1. Good Morning Vietnam!

2. Pre-US Military Involvement
French fight for Indochina ( )
Ho Chi Minh
Vietnamese national trained in China to gain independence for Indochina French colony
Creates Vietminh political party/military & declares Vietnam free in August 1945
France sends troops to protect business interests (rice, rubber crops)
US provides $15 million in aid to support fight against “communist” forces

3. Domino Theory Dien Bien Phu (May 1954)
President Eisenhower warns that if France “loses” Vietnam, other neighbor countries will fall to communism
Dien Bien Phu (May 1954)
N. Vietnam forces surround & destroy 90% of all French troops
France announces withdrawal
Geneva Accords sign temporarily split Vietnam at 17th parallel & call for national reunification elections in 1956

4. US Diplomatic support (1954-63)
In South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem creates pro-western govt…but appears to be well on his way to losing in elections
Eisenhower pledges support to keep Diem govt. stable & postpones elections
1957—Vietcong (pro N. Vietnam forces) begin attacks

5. Kennedy pledges support to Diem in 1961…so not to look “soft” on communism
Sends 16,000 military advisors to Vietnam…non combat troops
Diem (Catholic) institutes anti-Buddhist policies & reorganization of village lands…very unpopular
Leads to Buddhist immolation protests
Unpopular Diem leads JFK to authorize coup to overthrow S. Vietnam govt.
Diem assassinated 11/1/1963

6. US Military Involvement
Lyndon Johnson increases troops to S. Vietnam to stabilize new govt. from communist forces
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Aug. 1964)
Reaction to the “attack” of the USS Maddox off the coast of Vietnam
98-2 vote to give LBJ all powers to send military troops
Feb. 1965—Operation Rolling Thunder
50,000 troops deployed along w/ sustained bomb campaign of N. Vietnam (180,000 by end of year)

8. War Tactics N. Vietnam Guerrilla warfare
Using cover of jungle, tunnels, & ambushes to counteract large firepower of US
Blended in traditional forces into general population

9. US War of attrition Search & Destroy Missions
Using body count numbers to evaluate success
Search & Destroy Missions
Destroying villages in order to root out imbedded enemy
Napalm & Agent Orange
Gas bombs to burn jungle and destroy tunnels
“Hearts & Minds” Campaign
Program to win support of Vietnamese people through acts of kindness
Failed miserably due to lack of understanding on part of US commanders

10. Effects of Agent Orange

11. Troop Morale Television & War
Draftees, lack of progress & instability of S. Vietnam all led to decline in troop morale…and increase in widespread criminal activity (drug use, etc.)
Television & War
Vietnam 1st war televised & uncensored
“living room war” led to dramatic, violent images of war never before seen at home…influenced popular opinion against the war
Credibility Gap
Public grew distrusting of leaders claiming victory & images showing defeat

12. Photos of Vietnam

13. Vietnam Protests

14. 1968 – A Year of Tragedy The Tet Offensive
Heavy losses by US and S. Vietnamese Army
Attacks on military bases in the South by Vietcong
Major loss of public support following Tet
Lack of Faith in President Johnson
60% of Americans dis-approve of his handling of the war

15. And you think the Republicans are Messed up this Year!
In 1968 President Johnson was up for re-election
But there were democrats who didn’t support his handling of the war and run against him
Eugene McCarthy (MN Senator)
Robert Kennedy (younger brother of JFK)
Johnson announces in March he won’t run for re-election
Hubert Humphrey (Johnson’s VP) eventually joins the race

16. Assassination Changes the Country
April 1968 – Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated
Riots break out in African American communities in over 100 cities
June 1968 – Robert Kennedy (presidential candidate) is assassinated after giving a speech following the California primary

17. Democratic National Convention
Chicago – August
Eugene McCarthy – anti-war
Hubert Humphrey – support of “the party”
Disorder inside as delegates argued their position on Vietnam
More disorder outside as thousands of protesters were being beaten by Chicago police
Humphrey gets the nomination of the Democrats

18. Election of 1968 Republican – Richard Nixon
Democrat – Herbert Humphrey
Independent – George Wallace “white backlash candidate”
Nixon winds in a landslide (mostly because the Democrats looked like a disaster at the convention)
Promises to get out of Vietnam