The Vietnam War

Intensifies Cold War
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we will pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty.We will do all this and more.
Flexible response
Spent 6 billion on military in his first year in office
Expanded Special Forces and gave them the green beret
Added 5 combat divisions
Construction of nuclear arsenal
1,000 ICBM
32 Polaris submarines
Allowed the U.S. to choose among a variety of options to fight communism
Going to Vietnam
Hills
Densely forested mountains
Canals, and rivers
Jungles
Tropical monsoon climate
Roots of American Involvement
A divided colony
A 1954 agreement split the French colony in North and South Vietnam
France left in 1955
U.S. stepped in to assist South Vietnam
U.S. involvement grew slowly
Communism in Vietnam
Geneva Accords
Agreement between countries involved
Soviet Union, U.S., China, Laos, Cambodia, Great Britain and France
Divided Vietnam along the 17th parallel
North Vietnam
Communist
Leader Ho Chi Minh
South Vietnam
Anti communist Nationalists
Why did the United States aid the French?
Domino Theory
Idea that if one nation fell under Communist control, nearby nations will also fall
Recently settled for a stalemate in Korea
A divided Nation
Diems Repressive Govermment
A Catholic
Buddhists protested
Killed in 1963
Communist Infiltration of the South
Vietcong
A communist group in South Vietnam
Opposed Diem government
Ho Chi Minh Trail
A network of paths used by the North Vietnamese to transport supplies to Vietcong in the South
Johnson and the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
U.S.S. Maddox was conducting an espionage mission
Greatly escalated the war
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Adopted in 1964
Granted President broad powers to wage war in Vietnam
Americanizing the War
Vietcong Tactics
Guerilla warfare
Hit and Run ambush
Booby traps
Land mines
Elaborate tunnel networks
Bridges
Underground fuel tanks
Hospitals
Supply warehouses
U.S. Tactics
War of Attrition
Gradual wear down of the enemy by continuous harassment
General Westmoreland
Requested additional troops
Led to high body counts
Search and Destroy missions
Use of defoliants
Battle of Hearts and minds
Convince people that America is there to help
Vietcong will have no place to hide
Philosophies of the War
Sec. of State McNanamara
Ho Chi Minh
I dont think these people have the capacity to fight this way
You can kill ten of my men for everyone I kill of yours, but even at those odds you will lose and I will win.
U.S. trouble
Unsure of terrain
Difficult to determine friend from foe
Clear objectives were never set
Vietnam: A working class war
A manipulative draft
Most soldiers were in war drafted
2.2 million drafted
Medical deferments
College deferments
Draft dodgers
60,000-100,000 fled to Canada to avoid serving
Lee Greenwood I am proud to be an American
1969:I lost the lottery
Lottery reinstated to ensure fairness
Dec 1, 1969
First lottery was held
Social Security Headquarters in D.C.
First date drawn was Sept. 14th
America Divided
I may disagree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to day it.
What did soldiers say when asked their opinion on the anti-war sentiment?
Should freedom of speech be defended at any cost?
Why did these young men serve when so many others avoided service?
Campus Activitism
Hey L.B.J., how many kids have you killed today.
Eighteen today, dead tomorrow.
Draft beer, not boys
Columbia University
Doves v. the Hawks
Doves
Hawks
Opposed war
Thought it was time to withdraw
Supported the war
Should increase military force
The TET Offensive
January-February- the TET Offensive
North Vietnamese attack cities in South Vietnam
45,000 Viet Cong and North Vietnam Army (NVA) died
Shatters the illusion that American is winning the war
Walter Cronkite changed public opinion
My Lai Massacre
March 1968
Village ofMy Lai was known to support Viet Cong
504 civilians were killed by U.S. soldiers
Some were carved with C for Charlie Co.
Lt. Calley convicted of killings but he stated he was following orders
22 year helicopter gunner from a different unit brought massacre to light
Ron Ridenhour
Age 3 and younger- 50
Age 4-7 69
70 or older- 27
Ending the Vietnam War
Three part plan
Gradual withdraw of American troops
Renewedbombing
Hard line negations with Hanoi
Response to the Bombing of Cambodia
Widespread student protest
Kent State University near Cleveland Ohio had some of the worst riots
Students bombed the ROTC building
Governor sent National guard soldiers to university
Guardsmen opened fire
4 students were killed and 11 were wounded