1. War on both sides of the world
Vietnam
War on both sides of the world

2. History of Vietnam
At Geneva Conference – 1954, North Vietnam controlled by Ho Chi Minh, a Communist supporter
Vietminh form to get French out of Vietnam
In South, Ngo Dinh Diem has U.S. support and promotes free elections
U.S. will support Vietnam from 1955 – 1975 from being taken over from North Vietnam (which was pro Communist)

3. Diem and Escalation Diem’s Fall
French lose control, and leave – Dien Bien Phu (1954)
Kennedy increases military support
Thought many Americans blamed Democrats for loss of China to communism, and the Korea war ‘no victory, only containment’
Diem was a Catholic in Buddhist country
Monks set themselves on fire in protest…
Diem assassinated after fleeing for life when U.S. ‘OK’d’ coup to get him out

5. Escalation LBJ assumes Vietnam in 63 Forces against US:
Refuses to order a full scale invasion of North Vietnam: did NOT want Russia and China in the war
Forces against US:
Viet Cong - Communist group, guerilla fighters, South Vietnam nationalists
North Vietnamese, the Viet Minh - supported Charlie, with help of China and Russia
Henry Cabot Lodge, ambassador to Vietnam, tells LBJ that more military is needed

7. Catalyst and War Gulf of Tonkin incident – August 1964
LBJ reports North Vietnamese had torpedoed US destroyer
Congress passes resolution which gives LBJ authority to go to war - Gulf of Tonkin resolution
Operation Rolling Thunder
LBJ/Ho Chi Minh trail – runs though ‘neutral’ territory
Pleiku – Viet Cong attack American soldiers
MARCH 1965 – 1st US ground troops arrive
WHY SO DEADLY FOR U.S Viet Cong use jungle warfare, tunneling, guerilla warfare, psychological torture and physical Cong winning

8. Maddox & the protests begin

9. The war
Tet offensive – January 1968 – VC surprise attack U.S. embassy in Saigon
turning point in war for Americans!
Seen as major political, psychological victory for VC and Vietminh
Vietnam is first U.S. war televised – support of war goes down
Advantages VC had over Americans
Home court advantage
Americans outnumbered 3 to 1
VC better equipped – Ho chi minh trail, Chinese
Guerilla – landmines, tunnels,, torture/POWS

11. The fighting

17. B 52 Bomber

19. THE FIGHTING…CONTINUED
US strategies
Saturation, carpet bombing of jungles
Agent Orange – herbicide
Napalm
My Lai
Lt. Calley orders death of hundreds of children & unarmed civilians
Sentenced to life, but only serves 3 years
American public begins to hear stories of horrors of war

20. My Lai

21. Napalm

25. RFK and Nixon 1968 – RFK runs for President (D), and is assassinated
Humphrey (D) & Nixon (R)
Chicago convention: major protest for war
Nixon wins votes of silent majority
Nixon – promises to restore order to U.S. and world Peace With Honor
Vietnamization – slowly get out US soldiers, and replace with South Viet. Fighters
Secret bombings in Cambodia & tries to go into Laos to capture VC – all measures fail
Angers Congress so they repeal the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
WINS ELECTION OF 1968!

27. Call for Peace
Paris Peace talks being in by 1972, nothing accomplished
After Nixon re-elected, and more N Vietnam Bombings, peace accords signed – U.S., South and North Vietnamese Agree (January 1973)
U.S. has 60 days to get out
POWs released
Laos and Cambodia relieved of attacks
17th parallel will remain border

28. POWs released

29. Saigon Falls
After agreement, most U.S. soldiers get out, but some remain
April 29, 1975 – South Vietnamese are surrounded by VC/Viet Minh
Saigon falls U.S. troops in embassy escape by helicopters, as well as 6,000 Vietnamese
Thousands of South Vietnamese are left to suffer consequences of VC
Vietnam united as single Communist country

32. End Results of War in U.S. 58,000 Americans dead
300,000 Americans wounded
500,000 civilians killed in Southeast Asia
U.S. did not welcome back all soldiers
Pentagon Papers – cynicism of government
Proved that U.S. had not been fully honest about war to America
Vietnam Veterans memorial – 1982
Counter culture
Americans start to be more involved in politics for a while

34. COUNTER CULTURE

35. Counter Culture to War Pentagon Papers
1971, papers released proving that Congress and White House had lied to American public about war
Government officials had made secret deals and fabricated info, including Gulf of Tonkin
Student Protests in early 1960s on college campuses
SDS – Student Democratic Society – reject wealth and prestige for love and peace
New Left – calls for radical change in government & society
Doves, peace vs. hawks, war

36. Counter Culture to War…Continued
Free Speech Movement
Berkeley takes lead
Students take over buildings and invite media in
The Draft
Doubled in numbers by LBJ
Targeted poor – all kids that couldn’t afford college
Targets minorities
Draft dodgers – head to Canada

37. American Opposition to Draft

42. Protests Washington DC Chicago – 1968 at Convention
Columbia University – students take over
Violence – mini bombs, police attacks, chem labs
Kent State – 1970
Brought on by Cambodia bombings
ROTC burned down by students, and government of OHio orders in National Guard
4 students killed by National Guard

43. Kent State

46. Vets Protest war…