Fighting the War Chapter 31 Section 2

Points to Ponder How did battlefield conditions in Vietnam affect American soldiers? How would you describe the course of the war between 1965 and 1968? Why was the Tet Offensive a turning point in the war?

Battlefield Conditions American ___________ Superior arms and supplies American Frustrations Viet Cong’s _______________ Jungle/Swamp Terrain Viet Cong’s Support Laos, Cambodia, and even South Vietnamese

The Ground War _________ Tactics Underground ______ Systems Sneak Attacks and ________ Booby-Traps ______ Traps—camouflaged pit with sharp (some poisoned) stakes Land Mines Trip Wire __________

The Air War B-52 Bomber Fragmentation Bombs Smash roads and heavy ________ 1,000s of tons of explosives __________ Bombing Fragmentation Bombs Bombs that threw ________ of ______ in all directions Used in North and South

The Air War Chemical Weapons _______ _______ -herbicide to expose the Viet Cong Negative Effects Killed crops Caused Health problems __________ Jellylike substance Burns uncontrollably

The Course of the War (1965-68) Johnson begins military escalation Devoted more. . . ________ Troops/Personnel Supporting the S.V. Gov’t Led by ____________

Intensifying the War Ho Chi Minh Trail Supply route through _____ and _________ Johnson responds to attacks by bombing NV The war was a __________ (‘65-‘67) Operation _________ Thunder-3 years of bombing

Hawks and Doves Hawks: War ___________ Doves: War ____________ “America should not be called upon to solve the problems of that nation (Vietnam)” ~ George Kennan Despite the arguments, the war continued

The Tet Offensive Surprise Attacks on major cities, towns and US military bases in South Vietnam Tet: Vietnamese ______ ____ _____

Communist Brutality Massacre at ____ _____ __________ anyone they saw as an enemy Including doctors and teachers Massacre at ____ _____ American troops heard 250 Viet Cong members were being sheltered at My Lai Actually they found only women, children and elderly Prisoners were rounded up and shot 400 died, but more would have if an American helicopter crew didn’t come to the rescue

Massacre at My Lai What would bring American soldiers to commit such an atrocity? The American Commander, Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr, was sentenced to life in prison After a series of political influences, he ended up serving 3 year

Results of the Tet Offensive Demonstrated power and initiative of the ______ ________ Psychological Warfare Images on American ______ Were American Troops being held back? Johnson lost popularity

Points to Ponder How did battlefield conditions in Vietnam affect American soldiers? How would you describe the course of the war between 1965 and 1968? Why was the Tet Offensive a turning point in the war?