Vietnam: US Involvement

Vietnam’s History French Indochina Revolts  Ho Chi Minh – Indochinese Communist Party WWII  Japan  Minh returns to form Vietminh  France regains South  Minh’s vow

Vietnam’s History (cont’d) U.S. aids France  Why?  Domino theory French defeated Geneva Accords  Vietnam divided 17 th parallel N – Communist S - Nationalist

The United States Steps In Minh wins popular support in N  National hero  Land reform Ngo Dinh Diem  Corruption  Religious restriction Reunification election cancelled

The United States Steps In (Cont’d) Vietcong emerges in S U.S. increases aid, sends troops U.S. supports military coup  Diem assassinated  Kennedy shortly after “It’s their war”

Johnson & Vietnam Tonkin Gulf Resolution Committed to containment Campaigned on limited involvement BUT Began sending American troops

Fighting in Vietnam

US confident of victory  Superior weapons  Overlooked difficulties

Fighting in Vietnam Difficulties  Jungle terrain  Guerilla tactics  Inability to distinguish enemy from civilian  Traps/land mines  Tunnels

Tactics for Winning Attrition – gradually wear down enemy through harassment  Body count

Tactics for Winning Read page 945 “The Battle for Hearts and Minds”  Advantages/disadvantages of each: Napalm Agent Orange Search-and-destroy missions

Sinking Morale Draft Length & difficulty of war Increased drug and alcohol use

The War at Home Economy declines Tax increase “Living-room war”  War footage  Body counts  Credibility gap

Activity Photos of War: Vietnam

A Nation Divided

What do these two magazine covers tell you about the differing opinions on Vietnam?

A Nation Divided Credibility gap Draft  Ways around Medical deferment Joined National Guard or Coast Guard Enrolled in college  Why is this a problem?

The Protest Movement Emerges Protest spreads  Publicly burn draft cards  March  Flee country Nation is divided  Doves and Hawks

DovesHawks War is immoral Vietnam was a civil war U.S. should stay out of world affairs Draining U.S. resources President Johnson revoked college deferments for poor grades Fear of communism spreading U.S. should escalate the war Protests are acts of disloyalty 70% in 1967

The Role of Music Express frustration Method of protest Most popular war protest song (ever?)  War – Edwin Starr War – Edwin Starr

1968 Tet offensive  Read pages What happened? How did this even affect public opinion of the war? Assassinations  Kennedy  MLK, Jr Johnson steps down Nixon elected (Republican)

1968 Assassinations  Kennedy  MLK, Jr Violence increases Johnson steps down Nixon elected (Republican)

On a half sheet of paper Imagine it is Do you think you would ally yourself with the hawks or the doves? Explain your reasoning. Would you consider the antiwar protests to be “acts of disloyalty”? Why or why not? Imagine that you oppose the war and are called to serve in Vietnam? What decision would you make?