1. Vietnam War
“When nothing is owed, deserved, or expected / And your life doesn’t change by the man’s that’s elected”
--The Avett Brothers
“I had a brother at Khe Sahn Fighting off the Viet Cong They're still there, he's all gone”
--Bruce Springsteen

4. Geneva Accords
Stated that Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam would become independent countries
North and South Vietnam would be reunited with an election.
Ho Chi Minh-leader of the North; Communist
Ngo Dinh Diem- Leader of the south; non Communist

5. JFK
During JFK’s presidency the U.S. began Gradual Escalation (build up of military personnel and involvement in Vietnam)

6. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
American ships off the coast of North Vietnam were fired upon by Ho Chi Minh’s forces
Congress passed Tonkin Resolution, essentially meant President Johnson did not need Congress’ approval for war

7. General Westmoreland General in command in Vietnam in June 1964
Increased the number of U.S. forces involved

8. Fighting the War
Operation Rolling Thunder –bombing raids of North Vietnam
Napalm – jellied gasoline that explodes on contact
Agent Orange – chemical that stripped leaves from trees revealing the ground beneath

9. Vietcong
Vietcong – a private guerilla army that supported North Vietnam but had its home base in the South
Ho Chi Minh Trail – trail that passed through Cambodia and Laos; used to funnel supplies to Vietcong in the South

10. Tet Offensive
Offensive attack against the US and South Vietnam by the North
People shocked because Johnson had been telling the American people that the North was losing strength

11. Mai Lai
Mai Lai (1968) – event that shocked the nation when U.S. troops massacred 347 Vietnam civilians in a small village
Johnson decides not to run again after the war had gotten worse

12. Richard Nixon Wins the election of 1968
Nixon pledged to bring the war to a honorable end.
This was due to many anti-war protests across the country

13. Kent State Massacre
After the U.S. began invading Cambodia to take out Vietcong bases, millions of college students across US protested
National Guard was called to Kent State University to break up a demonstration
Killed 4 students

16. Dishonest Government Pentagon Papers: published by the NY Times
Showed that the American public was kept in the dark about many of the events in Vietnam

17. Vietnamization- Policy by Nixon to slowly remove troops and hand the war over to the South Vietnamese
Paris Peace Accords- ended the war between U.S. and North Vietnam
1975 – North and South Vietnam reunite under communism

18. Effects of the War
Veterans returning from Vietnam were discriminated against for their involvement
Many Americans did not trust the government
War Powers Act- required the President to inform Congress within 48 hours of sending troops into hostile locations