1. Chapter 17

2. Students will be able to explain the origins of American involvement in Southeast Asia especially Vietnam Students will be able to trace the growing US participation in the Vietnam War Students will be able to explain the rise of the US anti-war movement and its impact on American society Students will be able to explain how the US exited the war and the impact the war had on US foreign and domestic policies

3. Vietnamese Nationalism  Vietnam under control / influence of China  Came under control of France in 1800s as part of French Indochina  Ho Chi Minh founded Vietnamese Communist Party – led resistance movement, Vietminh, against Japanese  Received US support  After WWII he declared Vietnam independent Ho Chi Minh

4. French Indochina Vietnam Laos Cambodia

5. After WWII (1946) French troops returned to Indochina 1949 French drove out Vietminh and set up new colonial government Vietminh began guerrilla war against French – French appealed to US for help US opposed colonialism but did not want Vietnam to become Communist Vietminh prisoners

6. Two events caused President Truman to support French- the fall of China to the Communists and the Korean war US believed USSR was trying to expand Communism in Asia President Eisenhower also supported France – eventually US paying ¾ of French war costs Domino Theory – belief that if one country fell to Communism then it would cause others to fall as well

7. France frustrated by Vietminh guerrilla war Wanted to draw Vietminh out into open battle Battle of Dien Bien Phu French defeat caused withdrawal from Indochina Geneva Accords  UN divided Vietnam at 17 th parallel  Elections to be held to unite Vietnam into single country French troops at Dien Bien Phu

8.  No elections held – North became Communist state under Ho Chi Minh / South led by Ngo Dinh Diem  Diem pro-West, anti-Communist, Catholic  South Vietnam supported by US  War began between South Vietnam and Communists Ngo Dinh Diem

9. Communists formed guerrilla army in the south called Viet Cong Growing power of Viet Cong caused US to increase support for South Vietnam President Kennedy increased US troop strength in Vietnam to ~15,000 Diem began Strategic Hamlet program – fortified villages Program unpopular with peasants Viet Cong in training

10. Diem unpopular due to persecution of Buddhists Buddhists protested South Vietnamese generals with CIA overthrew Diem – Diem assassinated Coup made situation worse Buddhist monk burns himself to death protesting Diem’s policies

11. 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution – authorized President Johnson to expand US military presence in Vietnam Attacks by Viet Cong on US forces resulted in the bombing of North Vietnam Operation Rolling Thunder – extensive bombing campaign against North Vietnam Johnson sent US combat troops to fight alongside South Vietnamese units US combat planes refueling on way to targets

12. Over 200,000 US troops in Vietnam by 1966 US frustrated by guerrilla tactics and dense jungle terrain/foliage Guerrillas blended in with civilian population Body counts Search and Destroy missions Use of Napalm and Agent Orange (defoliant) Burned children flee accidental napalm strike by South Vietnamese Air Force

13. Viet Cong suffered heavy losses but continued war against US and South Vietnam Viet Cong supplied by North Vietnam through network of jungle trails called Ho Chi Minh Trail Trail bypassed much of South Vietnam through Laos and Cambodia North Vietnam supplied by USSR and Communist China Johnson refused to expand war and allow US to use full power Ho Chi Minh Trail

14. By late 1960s many in US turned against the Vietnam War General Westmoreland, commander of US forces in Vietnam, assured the American public that US was winning Daily images of war on TV news caused credibility gap – doubt that US government was telling truth

15. Protests increased as casualties mounted Teach-In – teachers and students abandoned classes and protested war Exemptions to the draft seen as impacting the poor and minorities unfairly Black casualties protested by MLK Many young men resisted the draft or fled to Canada or Sweden Hawks: pro-war / Doves: anti-war

16. 1968 – The Turning Point Tet Offensive  Massive surprise attack on South Vietnam by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army units  All major cities attacked  Communists executed thousands of South Vietnamese leaders, teachers, and foreigners  Tet was military defeat for Communists but huge propaganda victory  Mainstream media in US turned against the war  President Johnson’s popularity plummeted US soldier carrying wounded comrade during Tet Offensive

17. Election of 1968  Senator Eugene McCarthy entered Democratic primary – “peace” candidate  Robert Kennedy also entered race  Johnson declined to run for another term  Robert Kennedy and MLK assassinated  Violent protests staged at the Democratic Primary in Chicago  Hubert Humphrey (VP) won nomination Robert F. Kennedy dying on hotel kitchen floor Martin Luther King Jr. dead on the balcony of his motel room

18.  Richard Nixon won Republican nomination  Third Party nominee George Wallace (Segregationist)  Nixon pledged to restore law and order and end Vietnam War  Nixon won election Richard Nixon George Wallace Hubert Humphrey

19. President Nixon appointed Henry Kissinger as his special assistant Linkage - Kissinger tried to improve relations with USSR and China to get support to end war Vietnamization – Nixon policy of arming South Vietnam so they could fight the war and US could withdraw troops Nixon increased bombing of North Vietnam and Cambodia President Nixon and his National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger

20. My Lai Massacre – US troops massacred ~200 South Vietnamese villagers US invaded Cambodia to destroy Communist Ho Chi Minh Trail Many saw invasion as widening of war – protests at Kent State University resulted in death of 4 students Bodies of villagers at My Lai killed by US troops

21. The Pentagon Papers  Government documents leaked by DOD worker Daniel Ellsberg  Documents showed many in Johnson administration questioned US involvement in Vietnam while publicly supporting it  Also showed government officials lied to the press and public

22. Election of 1972 – Nixon won second term Peace talks between US and North and South Vietnam Communists broke off talks – Nixon conducted massive bombing of North Vietnam – Communists resumed talks US pulled combat troops out of Vietnam and promised continued military supply to South Vietnam North Vietnam invaded the South – US Congress refused to supply South Vietnam South Vietnam fell to Communists in April 1975 US helicopters evacuate US and select South Vietnamese personnel from Saigon as the city falls to the North Vietnamese Army

23. Aftermath  Vietnam War cost billions of dollars  ~58,000 US deaths  About one million Vietnamese deaths (South and North) not including civilians  Changed way US looked at war  Congress passed War Powers Act – President must inform Congress of troop commitment w/in 48 hours and withdraw troops w/in 60-90 days  US citizens more cynical about government  ~250,000 South Vietnamese killed by Communists after war  About two million Vietnamese “boat people” fled Vietnam About a million South Vietnamese flee the Communist government by boat. Thousands drown or are murdered by Cambodian pirates

25. Fighting soldiers from the sky Fearless men who jump and die Men who mean just what they say The brave men of the Green Beret Silver wings upon their chest These are men, America's best One hundred men will test today But only three win the Green Beret Trained to live off nature's land Trained in combat, hand-to-hand Men who fight by night and day Courage peak from the Green Berets Silver wings upon their chest These are men, America's best One hundred men will test today But only three win the Green Beret Back at home a young wife waits Her Green Beret has met his fate He has died for those oppressed Leaving her his last request Put silver wings on my son's chest Make him one of America's best He'll be a man they'll test one day Have him win the Green Beret. Ballad of the Green Beret – Sergeant Barry Sadler

26. Well, come on all of you, big strong men, Uncle Sam needs your help again. He's got himself in a terrible jam Way down yonder in Vietnam So put down your books and pick up a gun, We're gonna have a whole lotta fun. And it's one, two, three, What are we fighting for? Don't ask me, I don't give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam; And it's five, six, seven, Open up the pearly gates, Well there ain't no time to wonder why, Whoopee! We're all gonna die. Come on Wall Street, don't be slow, Why man, this is war au-go-go There's plenty good money to be made By supplying the Army with the tools of it's trade, But just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb, They drop it on the Viet Cong. And it's one, two, three, What are we fighting for? Don't ask me, I don't give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam. And it's five, six, seven, Open up the pearly gates, Well there ain't no time to wonder why Whoopee! We're all gonna die. Fixin’ to Die Rag – Country Joe McDonald & the Fish

27. Well, come on generals, let's move fast; Your big chance has come at last. Now you can go out and get those reds 'Cause the only good commie is the one that's dead And you know that peace can only be won When we've blown 'em all to kingdom come. And it's one, two, three, What are we fighting for? Don't ask me, I don't give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam; And it's five, six, seven, Open up the pearly gates, Well there ain't no time to wonder why Whoopee! We're all gonna die. Come on mothers throughout the land, Pack your boys off to Vietnam. Come on fathers, and don't hesitate To send your sons off before it's too late. You can be the first ones in your block To have your boy come home in a box. And it's one, two, three What are we fighting for ? Don't ask me, I don't give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam. And it's five, six, seven, Open up the pearly gates, Well there ain't no time to wonder why, Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

28. We met as soul mates on Parris Island We left as inmates from an asylum And we were sharp, as sharp as knives And we were so gung ho to lay down our lives We came in spastic like tameless horses We left in plastic as numbered corpses And we learned fast to travel light Our arms were heavy but our bellies were tight We had no home front, we had no soft soap They sent us Playboy, they gave us Bob Hope We dug in deep and shot on sight And prayed to Jesus Christ with all our might We had no cameras to shoot the landscape We passed the hash pipe and played our Doors tapes And it was dark, so dark at night And we held on to each other Like brother to brother We promised our mothers we'd write Goodnight Saigon – Billy Joel

29. And we would all go down together We said we'd all go down together Yes we would all go down together Remember Charlie, remember Baker They left their childhood on every acre And who was wrong? And who was right? It didn't matter in the thick of the fight We held the day in the palm of our hand They ruled the night, and the night Seemed to last as long as six weeks On Parris Island We held the coastline, they held the highlands And they were sharp, as sharp as knives They heard the hum of our motors They counted the rotors And waited for us to arrive And we would all go down together We said we'd all go down together Yes we would all go down together

30. “Ballad of the Green Beret” – 1966  Pro or anti- war?  Public opinion? “Fixin’ to Die Rag” – 1967  Pro or anti-war?  Public opinion? “Goodnight Saigon” – 1982  Pro or anti-war?  What was message?