CHAPTER 22…The Vietnam War Years

Identifications

• 129. A.Peter Dewey-28-year-old, US LtCol…serving in Vietnam for OSS (CIA) was mistaken for a French soldier and killed in 1945…believed that US “ought to clear out of SE Asia”…1st American to die in Vietnam.

• 130. Ho Chi Minh-Vietnamese nationalist who organized the Indochinese Communist Party (‘30)…returned from China and created Viet Minh to win independence from foreign rule…led fight to drive French and later US out of Vietnam.

• 131. Viet Minh-North Vietnamese organization whose goal was to win independence from foreign rule…fought French from 1945-54.

• 132. domino theory-President Eisenhower compared neighboring countries on the brink of communism to a row of dominoes, waiting to fall one after the other.

• 133. Dien Bien Phu-1954 defeat of French Army at north Vietnamese base…led to France losing their Indochina colony.

• 134. Geneva Accords-1954…temporarily divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel…communist controlled the north, anticommunists controlled the south…1956 elections would unify the country.

• 135. Ngo Dinh Diem-President of South Vietnam refused to hold elections in ’56 (afraid that Ho Chi Minh would win)…supported by U.S. which wanted stable, reform government…Diem was corrupt.

• 136. Viet Cong-’57, Communist opposition to Diem’s government in South Vietnam…assassinated 1000’s of South Vietnam government officials…later, called themselves the “National Liberation Front”.

• 137. Ho Chi Minh Trail-network of supply trails along the borders of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia…used to transport supplies/troops to the Viet Cong in South Vietnam.

• 138. USS Maddox/USS C.Turner Joy-alleged attacks on US destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin in August ’64 led Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution-while not a declaration of war, it granted President Lyndon B. Johnson broad military powers in South Vietnam.

• 139. Robert McNamara-US Secretary of Defense in LBJ’s cabinet…foreign policy advisor.

• 140. William Westmoreland-’65, commander of US troops in RVN—requested additional troops to fight war…by ’67-US troops in RVN numberedabout 500T (escalation continued)

141. Army of Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)-South Vietnamese Army…trained and equipped by U.S.

142. attrition-Westmoreland’s strategy of destroying enemy morale by gradual wearing down of enemy by continuous harassment…included concept of…

• 143. body count-tracking of Viet Cong killed in battle (as number of killed rose – the guerillas would eventually quit).

• 144. napalm-gasoline based-gelatin bomb that burned everything that it touched.

• 145. Agent Orange-leaf-killing (defoliant) toxic chemical sprayed to denude the jungle hideouts of the Viet Cong.

• 146. search and destroy-US military “sweeps” of expected VC areas to find and kill the guerillas.

• 147. “living room war”-television made Vietnam the 1st living room war…combat footage on nightly news brought war home to civilians in U.S.

• 148. credibility gap-charges of what LBJ’s administration reported was happening in Vietnam and what was really happening was influenced by television reports.

• 149. draft-Selective Service System required all 18 year-old males to register… selected males ages 18-26 to serve…deferments…unpopular.

• 150. “new left”-growing youth movement of 1960’s…demanded sweeping changes in American society.

• 151. “old left”-1930’s movement which tried to take the U.S. towards socialism/communism.

• 152. Students for Democratic Society (SDS)-founded in 1960…charged that corporations & large govt had taken over the U.S…restore “participatory democracy” and greater individual freedom.

• 153. (FSM)-@ University of California-Berkeley…over free speech on campus…criticized American “machine”-faceless and powerful business/govt institutions.

• 154. protest movement-Spring ’65, campus protests grew…marches on D.C….anti-war music…some returning vets (John Kerry)…celebs (“Hanoi” Jane Fonda)-’67…no effect on policy so “up the ante”…march on the Pentagon.

• 155. “doves”-strongly opposed the war in Vietnam and believed that U.S. should withdraw.

• 156. “hawks”- strongly supported the war in Vietnam and believed that U.S. should unleash military arsenal to win the war.

• 157. Tet Offensive-30.Jan.68-Vietnamese Lunar New Year…during week-long truce…infiltrated cities…attacked 100+ towns and cities +12 U.S. air bases…occupied part of U.S. embassy in Saigon…during 1 month of fighting, 3200 Viet Cong were KIA (3000 US and ARVN)…military defeat for Cong BUT PSYCHOLOGICAL VICTORY!

• 158. Robert F. Kennedy-Attorney General under brother, JFK and LBJ…Democratic candidate for President (in primaries)…won California primary in Jun ’68, assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan after giving speech in Los Angeles.

• 159. Eugene McCarthy-US senator from Minnesota had good showing (42%) in New Hampshire primary…LBJ---”I shall not seek and I will not accept the nomination of my (Democratic) party”.

• 160. Hubert Humphrey-LBJ’s vice-president…with LBJ’s support received Democratic nomination for president in ’68.

• 161. 1968 Democratic Convention-in Chicago, Aug ’68…delegates + 10,000 protestors trying to pressure Demos into adopting antiwar platforms + “Yippies”…riot in downtown park…rocks & bottles vs. nightsticks…inside and outside the convention hall, the Democrats were a party of disorder as millions of Americans watched on TV.

• 162. George Wallace-former governor of Alabama entered the Election of ’68 as a 3rd party candidate…school segregation, states rights-inner city riots, anti-war protests…received some votes.

• 163. Richard M. Nixon-37th President of the US…Republican won election of ’68 and inherited the Vietnam War…began troop pullouts in 1969, but continued fighting war.

• 164. Henry Kissinger-Nixon’s National Security Advisor…”Vietnamization” of war-ARVN do the fighting…this would result in

• 165. “peace with honor”-maintaining US dignity in the face of withdrawing from Vietnam.

• 166. Vietnamization-ARVN troops to take a more active role in combat of war.

• 167. Silent Majority-moderate mainstream Americans who quietly supported US efforts in Vietnam.

• 168. My Lai Massacre-Mar ’68, US troops under LT. William Calley killed 200 Vietnamese villagers at My Lai.

• 169. Cambodia-April ’70, Nixon announced that US troops had invaded Cambodia to clear out NVA & Viet Cong staging areas…college students protested…1200 college campuses closed in 1st general strike student strike in history.

• 170. Kent State Univ-students burned ROTC building…mayor called in National Guard…May ’70-confrontation…rocks vs. bullets…4 students killed, 9 wounded…also riot at Jackson State…bottles vs. bullets…2 students killed, 12 wounded…”hardhats” (construction workers) supported US govt’s war policies…May ’70…100,000-man rally to support government.

• 171. Pentagon Papers-Jun ’71, former Defense Dept employee Daniel Ellsberg leaked 7000 page document (written ’67-’68)…preliminary plans for entering war + would continue fighting as long as North Vietnamese persisted.

• 172. “Christmas Bombings”-as North Vietnamese argued and stalled during peace negotiations, Kissinger in Oct ’72-”Peace is at hand”…Nixon won re-election but peace talks broke off…Nixon ordered bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong…in 11 days---100,000 bombs were dropped!

• 173. fall of Saigon-30.Apr.75…NVA tanks entered the capital city of South Vietnam…government of South Vietnam surrendered.

• 174. War Powers Act’-Nov ’73…passed by US Congress…president must inform Congress within 48 hours of sending troops into a hostile area without a declaration of war….and troops may remain there no more than 90 days without Congressional approval or declaration of war.