1. The Vietnam War: War in Southeast Asia Section 20.1

2. What words would you use to describe America’s role in WWII? Clockwise, from upper left: Rosie, Marines plant flag on Iwo Jima, burning destroyer in Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt and Churchill, Ike gives soldiers pre-D Day speech

3. What words describe America’s role in the Vietnam War? Watch the following video clips and then make a list of at least 10 words to describe it: Left: US and South Vietnamese joint patrol; right: burning village

4. Capture from opening credits of Vietnam movie

6. The jungles of Vietnam

7. Bamboo hut by a river

8. So, what words describe the Vietnam War? Remember, your goal is to write ten such words…

9. At the end of this lesson, you should be able to answer the following: Where is Vietnam? How did we get involved in the Vietnam War in the first place? Why did we get involved? What was it like to be an American/North Vietnamese soldier? What were the battle tactics?

10. Describe Vietnam after WWII: A French Colony –Rich in natural resources War torn –Japanese occupation ended –Americans and Vietminh fought together Led by Ho Chi Minh –Used words of Declaration of Independence to declare Vietnamese independence Ho’s War of Independence –“If ever the tiger pauses the elephant will impale him on his mighty tusks. But the tiger will not pause and the elephant will die of exhaustion and loss of blood.” Above: Ho Chi Minh; below: map of Vietnam

11. Why did the US decide to support the French in their war with Minh? Cold War –Containment –Afraid of losing France as ally Domino Theory –Remember how it goes? –China fell and like a domino others would become communist if not contained Cartoon ridicules the domino theory

12. Why was Vietnam divided in 1954? The border (17 th Parallel) in 1954

13. Why was Vietnam divided in 1954? French defeated at Dien Bien Phu Geneva peace agreement called for a temporary division along 17 th parallel –Vietminh controlled North –French in South Elections in 1956 to decide who would lead reunified country Eisenhower believed South would vote communist –Refused to sign agreement Map showing N. and S. Vietnam, as well as neighboring countries

14. Describe the rule of South Vietnam under Ngo Dinh Diem: Wealthy landowners controlled nation, poor peasants lived in poverty Diem –Anti-communist/Dictator Strongly supported by US –Gave him $1 billion in aid (1954-61) Spent 80% on military, little on helping poor Rigged votes to make US think he was popular Above: contrast of wealth and poverty (cars and oxen); below: Diem on Time cover and with generals

15. What was the National Liberation Front? Coalition of Vietminh and other anti-Diem groups in South Better known as Vietcong –Communists Promised peasants economic reform, reunification with N. Vietnam –Terrorist Assassinated 2 thousand officials Gradually supported by Ho Chi Minh, China, and Russia Above and below: Vietcong

16. Describe JFK’s Vietnam policy: Expanded Eisenhower’s policy Sent South Vietnamese military equipment and advisers (16 thousand) Pressured Diem to make political and economic reforms Supported overthrow of Diem after finding out about his brutal repression of Buddhist monks –Monks set themselves on fire in protest Diem assassinated during coup d’ etat 8/1963 Above: JFK points to map of SE Asia during speech; below: protesting monk burns to death

17. Gulf of Tonkin Presentation See above

18. What is the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution? Congressional act which allowed LBJ to greatly expand US involvement in Vietnam Signed under pretext that N. Vietnamese gunboats had fired on US destroyer unprovoked “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack …” LBJ withheld evidence –Ship not attacked –Destroyers were sending S. Vietnamese on commando raids USS Maddox Above: detail of the Gulf of Tonkin

19. Gulf of Tonkin Blank start of Gulf of Tonkin clip

20. What was operation Rolling Thunder? Smoke from US bombing campaign

21. What was Operation Rolling Thunder and why is it important? Massive US bombing campaign against N. Vietnam –Roads, bases, supply lines hit Ho Chi Minh Trail targeted –Supply line from N. Vietnam, through Laos, Cambodia Significance N. Vietnam suffered heavy loses yet kept fighting LBJ decided to sent hundreds of thousands of troops Map shows the Ho Chi Minh Trail

22. Newsreel chronicles bombing of Ho Chi Minh Trail

23. Why was the US optimistic about winning the war? Much more powerful military arsenal –Air power –Believed it could break Vietcong’s will to fight Measured success by body-counts, not territory “You can kill ten of my men for every one I kill of yours, but even at those odds, you will lose…” –Ho Chi Minh Above: US helicopters; below: soldiers with machine guns

24. Unconventional Warfare Capture from clip on war strategies (ours and theirs)

25. How did the US fight the war? Air War –Over 100 thousand raids in 1967 –B52 –Limited success Vietcong dug 30 thousand miles of underground tunnels (supply routes) Ground War –“search and destroy” missions –Jungle patrols –Heat, mosquitoes, leeches, snakes –Carried 50-70 lbs of equipment “Hearts and Minds” –Provided medical care, farming advice –Development projects Above: B52 bomber drops payload Above: US soldiers in camouflage; below: medical workers

26. “They were fighting for home.” Capture from clip about advantages our opponents had

27. How did the VC respond? Vietcong –Guerilla warfare –Avoided open battles –Ambushes, hit and run raids –Booby traps (Bouncing Betty) Advantages over US –Knew the country –Were Vietnamese (nationalism) Above: diagram of VietCong tunnel complex; below: stills of the tunnels and Jimmy from the movie version of Anna’s Boys ( j.k.)

28. “Can I survive?” Capture from clip on young G.I.’s

29. Describe the American soldier fighting in Vietnam: Average Age –Between 19-22 years old –According to text: Over 9 Million military personnel served on active duty during the official Vietnam era from August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975. 58,148 were killed in Vietnam Some uncertain of war’s purpose Terrified –The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter. Below: baby-faced American soldiers

30. Describe the American soldier fighting in Vietnam: Some motivated to survive, not win –Only in Vietnam for 1 year 3. 75,000 were severely disabled. Textbook says that soldiers were usually from poor or middle class background –Disproportionately from minority groups Again: baby- faced G.I.’s

31. The Television War Capture from clip on “the t.v. war”