US Presidents in Vietnam Kennedy, Johnson & Nixon

Vietcong – communist guerilla groups who led attacks in the south! S. Vietnam Ngo Dien Diem “democratic ” parallel N.Vietnam *Ho Chi Minh “Communist” US Warships stationed

President Kennedy Kennedy adopted Eisenhower’s ‘Domino Theory” If S. Vietnam falls, all countries in Southeast Asia will fall Kennedy continues military aid to South Vietnam Increases military advisors to train the South Vietnamese Army. By 1963, 16,000 troops were sent to South Vietnam Role was support NOT COMBAT!!

American advisors urged the South Vietnamese leader (Diem) to adopt reforms to increase his popularity – he refuses. Because he was so unpopular, Diem was overthrown and killed by S. Vietnamese Generals Around the same time, the White House announced that it intended to remove all troops from Vietnam – this never happened because of the assassination

Lyndon B. Johnson In August, 1964 Johnson escalates US involvement in the war. August 1964, N. Vietnamese gunboats fired on US warships in the Gulf of Tonkin The President persuades Congress that this aggressive act warrants a military response Gulf of Tonkin Resolution – gave the President a “blank check” to take ALL NECESSARY MEASURES to protect US interests in Vietnam.

End of 1965: 184,000 troops in Vietnam in combat roles By the end of 1967, the number in combat roles was General William Westmoreland (Commander of US Military Forces) assures Americans that victory is in sight.

In 1968, the Vietnamese communists launched a surprise attack against the South’s major cities on the Lunar New Year or Tet (Tet Offensive) Most Americans at home interpreted the Tet Offensive as evidence that America was losing the war The attitude of many Americans, especially the youth, became increasingly hostile towards Johnson

Richard M. Nixon When he took office, Vietnam had become the most expensive war in American history Nixon called for Vietnamization of the war (returning the war to the Vietnamese to fight)

Henry Kissinger (Nixon’s foreign policy advisor) and Nixon worked with the Vietnamese govt. for years – finally in Jan he announced “Peace with Honor” and a cease fire would soon take effect. In total, the US tried for 20 years to guarantee the freedom of the South Vietnamese.

Also in 1973, Congress passed the War Powers Act to reverse the powers given to the President during wartime Total Deaths: 58,000 Wounded: 365,000 Cost: $150 billion