1. The Vietnam War

2. Background to the War
France controlled “Indochina” since the late 19th century
Japan took control during World War II
With U.S. aid, France attempted re-colonization in the postwar period
Ho Chi Minh had been fighting for Vietnamese independence since World War I.
The U.S. gave France aid to win its support in American anticommunist efforts in Western Europe.

3. Background to the War
The French lost control to Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh forces in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu
He believed the best way to fight colonial imperialism was through a communist revolution
President Eisenhower offered aid to France as he believed if Vietnam fell to communism, all of SE Asia would fall as well
DOMINO THEORY!!!!
Ho Chi Minh had been fighting for Vietnamese independence since World War I.
The U.S. gave France aid to win its support in American anticommunist efforts in Western Europe.

4. Background to the War International Conference at Geneva
Vietnam was divided at 17th parallel
Ho Chi Minh’s nationalist forces controlled the North
Ngo Dinh Diem, a French-educated, Roman Catholic claimed control of the South
Realizing he would Diem backs out of elections.

5. Background to the War
July 1965 was the date set for democratic elections to reunify Vietnam
Diem backed out of the elections, leading to military conflict between North and South
Realizing he would lose, Diem backed out of elections.

6. U.S. Military Involvement Begins
Repressive dictatorial rule by Diem
Diem’s family holds all power
Wealth is hoarded by the elite
Buddhist majority persecuted
Torture, lack of political freedom prevail
The U.S. aided Diem’s government
Ike sent financial and military aid
675 U.S. Army advisors sent by 1960.
Realizing he would Diem backs out of elections.

7. Early Protests of Diem’s Government
Self-Immolation by a Buddhist Monk

8. U.S. Military Involvement Begins
Kennedy elected 1960
Increases military “advisors” to 16,000
1963: JFK supports a Vietnamese military coup d’etat – Diem and his brother are murdered (Nov. 2)
Kennedy’s advisors were clearly fighting a covert war by 1963.
MacNamara has suggested that he believes Kennedy would have pulled the U.S. out, but evidence in inconclusive.
JFK realizes Diem is a liability; offers quiet support to a Vietnamese military coup d’etat.
The coup results in the brutal murders of Diem and his brother
The Vietnamese generals overthrow one another. A relatively stable, but tyrannical government emerges. It is little better than Diem’s.

9. Johnson Sends Ground Forces
Remembers Truman’s “loss” of China  Domino Theory revived
I’m not going to be the president who saw Southeast Asia go the way China went.
What Johnson told Congress
What he didn’t tell Congress:
He had already written the resolution before the “incident.”
The U.S. naval vessels were aiding ARVN in commando raids in North Vietnam at the time.
He learned that the attack probably hadn’t occurred.
The U.S. navy was not on the “high seas” but in N. Vietnam’s 12 mile territorial limit.

10. Johnson Sends Ground Forces
Tonkin Gulf Incident  1964 (acc. to Johnson, the attacks were unprovoked)
US Naval ships reported torpedo attacks
No damage done
Johnson ordered air strikes against bases in the North
Tonkin Gulf Resolution – August 7, 1964
“The Blank Check” *
“take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the US”
Shifted power of war from Congress to president
What Johnson told Congress
What he didn’t tell Congress:
He had already written the resolution before the “incident.”
The U.S. naval vessels were aiding ARVN in commando raids in North Vietnam at the time.
He learned that the attack probably hadn’t occurred.
The U.S. navy was not on the “high seas” but in N. Vietnam’s 12 mile territorial limit.

11. U.S. Troop Deployments in Vietnam
Kennedy’s advisors were clearly fighting a covert war by 1963.
MacNamara has suggested that he believes Kennedy would have pulled the U.S. out, but evidence in inconclusive.
JFK realizes Diem is a liability; offers quiet support to a Vietnamese military coup d’etat.
The coup results in the brutal murders of Diem and his brother
The Vietnamese generals overthrow one another. A relatively stable, but tyrannical government emerges. It is little better than Diem’s.

13. The Air War 1965-1968 1965: Sustained bombing of North Vietnam
Operation Rolling Thunder (March 2, 1965)
: Ongoing bombing of Hanoi nonstop for 3 years! Esp. targets the Ho Chi Minh Trail - network of paths, roads, and tunnels. Destroy war industries.
Downed Pilots: P.O.W.s
Carpet Bombing – napalm and Agent Orange

14. The Air War: A Napalm Attack

15. The Air War: Agent Orange Attack
Effects of Agent Orange

16. The Ground War 1965-1968 No territorial goals
Body counts on TV every night (first “living room” war) Viet Cong supplies over the Ho Chi Minh Trail

17. The Ground War 1965-1968 Vietcong proved difficult to defeat
Used effective guerrilla tactics and a knowledge of the land to make up for inferior weaponry
US tried to win Vietnamese support through pacification
Government troops guarded civilian areas
High US-caused civilian casualties lessened the change for support

18. Who Is the Enemy? Vietcong: Farmers by day; guerillas at night.
Very patient people willing to accept many casualties.
The US grossly underestimated their resolve and their resourcefulness.
The guerilla wins if he does not lose, the conventional army loses if it does not win Mao Zedong

19. Who Is the Enemy?

20. We can see the “light at the end of the tunnel.”
The Ground War
General Westmoreland, late 1967:
We can see the “light at the end of the tunnel.”

21. Doves vs. Hawks
Doves were people who called for the withdrawal of US troops
Sen. J William Fulbright believed that Johnson exaggerated the Communist threat in Vietnam  wanted peace
Martin Luther King Jr., felt the war prevented the growth of social programs in the US but believed that communism threatened world peace
Hawks were those who supported the war and increased military spending

22. The Tet Offensive, January 1968
Tet = Vietnamese New Year
Normally a cease-fire called so this came as a surprise
N. Vietnamese Army + Viet Cong attack South simultaneously (67,000 attack 100 cities, bases, and the US embassy in Saigon)
Take every major southern city
U.S. and South Vietnamese army beat back the offensive
Viet Cong destroyed
N. Vietnamese army debilitated
BUT…it’s seen as an American defeat by the media

23. The Tet Offensive, January 1968

24. Impact of the Tet Offensive
Domestic U.S. Reaction: Disbelief, Anger, Distrust of Johnson Administration
Hey, Hey LBJ! How many kids did you kill today?

25. Johnson’s popularity dropped in 1968 from 48% to 36%.

26. Impact of the Vietnam War
Johnson announces (March, 1968):
…I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President.

27. Election of 1968 Democrats Republicans Humphrey – 42.7%
Sen. Robert F. Kennedy
US should do everything to negotiate a peaceful end to the war
Believed in civil rights and assistance to the poor
VP Hubert Humphrey
Disliked by voters due to his stance on the war
6/5/68 RFK is assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan
Guaranteed Humphrey the nomination
Republicans
Former VP Richard Nixon
Claimed to have a “secret plan” for ending the war
Spoke to the Silent Majority – blue collar workers, European ethnics, Catholics, etc
Humphrey – 42.7%
Nixon – 43.4% WINNER!!!
Wallace (independent) – 13.5%

28. Nixon on Vietnam
Nixon’s 1968 Campaign promised an end to the war: Peace with Honor
Vietnamization – gradually turn over all of the fighting to the South Vietnamese army
Continue to train and supply after US left
Expansion of the conflict  The “Secret War”
Cambodia – Khmer Rouge (the communist army) increased its attacks
Nixon sends in troops to protect its pro-US government
Nixon’s “secret” plan never materializes.
He involved us more.
“Peace with Honor” We’ll win befoe we withdraw.
Expansion:Cambodia invaded in 1970: Ho Chi Minh Trail
Laos invaded in 1971: Ho Chi Minh Trail

29. Anti-War Demonstrations
Columbia University 1967

31. Hell no, we won’t go!

32. Anti-War Demonstrations
Student Protestors at Univ. of CA in Berkeley, 1968
Democratic Convention in Chicago, 1968

33. “Hanoi Jane”
Jane Fonda: Traitor?

34. The Kent State Shooting
May 4, 1970
Students attacked a military training building in protest
National Guard brought in to restore order
Soldiers tried to break up protest w/ tear gas, students threw rocks at soldiers, soldiers opened fire
4 students shot dead.
14 students wounded
Kent State University

36. “Pentagon Papers,” 1971 Nixon revised strategy, ended war in Cambodia
Former defense analyst Daniel Ellsberg leaked gov’t documents regarding war efforts during Johnson’s administration to the New York Times.
Docs. Govt. misled Congress & American people regarding its intentions in Vietnam during mid-1960s.
Primary reason for fighting not to eliminate communism, but to avoid humiliating defeat.
New York Times v. United States (1971)
Nixon revised strategy, ended war in Cambodia
Nixon resigns over the Watergate Scandal in 1974.
Ford takes the helm.

37. The Ceasefire, 1973 Peace is at hand  Kissinger, 1972
North Vietnam attacks South
Most Massive U.S. bombing commences
1973: Ceasefire signed between
U.S., South Vietnam, & North Vietnam
Peace with honor (President Nixon)
Nixon resigns over the Watergate Scandal in 1974.
Ford takes the helm.

38. Dr. Henry Kissinger & Le Duc Tho
Peace Negotiations
US & Vietnamese argue for 5 months over the size of the conference table!
Dr. Henry Kissinger & Le Duc Tho

39. Paris Peace Accords 1973 Conditions: U.S. to remove all troops
North Vietnam could leave troops already in S.V.
Demilitarized buffer zone separating the two sides
North Vietnam would resume war
No provision for POWs or MIAs
Last American troops left South Vietnam on March 29, 1973
1975: North Vietnam defeats South Vietnam
Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City
Many U.S.-loyal South Vietnamese attempt to flee for fear of execution by the North.

40. South Vietnamese Attempt to Flee the Country
The Fall of Saigon
South Vietnamese Attempt to Flee the Country

41. America Abandons Its Embassy
The Fall of Saigon
April 30, 1975
America Abandons Its Embassy

42. North Vietnamese at the Presidential Palace
The Fall of Saigon
North Vietnamese at the Presidential Palace

43. A United Vietnam
Formerly Saigon

44. The Costs 3,000,000 Vietnamese killed
58,000 Americans killed; 300,000 wounded
Under-funding of Great Society programs
$150,000,000,000 in U.S. spending
U.S. morale, self-confidence, trust of government, decimated
Diversion of capital to the war indirectly caused economic recession: 11% inflation and 12% unemployment!

45. The Impact 26th Amendment: 18-year-olds vote
Nixon abolished the draft all-volunteer army
War Powers Act, 1973 ٭
President must notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying military force
President must withdraw forces unless he gains Congressional approval within 90 days
Disregard for Veterans  seen as “baby killers”
POW/MIA issue lingered
War Powers Act., 1973, passed over Nixon's veto, requires the President to
notify Congress within 48 hours of his use of military force in a foreign country or enlarging an ongoing conflict.
The President must secure Congressional approval if he intends to keep these troops overseas for more than 60 days. If he doesn't, he must withdraw the forces.
Congress can pass a joint resolution to withdraw the troops before the 60 day deadline. (Each President since has denied its validity, though the issue has never been tested.)
No welcome home (shamed and ashamed), high unemployment, alcohol & drug abuse; poor care of disabled vets: underfunded vets hospitals, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; Agent Orange health problems, birth defects in vets’ children.

46. Some American POWs Returned from the “Hanoi Hilton”
Senator John McCain (R-AZ)

47. 2,583 American POWs / MIAs still unaccounted for today.

48. And in the End…. Ho Chi Minh:
If we have to fight, we will fight. You will kill ten of our men and we will kill one of yours, and in the end it will be you who tires of it.

49. Lessons for Future American Presidents
Wars must be of short duration.
Wars must yield few American casualties.
Restrict media access to battlefields.
Develop and maintain Congressional and public support.
Set clear, winnable goals.
Set deadline for troop withdrawals.

50. The Vietnam Memorial, Washington, D.C.

51. Memorial to US Servicemen in Vietnam

52. Memorial to US Nurses in Vietnam

53. 58,000

54. President Clinton formally recognized Vietnam on July 11, 1995