Vietnam War Pictures

1- Climate/Terrain of Vietnam Humid, tropical climate Many Americans not used to this Viet Cong are used to it Huge advantage to opposition

2- Viet Cong Soldiers Blended in with rest of Vietnamese people Included children, women, etc. Supported unification of Vietnam under communism

3- Viet Cong guerilla warfare Used extensive tunnel system to move throughout different parts of Vietnam Known for use of land mines Definition- the use of hit-and run tactics by small, mobile groups of irregular forces operating in territory controlled by a hostile, regular force

4- American Soldiers Young, innocent recent high school/college graduates Initially excited for fighting Many questioned why there were fighting the war

5- B-52s and Saturation bombing U.S. armed forces most destructive way of fighting Saturation- concentrated in one place Often killed as many innocent civilians as enemy soldiers

6- Agent Orange Used as herbicidal warfare Deadly gas often dropped in densely forested areas Manufactured for U.S. armed forces by private chemical companies Killed thousands, over 3 million people allegedly affected, livestock and crops affected as well Many still affected today Now illegal

7- Napalm Gel-like substance that is very flammable Used as bombs for United States Dropped throughout Vietnam

8- Gulf of Tonkin Resolution North Vietnam allegedly sank the U.S.S. Maddox- August 4, 1964 LBJ supported resolution to start American involvement in Vietnam War Resolution- August 7, 1964 – Almost unanimously agreed

9- Tet Offensive 1US losses more than 1100, ARVN 2300 More than 12, 500 civilians killed Devastating Effect on American public opinion – 78 percent of Americans said no progress was being made; 26 percent approved Johnson’s handling of the war Increase in the credibility gap – Tet seemed to show LBJ’s progress offensive was an exaggeration, to some a lie – Kennedy speech

10- My Lai Massacre On March 16, 1968, the men of Charlie Company, 11th Brigade, America Division entered the village of My Lai. “This is what you’ve been waiting for--search and destroy-- and you’ve got it,” said their superior officers. “Lieutenant Calley, for his part, was said to have rounded up a group of the villagers, ordered them into a ditch, and mowed them down in a blast of machine gun fire” It took more than a year for the shocking story of the My Lai massacre to reach the news stands.

11- Vietnamization Process of removing soldiers out of Vietnam Remove American troops but continue to train South Vietnam – Hopefully they can win war Took place from Nixon did this because – Military advisors said that SV soldiers were ready – Pressure from American public

12- U.S. Bombing of Cambodia Fear of the domino theory Viet Cong and North Vietnamese bases there Since Vietnamization, we still need to help out Nearly 500,000 civilian casualties from bombs Cambodia ultimately fell to a communist regime PR nightmare for Nixon!