1. Good Morning!! NVC HOT ROC: Counterculture The Vietnam War Experience
Essential Question: Who fought in Vietnam the Vietnam War and why did they fight?
Homework: Cornell Notes pg

2. HOT ROC: Counterculture
How does this popular slogan from the 1960s show the relationship between Hippie Counterculture and the Vietnam War?

3. The Vietnam War Small numbers of U.S. troops in Vietnam c. 1955
1964 “official” U.S. combat operations begin with Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Known as “Americanization”: American troops now fighting the Vietnam War
Two Perspectives
U.S. viewed as a war for containment
North Vietnam viewed as a war against colonial imperialists

4. Who Fought?
Early years ( )—professional soldiers and volunteers.
Later years ( )—the Draft. (Selective Service): young, inexperienced, reluctant soldiers
December 1966, the draft selected up to 40,000 men each month.

5. Which Men Were Drafted? Most drafted young men were…
Lower income
No college degree
Blacks and Latinos made up 31% of all combat troops at the beginning of the draft.
“We believe that black people should not be forced to fight in the military service to defend a racist government that does not protect us.”—Black Panther Party
Over half of the sons of Congressmen and Senators received deferments
only 28 were sent to Vietnam and none were killed

6. Who were our enemies? North Vietnamese Army (NVA)
The main force
Uniformed, professional soldiers
Viet Cong: aka Viet Minh
South Vietnamese Communists
Name is shortened “Communist Traitor to Vietnam”
Guerilla Warfare: sneak attacks and booby traps that frustrate U.S. troops

7. End Results? U.S. Casualties Vietnamese Casualties
58,000 killed
400,000 wounded
Vietnamese Casualties
1 million soldiers killed
4 million civilians killed
“War is hell, but that's not the half of it, because war is also mystery and terror and adventure and courage and discovery and holiness and pity and despair and longing and love. War is nasty; war is fun. War is thrilling; war is drudgery. War makes you a man; war makes you dead.” – Tim Obrien, The Things They Carried