1. American/S. V. War Tactics N. Vietnamese War Tactics
-  hi-tech war, using B52 bombers, artillery, helicopters, napalm, and defoliants Killed many innocent civilians Failed to stop guerillas
- made peasants leave Vietcong-controlled areas & live in defended strategic hamlets  Created immense opposition Allowed Vietcong infiltrators into loyal areas
- Sent on patrols, then supported by air and artillery when attacked. Demoralized the soldiers who felt they were being used just as bait.
- Search and destroy patrols
 guerrilla war: ambushing US patrols, setting booby traps and landmines, and planting bombs in towns. Mingled in with the peasants, wearing ordinary clothes.
Supplied with rockets and weapons by China and Russia.
Used the Ho Chi Minh Trail - a jungle route through Laos and Cambodia - Americans couldn't attack their supply routes without escalating the war.
“Hanging onto the belts" of the Americans - staying so close to the Americans that they could not use air or artillery backup without killing their own men.
Agent Orange – a chemical that kills plants; sprayed by United States planes over the jungles
Napalm – jellied gasoline that burns violently; dropped by United States planes over wide areas

2. 1968 – Vietnam War Turning Points

3. Tet Offensive goal: Break stalemate
Buddhist holiday of TET: 1/31/68 New Year! – unofficial ceasefire 80,000 Vietcong troops emerged tunnels attacked 13 major cities
100+ locations
- American base at DANANG -American embassy in SAIGON 
U.S. & South ground forces recaptured territory inflicting twice as many casualties
American morale suffered insurmountable blow General Westmooreland wanted 200,000 more troops Denied by Johnson Rather than reelection, LBJ promised peace Richard Nixon took office of president Vowed to end the war

5. Nixon wanted to:. a) appeal to “silent majority”
Nixon wanted to: a) appeal to “silent majority” protester voices should not be the only ones heard Silent Majority
b) “Vietnamization” – disengage in Vietnam and transfer responsibility to S. V. limit American casualties withdraw troops gradually increase aerial bombardment
train/equip S. V. troops
strengthen gov’t – organize elections, expand into rural, reforms c) Paris Peace Talks – secret with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger & Le Duc Tho (N.) Earned Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 – Tho refused the award
549,000 in 1969 to 68,
31,000 dead since 1965

6. My Lai Massacre Led to more forceful anti-war feelings in U.S.
March Lt. William Calley & Charlie Company 11th Brigade
Had lost many members prior to My Lai (28 of 130 members) Vietcong deeply entrenched in the area Previously maimed & killed many in Brigade Been elusive to the Company for months “Search and Destroy” mission ‘Enter the village firing’ Intelligence believed civilians had all left Destroy crops, buildings, livestock
Slaughter of more than 500 unarmed civilians No Vietnamese men of fighting age
Hugh Thompson Army helicopter pilot on a reconnaissance mission ended it Flew S. V. survivors to hospitals – awarded medal of honor Word of event came to U.S. in Nov. 1969
Calley sentenced to life in prison Paroled in 1974 after successful appeal

7. Write words that come to mind when viewing images Silent reflection time after photos are seen.
Songs: War - Edwin Starr Give Peace a Chance – John Lennon

8. Cholon after Tet Offensive operations 1968

9. City destroyed by the Tet Offensive

10. Vietnamese family fleeing their home on the first day of the Offensive

11. A Viet Cong ambush in Saigon

12. U.S. troops takes a suspected Viet Cong member in for questioning

13. “When I die I’ll go to heaven because I spent my time in Hell – Saigon”

14. Bombardment on Southern Vietnam city

15. An American soldier firing his M-16 at Vietnamese civilians in the village of My Lai. 

16. "The involvement of so many unprepared officers led to breakdowns in morale, discipline and professional judgement -- and to horrors like My Lai -- as the troops became numb to what appeared to be endless and mindless slaughter."

17. “She hid for four hours under a pile of corpses, clutching her 6-year-old son. Her dead mother, brother and another son sprawl nearby.”
Burning hut in the town of My Lai

18. Vietnamese women were raped; other civilians were clubbed and stabbed
Vietnamese women were raped; other civilians were clubbed and stabbed. Some victims were mutilated with the signature ‘C Company’ carved into the chest. One soldier would testify later, ‘I cut their throats, cut off their hands, cut out their tongues, scalped them. I did it. A lot of people were doing it and I just followed. I lost all sense of direction.’ Only one American was injured - a GI who had shot himself in the foot while clearing his pistol.

21. Pentagon Papers – further turning point
Complete the 2 questions – finish for homework. Due 1/17 or 1/18