The Vietnam War and the ConstitutionThe Vietnam War and the Constitution

1945:1945: Vietnamese Declaration of Independence (US Vietnamese Declaration of Independence (US rejection of Vietnamese communist nationalism)rejection of Vietnamese communist nationalism)

1946-1954:1946-1954: Truman and Containment Truman and ContainmentKorea, growth Korea, growth of Executive Power, National Security State, expansion of Executive Power, National Security State, expansion of the “crusader state” (80% of French cost of Vietminh of the “crusader state” (80% of French cost of Vietminh war)war)

1954-56:1954-56: Geneva Accords: Elections July 1956 Geneva Accords: Elections July 1956US US rejects SEATO created/Diem “elected” democratic rejects SEATO created/Diem “elected” democratic “savior”“savior”

June 1963June 1963: Buddhist Monk Suicides begin: Buddhist Monk Suicides begin Fall 1963Fall 1963: Diem overthrow NSAM 263 (JFK): Diem overthrow NSAM 263 (JFK)273 (LBJ): 273 (LBJ):

“actions of graduated scope and intensity” (Alpha 34)“actions of graduated scope and intensity” (Alpha 34) 8/19648/1964: Gulf of Tonkin Incident and Resolution: Gulf of Tonkin Incident and Resolution 1965-19751965-1975: The New Left/Antiwar Movement: The New Left/Antiwar Movement 1969-701969-70: Nixon/Kissinger: Cambodia Secret Bombing : Nixon/Kissinger: Cambodia Secret Bombing

(subsequent congressional complicity) and (subsequent congressional complicity) and InvasionInvasionKent and Jackson State shootingsKent and Jackson State shootings

Vietnam and the ConstitutionVietnam and the Constitution 1971-72: 1971-72: Daniel Ellsberg, Daniel Ellsberg, Pentagon Papers. Pentagon Papers. RNRN: "people have : "people have

gotta be put to the torch for this sort of thing…let's get the son-of-gotta be put to the torch for this sort of thing…let's get the son-of-a-bitch in jail."a-bitch in jail."

WatergateWatergate: (Dissent=Subversion) “Screw our Political Enemies,” : (Dissent=Subversion) “Screw our Political Enemies,” wiretaps, burglaries, abuse of executive power, Operation CHAOSwiretaps, burglaries, abuse of executive power, Operation CHAOS

Post-Watergate/Vietnam ReformsPost-Watergate/Vietnam Reforms: Campaign Finance, 26: Campaign Finance, 26thth Amend., War Powers Act, FISA, FOIA, Presidential Records Act, Amend., War Powers Act, FISA, FOIA, Presidential Records Act, Act/CIA Oversight/Executive Order on CIA Assassinations, FBI Act/CIA Oversight/Executive Order on CIA Assassinations, FBI RestraintsRestraints

Congress and Ending the WarCongress and Ending the War: :

1.1. Efforts to revoke Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, 1966-71 (passed ’71, Efforts to revoke Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, 1966-71 (passed ’71, ignored by Nixon)ignored by Nixon)

2.2. 1970: Cooper-Church Amendment: no $ for troops in Cambodia1970: Cooper-Church Amendment: no $ for troops in Cambodia

3.3. 1973 (even after Paris Peace Accords, after disclosure of 1973 (even after Paris Peace Accords, after disclosure of Cambodian invasion): Cambodian invasion): H.J.Res. 636H.J.Res. 636: prohibited any further : prohibited any further appropriation or expenditure of any funds for any "combat in or appropriation or expenditure of any funds for any "combat in or over or from the shores of North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Laos or over or from the shores of North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia."Cambodia."

Guidelines for CIA’s Operation CHAOSGuidelines for CIA’s Operation CHAOS

“Gather information on their immorality. Show them as scurrilous and depraved. Call attention to their habits and living conditions. Explore every possible embarrassment. Investigate personal conflicts or animosities between them. Send articles to newspapers showing their depravity. Use narcotics and free sex for entrapment. Have members arrested on marijuana charges. Exploit the hostilities between various persons. Use cartoons and photographs to ridicule them. Use disinformation to confuse and disrupt. Get records of their bank accounts. Obtain specimens of handwriting. Provoke target groups into rivalries that resulted in deaths.”

~Church Committee, 1976

June 11, 1963: Thich Quang Duc Self-June 11, 1963: Thich Quang Duc Self-

ImmolationImmolation

President Johnson Signs the President Johnson Signs the Gulf of Tonkin ResolutionGulf of Tonkin Resolution

Johnson the “peace candidate”Johnson the “peace candidate”

The “Daisy Commercial”: The “Daisy Commercial”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63h_v6uf0Aov=63h_v6uf0Ao

Young American Soldier,Young American Soldier,Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam, 1965Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam, 1965

~Robert Ellison~Robert Ellison

The Battle for Khe Sanh, 1968The Battle for Khe Sanh, 1968~Robert Ellison~Robert Ellison

““The Thousand-Yard Stare”The Thousand-Yard Stare”"The look in their eyes was like the life was sucked out of them.“"The look in their eyes was like the life was sucked out of them.“

~Corporal Joe Houle, speaking of his new squad upon his arrival in Vietnam~Corporal Joe Houle, speaking of his new squad upon his arrival in Vietnam

President Johnson, Air Force Base near Paducah, KY, President Johnson, Air Force Base near Paducah, KY, 19671967

My Lai Massacre, 1968My Lai Massacre, 1968

Nguyen Ngoc Loan executes VC Captain Nguyen Ngoc Loan executes VC Captain Nguyen Van Lem, February 1, 1968Nguyen Van Lem, February 1, 1968

““I shall not seek, and I will not accept…”I shall not seek, and I will not accept…”March 31, 1968March 31, 1968

Cambodia Bombing Campaign (Operation Menu), Cambodia Bombing Campaign (Operation Menu), 1969-1970:1969-1970:

3,630 sorties, 110,000 tons3,630 sorties, 110,000 tonsTotal Bomb Tonnage in Cambodia, 1969-73: 540,000Total Bomb Tonnage in Cambodia, 1969-73: 540,000

Quaker and Erie Native, Norman Morrison Quaker and Erie Native, Norman Morrison

Antiwar Demonstration, Washington, DC, 1967Antiwar Demonstration, Washington, DC, 1967

Testing the Limits of Free SpeechTesting the Limits of Free Speech

The Contested Meaning of PatriotismThe Contested Meaning of Patriotism

http://en.sevenload.com/videos/http://en.sevenload.com/videos/QBfhl2v/Peace-March-Thousands-QBfhl2v/Peace-March-Thousands-Oppose-Vietnam-War-1967Oppose-Vietnam-War-1967

Two celebrated (and vilified) Two celebrated (and vilified) anti-war protestersanti-war protesters

““You Say you want a Revolution”You Say you want a Revolution”

Columbia University, 1968Columbia University, 1968

Fall of a President, End of an EraFall of a President, End of an Era