1. Chapter 22: The Vietnam War Years
U.S. History
Chapter 22: The Vietnam War Years

2. BellRinger
List 3-4 things you know about Vietnam

3. Origins of the Conflict in Vietnam
France controlled Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) from late 19th century until WWII
Exploited natural resources
Rice and rubber
Who took over during WWII?

5. Independence Movement in Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh
leader of Indochinese Communist Party forms the Vietminh, an organization to fight for Vietnam’s independence from foreign rule
Declared Vietnam an independent nation in 1945

6. French Indochina War,
After WWII, France attempts to re-establish its rule in Vietnam
In 1950, the United States entered the conflict as they helped France with military and economic aide
Maintaining an ally against Soviet Union
Containment

7. End of the French Indochina War
1954 Dien Bien Phu
Vietminh conquered the main French outpost at Dien Bien Phu
French were defeated
Geneva Accords
Peace agreement that temporarily divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel (North/South)
A unifying election was to be held in 1956

8. U.S. Presidents and Involvement in Vietnam Group Assignment
Analyze the role of each President in the U.S. involvement in Vietnam
Each group will be given a President
Read documents and discuss the President’s policies during the Vietnam conflict
Report to the class
When completed, everyone will have the policies filled in for each of the four Presidents

9. U.S. Escalation in Vietnam

10. U.S. Escalation in Vietnam

11. BELLRINGER
Initially, why did the United States get involved in the conflict in Vietnam?
What was the United States’ role in the French Indochina War?

12. BELLRINGER
In warfare or a sporting event, is it easier to fight/play against an opponent whose tactics/strategies are known or unknown? Please explain.

13. Vietnam
Theme: What Made Fighting in Vietnam So Hard For American Soldiers?
What is Guerilla Warfare?
Hit and Run Tactics
Who’s the Enemy?
Where’s the Enemy?
Tunnels of the Vietcong
Video Clip

14. The Jungle Terrain in Vietnam
Excerpt from Red Thunder, Tropic Lightning
What were some of the harsh conditions that soldiers faced in Vietnam?

15. Reflection
What made the fighting in Vietnam so hard for American soldiers?

16. The Decision to Escalate
Election of 1964
Lyndon Johnson
“I’m not about to send American boys 9-10,000 miles away from home and do what Asian boys should be doing themselves”
Barry Goldwater
Extreme anti-Communist

17. The Decision to Escalate cont.
“Democrats soft on Communism”
1965: President Johnson begins sending tens of thousands of American troops to Vietnam
By the end of 1965, 180,000 American troops were in Vietnam
Initially, 61% of Americans supported the decision
Vital to the safety and security of the United States and World

18. Leadership in Vietnam General William Westmoreland
ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam)
Lacked leadership, training, technology
Westmoreland continued to ask for more troops
By 1967, the United States had 500,000 troops in Vietnam

19. BELLRINGER
List 4-5 things that made fighting in Vietnam hard for American soldiers.

20. Fighting in Vietnam Americans predicted a swift defeat?
Guerilla Warfare
Hit and Run tactics
Jungle terrain
Land mines
Climate
Underground Tunnels
Diagram p. 731

22. Ho Chi Minh Trail

23. A War of Attrition
Gradually wearing down the enemy through continuous harassment
Search and destroy missions
Introduction of the body count
What was the purpose?

24. Attrition cont.
Westmoreland underestimated the resolve of the Vietcong as they had no intentions of surrendering
Vietcong were aided by China and the Soviet Union with military supplies
Vietcong viewed the battle as a fight for their very existence and were prepared to fight to the death

25. Napalm and Agent Orange
Gasoline-based bomb used to set the jungle on fire
Agent Orange
leaf-killing toxic chemical used to destroy jungle

26. “Working Class War” African Americans
A “Manipulatable” Draft
80% of soldiers came from lower economic levels
Many medical excuses
National Guard
Coast Guard
College
African Americans
Served in disproportionate numbers
20% of battle deaths, only made up 10% of the population

27. Roots of Opposition New Left Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)
Free Speech Movement
Avoiding the draft
200,000 draft offenses
4,000 jailed
10,000 fled to Canada
Doves
Hawks

28. Tet Offensive
January 30, 1968

29. Tet Changes Public Opinion
Journalist Walker Cronkite
“more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate”
Defense Secretary Clark Clifford
“We seem to be in a sinkhole”

30. The Nation Turns on President Johnson
“If I’ve lost Walter, then it’s over. I’ve lost Mr. Average Citizen”
60% of citizens disapproved

31. Johnson Withdraws
President Johnson decides to not seek re-election in 1968

32. President Nixon and Vietnamization, 1969-1975
Vietnamization- Nixon’s plan for the gradual withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam
“We have to get rid of the nightmares we inherited. One of the nightmares is a war without end.”
By 1972, American soldiers in Vietnam was less than 25,000

33. Peace with Honor
President Nixon intended to maintain dignity while removing troops from Vietnam
Invading Laos and Cambodia
Continuing to bomb North Vietnam, chart p.748

34. Pentagon Papers
7,000 page document prepared for Defense Secretary Robert McNamara. It revealed plans that the government was making plans for entering the war in Vietnam even as President Johnson promised not to send American troops to Vietnam
Confirms Americans distrust of the government

35. The End of the War
After years of negotiations, on January 27, 1973 the U.S. signed an agreement ending the war
North Vietnamese troops would remain in South Vietnam
March 29, 1973 the last of American combat forces left Vietnam

36. End of the War cont.
Within months of the peace agreement, the cease-fire agreement between North and South Vietnam collapsed
In March of 1975, North Vietnam launched a full scale attack on South Vietnam
Within a month, Saigon fell to North Vietnam and South Vietnam surrendered

37. Legacy of the War 58,000 soldiers died 365,000 wounded
15% of the 3.3 million soldiers returned home with delayed stress syndrome
War Powers Act- President must inform Congress within 48 hours if U.S. forces are sent into a hostile area without a declaration of war. In addition, the troops cannot remain there for more than 90 days without Congressional approval or a declaration of war