2. Vietnam War, 1940s - 1975

5. Ho Chi Minh  To the French in 1946, Ho said, “You can kill 10 of my men for every one I kill of yours, yet even at those odds, you will lose and I will win.”  First attempted to get Vietnam released from French rule at the 1919 League of Nations conference

6. Background to the conflict  Vietnam was a French colony  The Viet Minh started an independence movement in the early 1940s & turned to communism in the early 1950s  Viet Minh fought a guerrilla war, 1945-54 Viet Minh won decisively at Dien Bien Phu Viet Minh won decisively at Dien Bien Phu  Terms of the peace treaty split Vietnam at the 17th parallel Free elections were to have occurred in 1956 Free elections were to have occurred in 1956

7. Ho Chi Minh, a pro-Communist leader in Vietnam, led a group called the Vietminh against French control of his nation before, during, and after World War II.

8. North v. South Vietnam North = communist Received support from China and the USSR  Government led by Ho Chi Minh (Uncle Ho) South = semi-democratic Supported by USA  Government led by Diem (through 1963)

9. Early American involvement  US involvement was based on the domino theory According to President Eisenhower’s domino theory, if one Southeast Asian nation fell to communism, others would soon follow. According to President Eisenhower’s domino theory, if one Southeast Asian nation fell to communism, others would soon follow. JFK said: “If we withdrew from Vietnam, the communists would control Vietnam. Pretty soon, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos would fall to communism.” JFK said: “If we withdrew from Vietnam, the communists would control Vietnam. Pretty soon, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos would fall to communism.”

10. Sec of Defense McNamara  Suggested a more proactive position regarding Vietnam

11. Gulf of Tonkin incident, 1964

12. The August 2nd & 4th incidents  USS Turner Joy and the USS Maddox are allegedly fired upon by a North Vietnamese torpedo boat

13. LBJ makes the announcement of Tonkin incident

14. Congressional Vote  House of Representatives voted unanimously for the resolution  Senate vote was 98 for and 2 against

15. Expanding Presidential Power The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution In August 1964, Johnson announced that North Vietnamese torpedo boats had attacked American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. However, some people doubted that this incident had happened and believed it was only an excuse for further U.S. involvement in Vietnam. What Inspired the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution? The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, passed by Congress in 1964, regarded peace and security in Southeast Asia as vital to American national interest, and it gave the President additional powers to assist any Southeast Asian country “requesting assistance in defense of its freedoms.” What Was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution? Under the resolution, the President had authority to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression.” The resolution, therefore, changed the balance of power between Congress and the President. What Additional Powers Did It Give the President?

16. Vietnam War is escalated  Feb 1965: Operation Rolling Thunder was commenced Round the clock bombing of North Vietnam

17. Battlefield Conditions American Troops  Had superior weapons  Were unprepared for heat, terrain, or guerrilla tactics  Lacked support of most South Vietnamese  Most never saw the enemy but constantly faced the possibility of sudden danger. Viet Cong Troops  Fought as guerrillas; avoided head-on clashes  Were familiar with terrain; had support of many South Vietnamese  Built and hid in elaborate underground tunnels

18. B-52 Bomber carries 80,000 pounds of weapons

19. Rolling Thunder

20. Defoliation and Agent Orange

22. Some Weapons Used in the Vietnam War  Land Mines — Land mines,which can be set off by the pressure of a footstep, are explosive devices planted in the ground. Viet Cong landmines killed and wounded both American GIs and Vietnamese civilians.  Saturation Bombing — American B-52 bomber planes dropped thousands of tons of explosives, resulting in saturation bombing of North Vietnam.  Fragmentation Bombs — Fragmentation bombs, dropped by Americans over both North and South Vietnam, threw pieces of their thick metal casings in all directions when they exploded. In South Vietnam, fragmentation bombs killed and maimed countless civilians.  Agent Orange — American pilots dropped an herbicide called Agent Orange over Vietnamese jungles, killing vegetation and exposing Viet Cong hiding places. Agent Orange was later discovered to cause health problems in livestock and humans.  Napalm — Another chemical weapon used in Vietnam, napalm,was a jellylike substance which, when dropped from planes splattered, and burned uncontrollably.

23. Helicopters deliver troops

24. William Westmoreland  Westmoreland’s strategy: end the war quickly through “search and destroy” missions

25. Reasons for escalation  Domino theory  Stop North Vietnam aggression  National “reputation”  Implication of “avoiding humiliation”

26. The Ho Chi Minh Trail  North Vietnamese troops and supplies entered South Vietnam via the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a route that passed through Laos and Cambodia.

31. LBJ intimately involved in war planning

32. The Draft  Selective Service created a lottery program based on birth date  Draft classifications: 1-A = available 1-O = conscientious objector 2-S = student deferment 1-H = not available (usually an age issue)

33. The Generation Gap  Establishment  Anti-establishment

34. End of a(n) ______? Vietnam

35. TET Offensive, February 1968 On January 30, 1960, the Viet Cong and North Vietnam launched a major offensive. This series of attacks was called the Tet Offensive since it occurred during Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. During and after the Tet Offensive, both sides were guilty of brutal atrocities. 85,000 NVA and Viet Cong launch attacks against South Vietnam, as far south as Saigon –Wanted to incite a rebellion in the South against the South Vietnamese government

36. My Lai Massacre, March 1968 Frustrated soldiers led by Lt. Calley entered a village expecting to find NVA 300 civilians killed My Lai was not generally known until November 1969

37. Lt. Calley Placed on trial Sentenced to life in prison but released in 1974 Dishonorable discharge from the army

38. Nixon on Vietnam  Nixon’s 1968 Campaign promised an end to the war: Peace with Honor  Appealed to the great “Silent Majority”  In a 1969 speech, Nixon appealed to those who, he felt, quietly supported his policies. He referred to this group of Americans as “the silent majority.  Expansion of the conflict  The “Secret War”  Cambodia  Laos

39. Student Activism Student Activism in the 1960s Generation Gap — Young Americans in the 1960s had many opportunities unknown to previous generations; many also questioned the values of their parents. These factors contributed to a wider generation gap between college- aged youths and their parents. Students for a Democratic Society and the New Left — Organized in 1960, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) had a major impact on the New Left, a political movement that advocated radical changes to deal with problems such as poverty and racism. The Free Speech Movement — Student protests for free speech at the University of California at Berkeley inspired similar movements elsewhere, including challenges to social restrictions on campuses. The Teach-in Movement — Begun at the University of Michigan in March 1965, teach-ins, or special sessions at which issues concerning the war could be discussed, soon became a popular means of expressing antiwar sentiment. Continued Protests — Hundreds of demonstrations continued at colleges and universities around the country. One of the most dramatic, at Columbia University in New York City, linked the issues of civil rights and the war.

40. Kent State Kent State and Jackson State When student antiwar protesters at Kent State University in Ohio reacted angrily to Nixon’s invasion of Cambodia, Nixon ordered the National Guard to Kent State. After students threw rocks at the guardsmen, the troops opened fire, killing and wounding both protesters and bystanders. The violence at Kent State, and a similar incident at Jackson State in Mississippi, horrified Americans.

41. “Pentagon Papers” 1971 Daniel Ellsberg leaked govt. docs. regarding war efforts during LBJ presidency to the Newspaper.Daniel Ellsberg leaked govt. docs. regarding war efforts during LBJ presidency to the Newspaper. Revealing  Govt. misled Congress & Amer. People regarding its intentions in Vietnam during mid-1960s.Revealing  Govt. misled Congress & Amer. People regarding its intentions in Vietnam during mid-1960s.  Primary reason for fighting not to eliminate communism, but to avoid humiliating defeat.

42. Senate Hearings on Vietnam John Kerry “We are asking Americans to think about that because how do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?” “The country has created a monster”

43. The Ceasefire, 1973 Peace is at hand  1973: Kissinger, 1972 P North Vietnam attacks South P Most Massive U.S. bombing commences Ceasefire Ceasefire signed between signed between P U.S., South Vietnam, & North Vietnam

44. Provisions of Peace Settlement Between the United States, South Vietnam, North Vietnam, and the Viet Cong,Signed in Paris in January 1973 The United States would withdraw all its forces from South Vietnam within 60 days. All prisoners of war would be released. All parties to the agreement would end military activities in Laos and Cambodia. The 17th parallel would continue to divide North and South Vietnam until the country could be reunited. American Withdrawal

45. The Ceasefire, 1973 zConditions: 1. U.S. to remove all troops 2. North Vietnam could leave troops already in S.V. 3. North Vietnam would resume war 4. No provision for POWs or MIAs Last American troops left South Vietnam on March 29, 1973

46.  1975: North Vietnam defeats South Vietnam  Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City

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

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

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

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

51. Formerly Saigon A United Vietnam

52. The Costs 1.3,000,000 Vietnamese killed 2.58,000 Americans killed; 300,000 wounded 3.Under-funding of Great Society programs 4.$150,000,000,000 in U.S. spending 5.U.S. morale, self- confidence, trust of government, decimated

54. The Impact 1. 26 th Amendment  2. Nixon abolished the draft  3. War Powers Act, 1973  18-year-olds vote all-volunteer army President must notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying military force President must withdraw forces unless he gains Congressional approval within 90 days

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

56. 2,583 American POWs / MIAs still unaccounted for today.

57. I f 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. And in the End…. Ho Chi Minh:

58. Lessons for Future American Presidents 1.Wars must be of short duration. 2.Wars must yield few American casualties. 3.Restrict media access to battlefields. 4.Develop and maintain Congressional and public support. 5.Set clear, winnable goals. 6.Set deadline for troop withdrawals.

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

60. Memorial to US Servicemen in Vietnam

61. Memorial to US Nurses in Vietnam

62. 58,00058,000

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