The Reluctant Empire? U.S. Foreign Relations in the 20th Century 3/25/2017 Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg Curt-Engelhorn Chair in American History Prof. Dr. Manfred Berg Winter Term 2008/2009 The Reluctant Empire? U.S. Foreign Relations in the 20th Century Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg 1 1 1 1 1

The Vietnam War The Origins of American Involvement The Escalation of the War The Conduct of the War In Search of Peace with Honor The War at Home Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

The Domino Theory “You have a row of dominoes set up. You knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly. So you could have the beginning of a disintegration that would have the most profound influences.” U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1954 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

The Historians’ Vietnam Debate Quagmire Flawed Containment Bureaucratic Blundering Imperialism Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Ho Chi Minh, 1890-1969 “The entire Vietnamese people are determined to mobilize all their physical and mental strength, to sacrifice their lives and property in order to safeguard their independence and liberty.” Vietnamese Declaration of Independence, 1945 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Indochina Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Ngo Dinh Diem, 1901-1963 Appointed Prime Minister of South Vietnam by Emperor Bảo Đại in 1954 President Republic of Vietnam, 1955-1963 Executed during successful coup d'état led by Gen. Dương Văn Minh, Nov. 1, 1963 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Lyndon B. Johnson, 1908-1973 U.S. Rep., 1937-1949 U.S. Senator, 1949-1961 U.S. Vice President, 1961-1963 U.S. President, 1963-1969 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution “The Congress approves and supports the determination of the President, as Commander in Chief, to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression .” U.S. Congress, August 10, 1964 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Operation Rolling Thunder Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

General William Westmoreland, 1914-2005 Served in U.S. Army from 1936 to 1972 Deputy Commander of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), 1964-1968 U.S. Army Chief of Staff, 1968-1972 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Robert McNamara, b.1916 U.S. Sec. of Defense, 1961-1968 President of the World Bank, 1968-1981 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Search and Destroy Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

My Lai, May 1968 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Napalm Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Tet Offensive, January 1968 Two U.S. Marines battle Communist troops inside the walls of the Citadel at Hue. The U.S. military suffers casualties during a VC attack near Tan Son Nhut Airport on January 31, 1968. Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Richard Nixon, 1913-1994 U.S. Rep., 1947-1950 U.S. Senator, 1950-1953 U.S. Vice President , 1953-1961 U.S. President, 1969-1974 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

The Paris Peace Talks North Vietnamese Diplomat, Le Duc Tho, and then National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger, meet in Paris, 1973. Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Christmas Bombings, 1972 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Saigon, April 1975 Helicopters transport the last remaining U.S. officials and citizens from the roof of the U.S. Embassy, 1975 U.S. soldiers attempt to maintain order at the U.S. Embassy during the evacuation. Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Senator J. William Fulbright, 1905-1995 U.S. Rep., 1943-1945 U.S. Senator, 1945-1974 Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 1959-1974 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Draft Card Burning Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Kent State, May 4, 1970 Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

“Hanoi Jane” Fonda Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

POW/MIA Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Rambo Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Vietnam Memorial Wall Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Vietnam Heroes Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

Vietnam Nurses Memorial Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg

No More Vietnams War Powers Act 1973 The Vietnam Syndrome Post Vietnam Strategy: Popular Support Guaranteed Victory Exit Strategy Historisches Seminar der Universität Heidelberg