1. The Conflict Grows Section 2

2. Words to Know Napalm: A sticky gasoline jelly used in bombs Agent Orange: A powerful chemical that kills all plant life where it is sprayed Conscientious objector: A persons whose beliefs do not let him or her take an active part in the war Deferment: Putting off, or delaying, having to serve in the armed forces

3. A Difficult Fight 1966: U.S. military leaders knew that the Vietnam War would not end soon –Never faced an enemy like this U.S. dropped napalm and agent orange on the V.C. hideouts –Dropped on areas nt easily reached by troops –Civilian casualties End of 1966: 385,000+ troops

4. Tet Offensive Important Vietnamese holiday –Vietnamese New Year –Celebrate for several days 1968: V.C., S.V., and the U.S. –Agree to stop fighting on Tet –Most S.V. went home V.C.: surprise attack in Saigon –Also struck nearby towns and villages –U.S. embassy and Military base in Saigon badly damaged 84,000 V.C. and N.V. took part in the Tet Offensive

5. Anger Angered Americans Enemy stepping up their attacks –Cities –Towns –Villages Fewer Americans supported the war

6. Voices Against War Many young people wanted peace –College students –High School students –Conscientious Objectors Believed it was wrong to fight in Vietnam Started antiwar protests –Some protests were peaceful –Some ended up in fights between antiwar activists and people who supported the war

7. May 1970 Kent State University (Ohio) –Protest National Guard protecting university buildings –Rocks thrown at them –Shoots fired well over their heads 4 students killed Nine wounded

8. Draft Antiwar activists protested the draft –College students could get a deferment Thought it was unfair –Poor people couldn’t afford college Some protestors moved to Canada

9. The Election of 1968 LBJ lost a lot of American support –March 31, 1968 Announced he would not seek re-election Robert Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy sought the Democratic nomination –Both against the war

10. June 5, 1968 2 months after King Jr’s assassination –Robert Kennedy was shot August: Democrats met in Chicago to pick a candidate –Antiwar protestors followed Protestors fought police All televised Chicago torn apart by antiwar riots –VP Hubert Humphrey chosen

11. Nixon Republicans met in Miami –Very few protestors Nixon chosen to run –Promised to end the war Nixon beat Humphrey in a close race