1. Chapter 27
Vietnam Era

2. Prior Activity Cold War Continues Korean Conflict
Still trying to contain communism
Vietnam’s Past, WWII

3. The Beginnings Ho Chi Minh US supports France 8 years of fighting
Communist
Ask for help
Wanted independence
Vietminh
US supports France
8 years of fighting
Dienbienphu

4. Domino Theory in SW Asia
US afraid Vietnam would become Communist
Vietnam Divided: Geneva Accords
North: Ho Chi Minh
South: Ngo Dinh Diem
Elections Fail
Guerilla Warfare began
Vietcong are established

5. American Role Eisenhower Kennedy LBJ US vs. SU and China
Diem Corrupt
LBJ
US vs. SU and China
The Gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Escalated War

6. War Begins Massive Buildup Search and Destroy Tet Offensive
1965 Pleiku attacked
1968 ½ troops
Search and Destroy
Napalm
The Agents (Orange, White)
Tet Offensive
Victory and defeat

7. Military Split Hawks: Supporters Doves: Opposers Draft: 1.8 million
Opposition
Draft Cards
Border Jumping
Conscientious objectors: people who refuse to participate in war because of a strong belief that war is wrong

8. The End in Sight Election of 1968 LBJ Declines to Run
Hubert Humphrey steps in
Chicago convention: Police riots
Richard Nixon nominated
George Wallace – third-party candidate

9. Nixons Promises Vietnamization: let the South Vietnamese fight
Down Scaling:
August 1969: 25k came home
April 1970: 150k came home
Expansion
Troops go into Laos and Cambodia
Ho Chi Minh Trail

10. Effects Little impact on N. Vietnam Cambodia thrown into Civil War
More protesting

11. Violence turned Bad
Kent State University: National Guardsmen fire on students
Jackson State College: 2 dead/12 injured

12. Peace Talks in Paris Henry Kissinger, National Security Advisor
Continued Bombing
Paris Peace Accords
Last troops were out by March 1973
Convoy of Terrors
US evacuation

13. Uncertain Times Moon Landing Economic Problems Cold War Tensions
July 20, 1969: Apollo 11
Economic Problems
Military spending = inflation
Inflation: a steady rise in prices
Economic recession and high unemployment
Cold War Tensions
Chinese civil war/ Korean conflict

14. Watergate Scandal 1972: Nixon was reelected
5 men of campaign were arrested
Watergate Trials
Evidence concealed by Nixon
Nixon Resigns
Gerald Ford assumes office

15. Ford Presidency Pardon of Nixon Whip Inflation Now Tax cut
Evacuate more than 50k S. Vietnamese
1976 election, Ford is beat out by Jimmy Carter