hawks: Some disapprove of government handling of war Want to see more troops & heavier bombing

The anti-War Movement As opposition to the war grows, a large anti-war movement develops Attracts a broad range of people Includes: students, civil rights workers, doctors, homemakers, retirees, teachers A lot of anti-war activity takes place on college campuses throughout U.S.

Anti-War Rally Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)holds 1st national anti-war demonstration in April 1965. - over 20,000 march to US capitol building.

Civil Disobedience Some burn their draft cards to protest the war. Draft card burnings are illegal. Some protesters burn flags.

Government Response Pres. Johnson: The U.S. is protecting an ally from an aggressor. Government: If U.S. failed to help an ally, who would trust us?

Anti-War Backlash Anti-war protestors make up a small percentage of U.S. population Many oppose actions of protesters. Burning of draft cards & flags is highly controversial. Many Veterans speak out against protesters Protesters ultimately play some role in U.S. eventually deciding to withdraw from Vietnam.

Views on the Vietnam War “We are honoring a treaty which committed us to ‘act to meet the common danger’ in the face of ‘aggression by means of an armed attack’…And we are answering…the question: Are the word and commitment of the United States reliable?” - National Security Advisor Walt W. Rostow, on his belief that communism must be stopped- by force if necessary “We seem bent upon saving the Vietnamese from Ho Chi Minh, even if we have to kill them to do it…I do not intend to remain silent in the face of what I regard as a policy of madness which, sooner or later, will envelop my son and American youths by the millions for years to come.” -Senator George McGovern, opposed to U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

What made the ground war in Vietnam so difficult to fight? How were U.S. forces mobilized for war? How and why did public opinion about the war gradually change?