THE VIETNAM YEARS

Chapter 22

Moving Toward Conflict

Section 1

Vietnam is a long thin country on a peninsula in southeast Asia

From the late 1800rsquos until WWII France ruled Vietnam

The French treated the Vietnamese badly As a result the

Vietnamese often rebelled

As result the Vietnamese often rebelled The Communist Party in Vietnam organized many of the rebellions

The grouprsquos leader was Ho Chi Minh

Moving Toward Conflict

Section 1

Vietnam is a long thin country on a peninsula in southeast Asia

From the late 1800rsquos until WWII France ruled Vietnam

The French treated the Vietnamese badly As a result the

Vietnamese often rebelled

As result the Vietnamese often rebelled The Communist Party in Vietnam organized many of the rebellions

The grouprsquos leader was Ho Chi Minh

Vietnam is a long thin country on a peninsula in southeast Asia

From the late 1800rsquos until WWII France ruled Vietnam

The French treated the Vietnamese badly As a result the

Vietnamese often rebelled

As result the Vietnamese often rebelled The Communist Party in Vietnam organized many of the rebellions

The grouprsquos leader was Ho Chi Minh

From the late 1800rsquos until WWII France ruled Vietnam

The French treated the Vietnamese badly As a result the

Vietnamese often rebelled

As result the Vietnamese often rebelled The Communist Party in Vietnam organized many of the rebellions

The grouprsquos leader was Ho Chi Minh

As result the Vietnamese often rebelled The Communist Party in Vietnam organized many of the rebellions

The grouprsquos leader was Ho Chi Minh

In 1941 Japan conquered Vietnam

That year the Vietnamese Communists combined wother groups

to form an organization called the Vietminh

The Vietminhrsquos goal was to achieve independence for Vietnam

In 1945 Japan was defeated in WWII As a result the Japanese left Vietnam amp the Vietminh claimed independence

for Vietnam

However France wanted to retake control of Vietnam

French troops moved back into the country in 1946

The French conquered the southern half of Vietnam

The Vietminh took control of the North

For the next 8 years the 2 sides fought for control of the entire

country

However France wanted to retake control of Vietnam

French troops moved back into the country in 1946

The French conquered the southern half of Vietnam

The Vietminh took control of the North

For the next 8 years the 2 sides fought for control of the entire

country

The French conquered the southern half of Vietnam

The Vietminh took control of the North

For the next 8 years the 2 sides fought for control of the entire

country

For the next 8 years the 2 sides fought for control of the entire

country

The US supported France during the war America considered the Vietminh to

be Communists

The US like other western nations was determined to stop

the spread of communism

President Eisenhower explained his countryrsquos policy with what became known

as the domino theory

Eisenhower compared many of the worldrsquos smaller nations to dominoes If

1 nation fell to communism the rest also would fall

The Vietminh defeated the French The final blow came in 1954

That year the Vietminh conquered the large French outpost at Dien

Bien Phu

Several countries met with the French amp the Vietminh to negotiate a peace

agreement The agreement was known as the Geneva Accords

It temporarily split Vietnam in half The Vietminh controlled North Vietnam The anti-

Communist nationalists controlled South Vietnam The peace agreement called for an

election to unify the country in 1956

Map of North Vietnam

South Vietnam map

President Eisenhower explained his countryrsquos policy with what became known

as the domino theory

Eisenhower compared many of the worldrsquos smaller nations to dominoes If

1 nation fell to communism the rest also would fall

The Vietminh defeated the French The final blow came in 1954

That year the Vietminh conquered the large French outpost at Dien

Bien Phu

Several countries met with the French amp the Vietminh to negotiate a peace

agreement The agreement was known as the Geneva Accords

It temporarily split Vietnam in half The Vietminh controlled North Vietnam The anti-

Communist nationalists controlled South Vietnam The peace agreement called for an

election to unify the country in 1956

Map of North Vietnam

South Vietnam map

The Vietminh defeated the French The final blow came in 1954

That year the Vietminh conquered the large French outpost at Dien

Bien Phu

Several countries met with the French amp the Vietminh to negotiate a peace

agreement The agreement was known as the Geneva Accords

It temporarily split Vietnam in half The Vietminh controlled North Vietnam The anti-

Communist nationalists controlled South Vietnam The peace agreement called for an

election to unify the country in 1956

Map of North Vietnam

South Vietnam map

Several countries met with the French amp the Vietminh to negotiate a peace

agreement The agreement was known as the Geneva Accords

It temporarily split Vietnam in half The Vietminh controlled North Vietnam The anti-

Communist nationalists controlled South Vietnam The peace agreement called for an

election to unify the country in 1956

Map of North Vietnam

South Vietnam map

Map of North Vietnam

South Vietnam map

Ho Chi Minh ruled N Vietnam

Ngo Dinh Diem led S Vietnam

When it came time for the all-country elections Diem refused to take part

He feared that Ho would win And then all of Vietnam would become Communist

When it came time for the all-country elections Diem refused to take part

He feared that Ho would win And then all of Vietnam would become Communist

President of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem left is welcomed in ceremonies at Washington National Airport With him is President Dwight D Eisenhower and behind

them from left Air Force Chief of Staff General Nathan Twining Secretary of State John

Foster Dulles and presidential aide and pilot Colonel William C Draper 05081957

The US supported Diemrsquos decision The US government provided aid to Diem

America hoped that Diem could turn S Vietnam into a strong

independent nation

Diem however turned out to be a terrible ruler

His administration was corruptHe also refused to allow opposing

views

Buddhist monk immolates self in protest against Diem regime 1963

In 1957 a rebel group had formed in the South The group was known as the

Vietcong

The VC fought against Diemrsquos rule

Viet Cong (NLF) flag

The US supported Diemrsquos decision The US government provided aid to Diem

America hoped that Diem could turn S Vietnam into a strong

independent nation

Diem however turned out to be a terrible ruler

His administration was corruptHe also refused to allow opposing

views

Buddhist monk immolates self in protest against Diem regime 1963

In 1957 a rebel group had formed in the South The group was known as the

Vietcong

The VC fought against Diemrsquos rule

Viet Cong (NLF) flag

Diem however turned out to be a terrible ruler

His administration was corruptHe also refused to allow opposing

views

Buddhist monk immolates self in protest against Diem regime 1963

In 1957 a rebel group had formed in the South The group was known as the

Vietcong

The VC fought against Diemrsquos rule

Viet Cong (NLF) flag

In 1957 a rebel group had formed in the South The group was known as the

Vietcong

The VC fought against Diemrsquos rule

Viet Cong (NLF) flag

Ho Chi Minh supported the Vietcong from the North He supplied arms to the group along a network of paths that ran bw N amp

S Vietnam

Together these paths became known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail

John F Kennedy became president after

Eisenhower

He continued Americarsquos policy of supporting South Vietnam He like Eisenhower didnrsquot want to see the Communists take over Vietnam

Meanwhile Diemrsquos government grew more unstable The Vietcong rebels were

gaining greater support among the peasants

The Kennedy administration decided that Diem had to step

down

In 1963 military leaders overthrew Diem

Against Kennedyrsquos wishes they executed Diem

2 months later JFK himself was assassinatedLyndon Johnson became president The growing crisis in Vietnam was now

hisPresident Lyndon B Johnson in Vietnam Decorating a soldier in a hospital 12231967

S Vietnam didnrsquot improve after Diemrsquos death A string of military leaders tried to rule the country

but each failed to bring stability

LBJ continued to support S Vietnam He was determined to not ldquoloserdquo

Vietnam to the Communists

John F Kennedy became president after

Eisenhower

He continued Americarsquos policy of supporting South Vietnam He like Eisenhower didnrsquot want to see the Communists take over Vietnam

Meanwhile Diemrsquos government grew more unstable The Vietcong rebels were

gaining greater support among the peasants

The Kennedy administration decided that Diem had to step

down

In 1963 military leaders overthrew Diem

Against Kennedyrsquos wishes they executed Diem

2 months later JFK himself was assassinatedLyndon Johnson became president The growing crisis in Vietnam was now

hisPresident Lyndon B Johnson in Vietnam Decorating a soldier in a hospital 12231967

S Vietnam didnrsquot improve after Diemrsquos death A string of military leaders tried to rule the country

but each failed to bring stability

LBJ continued to support S Vietnam He was determined to not ldquoloserdquo

Vietnam to the Communists

Meanwhile Diemrsquos government grew more unstable The Vietcong rebels were

gaining greater support among the peasants

The Kennedy administration decided that Diem had to step

down

In 1963 military leaders overthrew Diem

Against Kennedyrsquos wishes they executed Diem

2 months later JFK himself was assassinatedLyndon Johnson became president The growing crisis in Vietnam was now

hisPresident Lyndon B Johnson in Vietnam Decorating a soldier in a hospital 12231967

S Vietnam didnrsquot improve after Diemrsquos death A string of military leaders tried to rule the country

but each failed to bring stability

LBJ continued to support S Vietnam He was determined to not ldquoloserdquo

Vietnam to the Communists

In 1963 military leaders overthrew Diem

Against Kennedyrsquos wishes they executed Diem

2 months later JFK himself was assassinatedLyndon Johnson became president The growing crisis in Vietnam was now

hisPresident Lyndon B Johnson in Vietnam Decorating a soldier in a hospital 12231967

S Vietnam didnrsquot improve after Diemrsquos death A string of military leaders tried to rule the country

but each failed to bring stability

LBJ continued to support S Vietnam He was determined to not ldquoloserdquo

Vietnam to the Communists

2 months later JFK himself was assassinatedLyndon Johnson became president The growing crisis in Vietnam was now

hisPresident Lyndon B Johnson in Vietnam Decorating a soldier in a hospital 12231967

S Vietnam didnrsquot improve after Diemrsquos death A string of military leaders tried to rule the country

but each failed to bring stability

LBJ continued to support S Vietnam He was determined to not ldquoloserdquo

Vietnam to the Communists

S Vietnam didnrsquot improve after Diemrsquos death A string of military leaders tried to rule the country

but each failed to bring stability

LBJ continued to support S Vietnam He was determined to not ldquoloserdquo

Vietnam to the Communists

In August 1964 Johnson received reports of an incident in the Gulf of Tonkin off North Vietnam

A North Vietnamese patrol boat allegedly had fired torpedoes at a US destroyer

LBJ responded by bombing North Vietnam

>

He also asked Congress for special military powers to stop any future N Vietnamese

attacks on US forces

As a result Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution The

resolution granted Johnson broad military powers in Vietnam

A North Vietnamese patrol boat allegedly had fired torpedoes at a US destroyer

LBJ responded by bombing North Vietnam

>

He also asked Congress for special military powers to stop any future N Vietnamese

attacks on US forces

As a result Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution The

resolution granted Johnson broad military powers in Vietnam

He also asked Congress for special military powers to stop any future N Vietnamese

attacks on US forces

As a result Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution The

resolution granted Johnson broad military powers in Vietnam

In February 1965 President Johnson used his new power

He launched a major bombing attack on North Vietnamrsquos cities

Vietnamese Air Force T-28 Skyraiders flown by US Air Force pilots drop napalm on Viet Cong targetsPhoto Credit Larry Burrows 1962 (Life)

US Involvement amp Escalation

Section 2

In 1965 LBJ began sending US troops to Vietnam to fight the Vietcong

Some of Johnsonrsquos advisers had opposed this move They argued

it was too dangerous

But most of the presidentrsquos advisers supported sending in troops

They included Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara amp Secretary of

State Dean Rusk

Robert McNamara in 1964

Portrait of US Secretary of State Dean Rusk

US Involvement amp Escalation

Section 2

In 1965 LBJ began sending US troops to Vietnam to fight the Vietcong

Some of Johnsonrsquos advisers had opposed this move They argued

it was too dangerous

But most of the presidentrsquos advisers supported sending in troops

They included Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara amp Secretary of

State Dean Rusk

Robert McNamara in 1964

Portrait of US Secretary of State Dean Rusk

In 1965 LBJ began sending US troops to Vietnam to fight the Vietcong

Some of Johnsonrsquos advisers had opposed this move They argued

it was too dangerous

But most of the presidentrsquos advisers supported sending in troops

They included Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara amp Secretary of

State Dean Rusk

Robert McNamara in 1964

Portrait of US Secretary of State Dean Rusk

But most of the presidentrsquos advisers supported sending in troops

They included Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara amp Secretary of

State Dean Rusk

Robert McNamara in 1964

Portrait of US Secretary of State Dean Rusk

These men believed that America had to help defeat communism in Vietnam

otherwise the Communists might try to take over other countries

Much of the public also agree with Johnsonrsquos decision Many Americans

believed in stopping the spread of communism

By the end of 1965 the US had sent more than 180000 troops to Vietnam

The American commander in South Vietnam was General

William Westmoreland

By the end of 1965 the US had sent more than 180000 troops to Vietnam

The American commander in South Vietnam was General

William Westmoreland

Westmoreland wasnrsquot impressed by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam

(ARVN)

He asked for even more troops By 1967 almost 500000 American

soldiers were fighting in Vietnam

The USNS Core arrives in Saigon with the first US helicopter units

33 Vertol H-21 C Shawnee and 400 Crewmen

The US believed that its superior weaponry would lead to a quick victory

over the Vietcong

However several factors turned the war into a bloody stalematehellip

The 1st factor was the Vietcongrsquos fighting style They used hit-amp-run tactics

They then disappeared into the jungle or an elaborate system of

tunnels

Viet Cong emerges from tunnel to surrender

A soldier from the 8th Engineer Battalion 1st Cavalry Division prepares to enter a tunnel while an armed soldier keeps guard

Engineers unpack and test a Mitey-Mite blower in the jungles of Vietnam (used to ldquosmokerdquo VC out of tunnels)

Smoke reveals another tunnel exit tunnel exit

Tunnel rat and his tools - a M1911a 45 pistol and a flashlight Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tourist sites

The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender

Throughout the war the Vietcong suffered many battlefield deaths

However they continued to fight on

The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the support of the

Vietnamese peasants

In fighting the Vietcong US troops ended up hurting the

peasants as well

For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb that set

fire to the jungle

They did this to expose Vietcong tunnels amp hideouts

A napalm airstrike during the Vietnam War

The US believed that its superior weaponry would lead to a quick victory

over the Vietcong

However several factors turned the war into a bloody stalematehellip

The 1st factor was the Vietcongrsquos fighting style They used hit-amp-run tactics

They then disappeared into the jungle or an elaborate system of

tunnels

Viet Cong emerges from tunnel to surrender

A soldier from the 8th Engineer Battalion 1st Cavalry Division prepares to enter a tunnel while an armed soldier keeps guard

Engineers unpack and test a Mitey-Mite blower in the jungles of Vietnam (used to ldquosmokerdquo VC out of tunnels)

Smoke reveals another tunnel exit tunnel exit

Tunnel rat and his tools - a M1911a 45 pistol and a flashlight Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tourist sites

The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender

Throughout the war the Vietcong suffered many battlefield deaths

However they continued to fight on

The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the support of the

Vietnamese peasants

In fighting the Vietcong US troops ended up hurting the

peasants as well

For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb that set

fire to the jungle

They did this to expose Vietcong tunnels amp hideouts

A napalm airstrike during the Vietnam War

The 1st factor was the Vietcongrsquos fighting style They used hit-amp-run tactics

They then disappeared into the jungle or an elaborate system of

tunnels

Viet Cong emerges from tunnel to surrender

A soldier from the 8th Engineer Battalion 1st Cavalry Division prepares to enter a tunnel while an armed soldier keeps guard

Engineers unpack and test a Mitey-Mite blower in the jungles of Vietnam (used to ldquosmokerdquo VC out of tunnels)

Smoke reveals another tunnel exit tunnel exit

Tunnel rat and his tools - a M1911a 45 pistol and a flashlight Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tourist sites

The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender

Throughout the war the Vietcong suffered many battlefield deaths

However they continued to fight on

The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the support of the

Vietnamese peasants

In fighting the Vietcong US troops ended up hurting the

peasants as well

For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb that set

fire to the jungle

They did this to expose Vietcong tunnels amp hideouts

A napalm airstrike during the Vietnam War

Viet Cong emerges from tunnel to surrender

A soldier from the 8th Engineer Battalion 1st Cavalry Division prepares to enter a tunnel while an armed soldier keeps guard

Engineers unpack and test a Mitey-Mite blower in the jungles of Vietnam (used to ldquosmokerdquo VC out of tunnels)

Smoke reveals another tunnel exit tunnel exit

Tunnel rat and his tools - a M1911a 45 pistol and a flashlight Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tourist sites

The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender

Throughout the war the Vietcong suffered many battlefield deaths

However they continued to fight on

The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the support of the

Vietnamese peasants

In fighting the Vietcong US troops ended up hurting the

peasants as well

For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb that set

fire to the jungle

They did this to expose Vietcong tunnels amp hideouts

A napalm airstrike during the Vietnam War

A soldier from the 8th Engineer Battalion 1st Cavalry Division prepares to enter a tunnel while an armed soldier keeps guard

Engineers unpack and test a Mitey-Mite blower in the jungles of Vietnam (used to ldquosmokerdquo VC out of tunnels)

Smoke reveals another tunnel exit tunnel exit

Tunnel rat and his tools - a M1911a 45 pistol and a flashlight Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tourist sites

The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender

Throughout the war the Vietcong suffered many battlefield deaths

However they continued to fight on

The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the support of the

Vietnamese peasants

In fighting the Vietcong US troops ended up hurting the

peasants as well

For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb that set

fire to the jungle

They did this to expose Vietcong tunnels amp hideouts

A napalm airstrike during the Vietnam War

Engineers unpack and test a Mitey-Mite blower in the jungles of Vietnam (used to ldquosmokerdquo VC out of tunnels)

Smoke reveals another tunnel exit tunnel exit

Tunnel rat and his tools - a M1911a 45 pistol and a flashlight Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tourist sites

The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender

Throughout the war the Vietcong suffered many battlefield deaths

However they continued to fight on

The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the support of the

Vietnamese peasants

In fighting the Vietcong US troops ended up hurting the

peasants as well

For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb that set

fire to the jungle

They did this to expose Vietcong tunnels amp hideouts

A napalm airstrike during the Vietnam War

Smoke reveals another tunnel exit tunnel exit

Tunnel rat and his tools - a M1911a 45 pistol and a flashlight Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tourist sites

The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender

Throughout the war the Vietcong suffered many battlefield deaths

However they continued to fight on

The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the support of the

Vietnamese peasants

In fighting the Vietcong US troops ended up hurting the

peasants as well

For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb that set

fire to the jungle

They did this to expose Vietcong tunnels amp hideouts

A napalm airstrike during the Vietnam War

Tunnel rat and his tools - a M1911a 45 pistol and a flashlight Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tourist sites

The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender

Throughout the war the Vietcong suffered many battlefield deaths

However they continued to fight on

The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the support of the

Vietnamese peasants

In fighting the Vietcong US troops ended up hurting the

peasants as well

For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb that set

fire to the jungle

They did this to expose Vietcong tunnels amp hideouts

A napalm airstrike during the Vietnam War

A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tourist sites

The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender

Throughout the war the Vietcong suffered many battlefield deaths

However they continued to fight on

The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the support of the

Vietnamese peasants

In fighting the Vietcong US troops ended up hurting the

peasants as well

For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb that set

fire to the jungle

They did this to expose Vietcong tunnels amp hideouts

A napalm airstrike during the Vietnam War

The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender

Throughout the war the Vietcong suffered many battlefield deaths

However they continued to fight on

The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the support of the

Vietnamese peasants

In fighting the Vietcong US troops ended up hurting the

peasants as well

For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb that set

fire to the jungle

They did this to expose Vietcong tunnels amp hideouts

A napalm airstrike during the Vietnam War

The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the support of the

Vietnamese peasants

In fighting the Vietcong US troops ended up hurting the

peasants as well

For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb that set

fire to the jungle

They did this to expose Vietcong tunnels amp hideouts

A napalm airstrike during the Vietnam War

For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb that set

fire to the jungle

They did this to expose Vietcong tunnels amp hideouts

A napalm airstrike during the Vietnam War

June 8 1972 Kim Phuacutec center running down a road near

Trang Bang after an ARVN napalm chemical attack

White phosphorous and napalm bombs explode across Route 1 near the village of Trang bang where Phan Thi

Kim (see above) and her family were living Photo Credit AP

Riverboat of the US Brownwater Navy deploying napalm during the Vietnam War

Riverboat of the US Brownwater Navy deploying napalm during the Vietnam War

They also sprayed Agent Orange

This was a leaf-killing chemical that destroyed the landscape Both of these weapons

wounded villagers amp ruined villages

US Military planes cropdusting in Vietnam during Operation Ranch Hand

US used chemical defoliants extensively leaving much of

the region poisoned to the local population

Some Vietnamese allege that Agent Orange cause these birth defects

American soldiers also turned the peasants against them by conducting

search-and-destroy missions

During these missions soldiers destroyed villages they believed

supported the Vietcong

Vietnamese battalion commander Captain Thach Quyen interrogates a captured Viet Cong suspect

Photo Credit Huynh Thanh My 1965 (AP)

Soldiers of the US First Air Cavalry Division point their weapons at villagers whom they flushed from the

brush along the riverbank Photo Credit Dana Stone 1966 (UPI)

An injured North Vietnamese soldier is led from his bunker by soldiers of the US First Cavalry Division

This soldier held up the US advance for one hour with machine gun fire from his position

Photo Credit Kyoichi Sawada 1966 (UPI)

Vietcong Prisoner Being Pulled by HairSoldiers leading blindfolded Vietcong prisoner through the

woods during the Vietnam War 1966

A young Viet Cong suspect cries after hearing a rifle shot His captors Chinese Nung tribesmen in the

service of the US Special Forces pretended to shoot his father a ruse designed to make the boy reveal

information about Communist guerrillas Photo Credit Sean Flynn 1966

Questioning a suspected Vietcong Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US Marines This picture was on the cover of

Newsweek on March 18 1968 Photo Credit Robert Ellison 1968

>

First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before being helped to air-evacuation points

Photo Credit Larry Burrows 1966 (Life)

The frustrations of fighting the war caused the

morale of American soldiers to sink

Soldiers endured great hardships especially prisoners of war captured by the North

Vietnamese

United States Air Force Captain Wilmer N Grubb is given first aid while being guarded by his captors in North Vietnam 011966

The First POWThe first American taken prisoner by the Viet Cong was Army Spec 4 George F Fryett seized Dec 26 1961 while riding a bicycle on the way to a swimming pool on the outskirts of Saigon He was freed in June 1962 His captors simply came out of the jungle at a main road

and put him on a bus back to Saigon

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

American soldiers also turned the peasants against them by conducting

search-and-destroy missions

During these missions soldiers destroyed villages they believed

supported the Vietcong

Vietnamese battalion commander Captain Thach Quyen interrogates a captured Viet Cong suspect

Photo Credit Huynh Thanh My 1965 (AP)

Soldiers of the US First Air Cavalry Division point their weapons at villagers whom they flushed from the

brush along the riverbank Photo Credit Dana Stone 1966 (UPI)

An injured North Vietnamese soldier is led from his bunker by soldiers of the US First Cavalry Division

This soldier held up the US advance for one hour with machine gun fire from his position

Photo Credit Kyoichi Sawada 1966 (UPI)

Vietcong Prisoner Being Pulled by HairSoldiers leading blindfolded Vietcong prisoner through the

woods during the Vietnam War 1966

A young Viet Cong suspect cries after hearing a rifle shot His captors Chinese Nung tribesmen in the

service of the US Special Forces pretended to shoot his father a ruse designed to make the boy reveal

information about Communist guerrillas Photo Credit Sean Flynn 1966

Questioning a suspected Vietcong Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US Marines This picture was on the cover of

Newsweek on March 18 1968 Photo Credit Robert Ellison 1968

>

First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before being helped to air-evacuation points

Photo Credit Larry Burrows 1966 (Life)

The frustrations of fighting the war caused the

morale of American soldiers to sink

Soldiers endured great hardships especially prisoners of war captured by the North

Vietnamese

United States Air Force Captain Wilmer N Grubb is given first aid while being guarded by his captors in North Vietnam 011966

The First POWThe first American taken prisoner by the Viet Cong was Army Spec 4 George F Fryett seized Dec 26 1961 while riding a bicycle on the way to a swimming pool on the outskirts of Saigon He was freed in June 1962 His captors simply came out of the jungle at a main road

and put him on a bus back to Saigon

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

Vietnamese battalion commander Captain Thach Quyen interrogates a captured Viet Cong suspect

Photo Credit Huynh Thanh My 1965 (AP)

Soldiers of the US First Air Cavalry Division point their weapons at villagers whom they flushed from the

brush along the riverbank Photo Credit Dana Stone 1966 (UPI)

An injured North Vietnamese soldier is led from his bunker by soldiers of the US First Cavalry Division

This soldier held up the US advance for one hour with machine gun fire from his position

Photo Credit Kyoichi Sawada 1966 (UPI)

Vietcong Prisoner Being Pulled by HairSoldiers leading blindfolded Vietcong prisoner through the

woods during the Vietnam War 1966

A young Viet Cong suspect cries after hearing a rifle shot His captors Chinese Nung tribesmen in the

service of the US Special Forces pretended to shoot his father a ruse designed to make the boy reveal

information about Communist guerrillas Photo Credit Sean Flynn 1966

Questioning a suspected Vietcong Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US Marines This picture was on the cover of

Newsweek on March 18 1968 Photo Credit Robert Ellison 1968

>

First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before being helped to air-evacuation points

Photo Credit Larry Burrows 1966 (Life)

The frustrations of fighting the war caused the

morale of American soldiers to sink

Soldiers endured great hardships especially prisoners of war captured by the North

Vietnamese

United States Air Force Captain Wilmer N Grubb is given first aid while being guarded by his captors in North Vietnam 011966

The First POWThe first American taken prisoner by the Viet Cong was Army Spec 4 George F Fryett seized Dec 26 1961 while riding a bicycle on the way to a swimming pool on the outskirts of Saigon He was freed in June 1962 His captors simply came out of the jungle at a main road

and put him on a bus back to Saigon

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

Soldiers of the US First Air Cavalry Division point their weapons at villagers whom they flushed from the

brush along the riverbank Photo Credit Dana Stone 1966 (UPI)

An injured North Vietnamese soldier is led from his bunker by soldiers of the US First Cavalry Division

This soldier held up the US advance for one hour with machine gun fire from his position

Photo Credit Kyoichi Sawada 1966 (UPI)

Vietcong Prisoner Being Pulled by HairSoldiers leading blindfolded Vietcong prisoner through the

woods during the Vietnam War 1966

A young Viet Cong suspect cries after hearing a rifle shot His captors Chinese Nung tribesmen in the

service of the US Special Forces pretended to shoot his father a ruse designed to make the boy reveal

information about Communist guerrillas Photo Credit Sean Flynn 1966

Questioning a suspected Vietcong Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US Marines This picture was on the cover of

Newsweek on March 18 1968 Photo Credit Robert Ellison 1968

>

First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before being helped to air-evacuation points

Photo Credit Larry Burrows 1966 (Life)

The frustrations of fighting the war caused the

morale of American soldiers to sink

Soldiers endured great hardships especially prisoners of war captured by the North

Vietnamese

United States Air Force Captain Wilmer N Grubb is given first aid while being guarded by his captors in North Vietnam 011966

The First POWThe first American taken prisoner by the Viet Cong was Army Spec 4 George F Fryett seized Dec 26 1961 while riding a bicycle on the way to a swimming pool on the outskirts of Saigon He was freed in June 1962 His captors simply came out of the jungle at a main road

and put him on a bus back to Saigon

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

An injured North Vietnamese soldier is led from his bunker by soldiers of the US First Cavalry Division

This soldier held up the US advance for one hour with machine gun fire from his position

Photo Credit Kyoichi Sawada 1966 (UPI)

Vietcong Prisoner Being Pulled by HairSoldiers leading blindfolded Vietcong prisoner through the

woods during the Vietnam War 1966

A young Viet Cong suspect cries after hearing a rifle shot His captors Chinese Nung tribesmen in the

service of the US Special Forces pretended to shoot his father a ruse designed to make the boy reveal

information about Communist guerrillas Photo Credit Sean Flynn 1966

Questioning a suspected Vietcong Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US Marines This picture was on the cover of

Newsweek on March 18 1968 Photo Credit Robert Ellison 1968

>

First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before being helped to air-evacuation points

Photo Credit Larry Burrows 1966 (Life)

The frustrations of fighting the war caused the

morale of American soldiers to sink

Soldiers endured great hardships especially prisoners of war captured by the North

Vietnamese

United States Air Force Captain Wilmer N Grubb is given first aid while being guarded by his captors in North Vietnam 011966

The First POWThe first American taken prisoner by the Viet Cong was Army Spec 4 George F Fryett seized Dec 26 1961 while riding a bicycle on the way to a swimming pool on the outskirts of Saigon He was freed in June 1962 His captors simply came out of the jungle at a main road

and put him on a bus back to Saigon

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

Vietcong Prisoner Being Pulled by HairSoldiers leading blindfolded Vietcong prisoner through the

woods during the Vietnam War 1966

A young Viet Cong suspect cries after hearing a rifle shot His captors Chinese Nung tribesmen in the

service of the US Special Forces pretended to shoot his father a ruse designed to make the boy reveal

information about Communist guerrillas Photo Credit Sean Flynn 1966

Questioning a suspected Vietcong Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US Marines This picture was on the cover of

Newsweek on March 18 1968 Photo Credit Robert Ellison 1968

>

First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before being helped to air-evacuation points

Photo Credit Larry Burrows 1966 (Life)

The frustrations of fighting the war caused the

morale of American soldiers to sink

Soldiers endured great hardships especially prisoners of war captured by the North

Vietnamese

United States Air Force Captain Wilmer N Grubb is given first aid while being guarded by his captors in North Vietnam 011966

The First POWThe first American taken prisoner by the Viet Cong was Army Spec 4 George F Fryett seized Dec 26 1961 while riding a bicycle on the way to a swimming pool on the outskirts of Saigon He was freed in June 1962 His captors simply came out of the jungle at a main road

and put him on a bus back to Saigon

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

A young Viet Cong suspect cries after hearing a rifle shot His captors Chinese Nung tribesmen in the

service of the US Special Forces pretended to shoot his father a ruse designed to make the boy reveal

information about Communist guerrillas Photo Credit Sean Flynn 1966

Questioning a suspected Vietcong Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US Marines This picture was on the cover of

Newsweek on March 18 1968 Photo Credit Robert Ellison 1968

>

First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before being helped to air-evacuation points

Photo Credit Larry Burrows 1966 (Life)

The frustrations of fighting the war caused the

morale of American soldiers to sink

Soldiers endured great hardships especially prisoners of war captured by the North

Vietnamese

United States Air Force Captain Wilmer N Grubb is given first aid while being guarded by his captors in North Vietnam 011966

The First POWThe first American taken prisoner by the Viet Cong was Army Spec 4 George F Fryett seized Dec 26 1961 while riding a bicycle on the way to a swimming pool on the outskirts of Saigon He was freed in June 1962 His captors simply came out of the jungle at a main road

and put him on a bus back to Saigon

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

Questioning a suspected Vietcong Photo Credit The Byrd Archives

An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US Marines This picture was on the cover of

Newsweek on March 18 1968 Photo Credit Robert Ellison 1968

>

First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before being helped to air-evacuation points

Photo Credit Larry Burrows 1966 (Life)

The frustrations of fighting the war caused the

morale of American soldiers to sink

Soldiers endured great hardships especially prisoners of war captured by the North

Vietnamese

United States Air Force Captain Wilmer N Grubb is given first aid while being guarded by his captors in North Vietnam 011966

The First POWThe first American taken prisoner by the Viet Cong was Army Spec 4 George F Fryett seized Dec 26 1961 while riding a bicycle on the way to a swimming pool on the outskirts of Saigon He was freed in June 1962 His captors simply came out of the jungle at a main road

and put him on a bus back to Saigon

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US Marines This picture was on the cover of

Newsweek on March 18 1968 Photo Credit Robert Ellison 1968

>

First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before being helped to air-evacuation points

Photo Credit Larry Burrows 1966 (Life)

The frustrations of fighting the war caused the

morale of American soldiers to sink

Soldiers endured great hardships especially prisoners of war captured by the North

Vietnamese

United States Air Force Captain Wilmer N Grubb is given first aid while being guarded by his captors in North Vietnam 011966

The First POWThe first American taken prisoner by the Viet Cong was Army Spec 4 George F Fryett seized Dec 26 1961 while riding a bicycle on the way to a swimming pool on the outskirts of Saigon He was freed in June 1962 His captors simply came out of the jungle at a main road

and put him on a bus back to Saigon

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before being helped to air-evacuation points

Photo Credit Larry Burrows 1966 (Life)

The frustrations of fighting the war caused the

morale of American soldiers to sink

Soldiers endured great hardships especially prisoners of war captured by the North

Vietnamese

United States Air Force Captain Wilmer N Grubb is given first aid while being guarded by his captors in North Vietnam 011966

The First POWThe first American taken prisoner by the Viet Cong was Army Spec 4 George F Fryett seized Dec 26 1961 while riding a bicycle on the way to a swimming pool on the outskirts of Saigon He was freed in June 1962 His captors simply came out of the jungle at a main road

and put him on a bus back to Saigon

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

The frustrations of fighting the war caused the

morale of American soldiers to sink

Soldiers endured great hardships especially prisoners of war captured by the North

Vietnamese

United States Air Force Captain Wilmer N Grubb is given first aid while being guarded by his captors in North Vietnam 011966

The First POWThe first American taken prisoner by the Viet Cong was Army Spec 4 George F Fryett seized Dec 26 1961 while riding a bicycle on the way to a swimming pool on the outskirts of Saigon He was freed in June 1962 His captors simply came out of the jungle at a main road

and put him on a bus back to Saigon

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

The First POWThe first American taken prisoner by the Viet Cong was Army Spec 4 George F Fryett seized Dec 26 1961 while riding a bicycle on the way to a swimming pool on the outskirts of Saigon He was freed in June 1962 His captors simply came out of the jungle at a main road

and put him on a bus back to Saigon

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dirty clad in underwear then (left) aboard a truck wearing his flight suit

Both films were part of the North Vietnamese effort to establish

American pilots as criminal aggressors and air pirates

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

Hanoi Hilton Pajamas

American POWs in the Vietnam War endured the longest captivity of any group of US wartime prisoners One of them was Navy Lt Paul Galanti shown here in an East German propaganda film sitting under a sign that reads

Clean Neat

USAF Lt Col James Hughes was paraded through Hanoi visibly

injured the day after his capture

Navy Lt Cmdr Hugh Stafford broke his arm collarbone and ribs when his A-4 was downed by a SAM over Haiphong in August 1967 After three days without water he was then subjected to the rope torture

Despite his injuries (damage to his left arm is evident in this photo) he

became what the studys authors call a spark plug in the resistance

Navy Lt Cmdr John McCain (now a US senator) suffered severe injuries in 1967 from bailing out of his

A-4 over Hanoi and being beaten by a mob A prize hostage because of his prominent father he rejected

offers of quick repatriation

The of US troops in Vietnam continued to increase So did the cost of the war

In order to pay for the war LBJ had to cut spending for his Great

Society programs

By 1967 many Americans still supported the war

However the images of the war on tv began to change that

A reporter records battlefield activity in Vietnam for ABC News

The Johnson administration told the American people that the war was going

well

But television told the opposite story Each night Americans watched the brutal scenes

of the war on the television screens

This led to a credibility gap in the Johnson administration

A growing of people no longer believed what the president was

saying

A Nation Divided

Section 3

Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat under the countryrsquos Selective Service

System or draft

Rep Alexander Pirnie draws the first capsule draft lottery for the Vietnam War

Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried to avoid the draft

1 of the most common ways to avoid the draft was to attend college Most men enrolled in a university could put

off their military service

Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965

USAF Lt Col James Hughes was paraded through Hanoi visibly

injured the day after his capture

Navy Lt Cmdr Hugh Stafford broke his arm collarbone and ribs when his A-4 was downed by a SAM over Haiphong in August 1967 After three days without water he was then subjected to the rope torture

Despite his injuries (damage to his left arm is evident in this photo) he

became what the studys authors call a spark plug in the resistance

Navy Lt Cmdr John McCain (now a US senator) suffered severe injuries in 1967 from bailing out of his

A-4 over Hanoi and being beaten by a mob A prize hostage because of his prominent father he rejected

offers of quick repatriation

The of US troops in Vietnam continued to increase So did the cost of the war

In order to pay for the war LBJ had to cut spending for his Great

Society programs

By 1967 many Americans still supported the war

However the images of the war on tv began to change that

A reporter records battlefield activity in Vietnam for ABC News

The Johnson administration told the American people that the war was going

well

But television told the opposite story Each night Americans watched the brutal scenes

of the war on the television screens

This led to a credibility gap in the Johnson administration

A growing of people no longer believed what the president was

saying

A Nation Divided

Section 3

Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat under the countryrsquos Selective Service

System or draft

Rep Alexander Pirnie draws the first capsule draft lottery for the Vietnam War

Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried to avoid the draft

1 of the most common ways to avoid the draft was to attend college Most men enrolled in a university could put

off their military service

Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965

Navy Lt Cmdr Hugh Stafford broke his arm collarbone and ribs when his A-4 was downed by a SAM over Haiphong in August 1967 After three days without water he was then subjected to the rope torture

Despite his injuries (damage to his left arm is evident in this photo) he

became what the studys authors call a spark plug in the resistance

Navy Lt Cmdr John McCain (now a US senator) suffered severe injuries in 1967 from bailing out of his

A-4 over Hanoi and being beaten by a mob A prize hostage because of his prominent father he rejected

offers of quick repatriation

The of US troops in Vietnam continued to increase So did the cost of the war

In order to pay for the war LBJ had to cut spending for his Great

Society programs

By 1967 many Americans still supported the war

However the images of the war on tv began to change that

A reporter records battlefield activity in Vietnam for ABC News

The Johnson administration told the American people that the war was going

well

But television told the opposite story Each night Americans watched the brutal scenes

of the war on the television screens

This led to a credibility gap in the Johnson administration

A growing of people no longer believed what the president was

saying

A Nation Divided

Section 3

Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat under the countryrsquos Selective Service

System or draft

Rep Alexander Pirnie draws the first capsule draft lottery for the Vietnam War

Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried to avoid the draft

1 of the most common ways to avoid the draft was to attend college Most men enrolled in a university could put

off their military service

Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965

Navy Lt Cmdr John McCain (now a US senator) suffered severe injuries in 1967 from bailing out of his

A-4 over Hanoi and being beaten by a mob A prize hostage because of his prominent father he rejected

offers of quick repatriation

The of US troops in Vietnam continued to increase So did the cost of the war

In order to pay for the war LBJ had to cut spending for his Great

Society programs

By 1967 many Americans still supported the war

However the images of the war on tv began to change that

A reporter records battlefield activity in Vietnam for ABC News

The Johnson administration told the American people that the war was going

well

But television told the opposite story Each night Americans watched the brutal scenes

of the war on the television screens

This led to a credibility gap in the Johnson administration

A growing of people no longer believed what the president was

saying

A Nation Divided

Section 3

Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat under the countryrsquos Selective Service

System or draft

Rep Alexander Pirnie draws the first capsule draft lottery for the Vietnam War

Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried to avoid the draft

1 of the most common ways to avoid the draft was to attend college Most men enrolled in a university could put

off their military service

Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965

The of US troops in Vietnam continued to increase So did the cost of the war

In order to pay for the war LBJ had to cut spending for his Great

Society programs

By 1967 many Americans still supported the war

However the images of the war on tv began to change that

A reporter records battlefield activity in Vietnam for ABC News

The Johnson administration told the American people that the war was going

well

But television told the opposite story Each night Americans watched the brutal scenes

of the war on the television screens

This led to a credibility gap in the Johnson administration

A growing of people no longer believed what the president was

saying

A Nation Divided

Section 3

Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat under the countryrsquos Selective Service

System or draft

Rep Alexander Pirnie draws the first capsule draft lottery for the Vietnam War

Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried to avoid the draft

1 of the most common ways to avoid the draft was to attend college Most men enrolled in a university could put

off their military service

Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965

By 1967 many Americans still supported the war

However the images of the war on tv began to change that

A reporter records battlefield activity in Vietnam for ABC News

The Johnson administration told the American people that the war was going

well

But television told the opposite story Each night Americans watched the brutal scenes

of the war on the television screens

This led to a credibility gap in the Johnson administration

A growing of people no longer believed what the president was

saying

A Nation Divided

Section 3

Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat under the countryrsquos Selective Service

System or draft

Rep Alexander Pirnie draws the first capsule draft lottery for the Vietnam War

Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried to avoid the draft

1 of the most common ways to avoid the draft was to attend college Most men enrolled in a university could put

off their military service

Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965

The Johnson administration told the American people that the war was going

well

But television told the opposite story Each night Americans watched the brutal scenes

of the war on the television screens

This led to a credibility gap in the Johnson administration

A growing of people no longer believed what the president was

saying

A Nation Divided

Section 3

Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat under the countryrsquos Selective Service

System or draft

Rep Alexander Pirnie draws the first capsule draft lottery for the Vietnam War

Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried to avoid the draft

1 of the most common ways to avoid the draft was to attend college Most men enrolled in a university could put

off their military service

Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965

This led to a credibility gap in the Johnson administration

A growing of people no longer believed what the president was

saying

A Nation Divided

Section 3

Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat under the countryrsquos Selective Service

System or draft

Rep Alexander Pirnie draws the first capsule draft lottery for the Vietnam War

Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried to avoid the draft

1 of the most common ways to avoid the draft was to attend college Most men enrolled in a university could put

off their military service

Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965

A Nation Divided

Section 3

Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat under the countryrsquos Selective Service

System or draft

Rep Alexander Pirnie draws the first capsule draft lottery for the Vietnam War

Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried to avoid the draft

1 of the most common ways to avoid the draft was to attend college Most men enrolled in a university could put

off their military service

Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965

Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat under the countryrsquos Selective Service

System or draft

Rep Alexander Pirnie draws the first capsule draft lottery for the Vietnam War

Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried to avoid the draft

1 of the most common ways to avoid the draft was to attend college Most men enrolled in a university could put

off their military service

Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965

Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried to avoid the draft

1 of the most common ways to avoid the draft was to attend college Most men enrolled in a university could put

off their military service

Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965

Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965

Many university students during the 60rsquos were white amp financially well-off

As a result a large who fought in Vietnam were lower-class

whites or minorities

Nearly 80 of American soldiers came from lower economic levels

Thus Vietnam was known as a working-class war

The US military in the 1960rsquos didnrsquot allow women to serve in combat

However nearly 10000 women served in Vietnam as army amp navy nurses Thousands more volunteered in the American Red Cross amp the United Services Organization (USO)

By the 1960rsquos American college students had become politically active

The growing youth movement of the 60rsquos was known as the New Left

By the 1960rsquos American college students had become politically active

The growing youth movement of the 60rsquos was known as the New Left

The group took its name from the ldquooldrdquo left of the 1930rsquos

The New Left demanded sweeping changed in American

society

1 of the better known New Left groups was Students for a Democratic Society

(SDS)

This organization called for greater individual freedom in

America

SDS Button Logo

A Volunteer takes on New Members

1 of the better known New Left groups was Students for a Democratic Society

(SDS)

This organization called for greater individual freedom in

America

SDS Button Logo

A Volunteer takes on New Members

Another New Left group was the Free Speech Movement (FSM)

This group was formed at he University of California at Berkeley It grew out of a fight

bw students amp administrators over free speech on campus

A tense moment as University police make their

way to a stranded police car

The strategies of the SDS amp FSM eventually spread to colleges throughout the country There students

protested mostly campus issues

Soon however students around the nation found 1 issue they could protest

together The Vietnam War

In April 1965 SDS helped organize a march on

DC About 20000 protesters participated

In Nov rsquo65 a protest rally in Washington drew about 30000

protesters

Eventually the antiwar movement reached beyond college campuses Small rsquos of returning veterans protested Musicians took up the antiwar cause

Many protest songs became popular

Famous anti-war protesters John Kerry with Beatle John Lennon during a protest rally

A tense moment as University police make their

way to a stranded police car

The strategies of the SDS amp FSM eventually spread to colleges throughout the country There students

protested mostly campus issues

Soon however students around the nation found 1 issue they could protest

together The Vietnam War

In April 1965 SDS helped organize a march on

DC About 20000 protesters participated

In Nov rsquo65 a protest rally in Washington drew about 30000

protesters

Eventually the antiwar movement reached beyond college campuses Small rsquos of returning veterans protested Musicians took up the antiwar cause

Many protest songs became popular

Famous anti-war protesters John Kerry with Beatle John Lennon during a protest rally

The strategies of the SDS amp FSM eventually spread to colleges throughout the country There students

protested mostly campus issues

Soon however students around the nation found 1 issue they could protest

together The Vietnam War

In April 1965 SDS helped organize a march on

DC About 20000 protesters participated

In Nov rsquo65 a protest rally in Washington drew about 30000

protesters

Eventually the antiwar movement reached beyond college campuses Small rsquos of returning veterans protested Musicians took up the antiwar cause

Many protest songs became popular

Famous anti-war protesters John Kerry with Beatle John Lennon during a protest rally

In April 1965 SDS helped organize a march on

DC About 20000 protesters participated

In Nov rsquo65 a protest rally in Washington drew about 30000

protesters

Eventually the antiwar movement reached beyond college campuses Small rsquos of returning veterans protested Musicians took up the antiwar cause

Many protest songs became popular

Famous anti-war protesters John Kerry with Beatle John Lennon during a protest rally

Eventually the antiwar movement reached beyond college campuses Small rsquos of returning veterans protested Musicians took up the antiwar cause

Many protest songs became popular

Famous anti-war protesters John Kerry with Beatle John Lennon during a protest rally

By 1967 Americans were divided into 2 main groups

Those who wanted the US to withdraw from the war were called

DOVES

Those who supported the war were called HAWKS

>

Other Americans took no stand on the war

However they criticized doves for protesting a war in which US troops were fighting amp dying

Other Americans took no stand on the war

However they criticized doves for protesting a war in which US troops were fighting amp dying

1968 A Tumultuous Year

Section 4

January 30 was the Vietnamese equivalent of New Yearrsquos Eve It was the

beginning of festivities known as Tet

During the Tet holiday in 1968 a week-long truce was called Many peasants crowded

into S Vietnamrsquos cities to celebrate the holiday

However many of the peasants turned out to be Vietcong rebels The rebels launched a massive attack on nearly 100 towns amp cities in S Vietnam They also

attacked 12 US air bases

The attacks were known as the Tet offensive The offensive lasted for about a month

Finally US amp S Vietnamese forces regained control of the cities

USMC Captain Franklin P Eller during the Tet Offensive

January 30 was the Vietnamese equivalent of New Yearrsquos Eve It was the

beginning of festivities known as Tet

During the Tet holiday in 1968 a week-long truce was called Many peasants crowded

into S Vietnamrsquos cities to celebrate the holiday

However many of the peasants turned out to be Vietcong rebels The rebels launched a massive attack on nearly 100 towns amp cities in S Vietnam They also

attacked 12 US air bases

The attacks were known as the Tet offensive The offensive lasted for about a month

Finally US amp S Vietnamese forces regained control of the cities

USMC Captain Franklin P Eller during the Tet Offensive

However many of the peasants turned out to be Vietcong rebels The rebels launched a massive attack on nearly 100 towns amp cities in S Vietnam They also

attacked 12 US air bases

The attacks were known as the Tet offensive The offensive lasted for about a month

Finally US amp S Vietnamese forces regained control of the cities

USMC Captain Franklin P Eller during the Tet Offensive

General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing Viet Cong Captain Nguyen Van Lem Eddie Adams Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph

Gen Westmoreland declared that the Tet offensive was a major defeat for the

Vietcong

From a military standpoint he was righthellipThe vietcong lost about 32000

soldiers during the attacks The US amp S Vietnam lost only 3000 soldiers

However the Tet offensive shattered Americarsquos confidence in the war

Clark Clifford was the presidentrsquos new sec of defense After Tet Clifford

decided that America could not win the war

However the Tet offensive shattered Americarsquos confidence in the war

Clark Clifford was the presidentrsquos new sec of defense After Tet Clifford

decided that America could not win the war

The Tet offensive also hurt President Johnsonrsquos popularity

By the end of Feb rsquo68 nearly 60 of the public disapproved of Johnsonrsquos handling of the war Also nearly frac12 the country said it

had been a mistake to send troops to Vietnam

Even before the Tet offensive an antiwar group in the Democratic Party had taken steps to unseat Johnson

The group looked for someone to challenge Johnson in the rsquo68 primary election

They asked Robert Kennedy (NY) but he declined However Minnesota senator

Eugene McCarthy agreed He would run on a platform to end the Vietnam War

KENNEDY Robert Francis

Eugene J Gene McCarthy

Even before the Tet offensive an antiwar group in the Democratic Party had taken steps to unseat Johnson

The group looked for someone to challenge Johnson in the rsquo68 primary election

They asked Robert Kennedy (NY) but he declined However Minnesota senator

Eugene McCarthy agreed He would run on a platform to end the Vietnam War

KENNEDY Robert Francis

Eugene J Gene McCarthy

McCarthy surprised many people by nearly beating Johnson in the New Hampshire Democratic primary Suddenly Johnson

appeared politically weak

As a result Robert Kennedy declared himself a presidential candidate The

Democratic Party was now badly divided

President Johnson decided to address the nation on tv He announced that he

would seek peace in Vietnam

Then he declared that he would NOT seek reelection as president

The country was shocked

President Lyndon B Johnson addresses the Nation announcing a bombing halt in Vietnam and his intention not to run for re-election

In the days amp months ahead several more incidents stunned the nation

On April 4 a gunman killed civil rights leader MLK

2 months later an assassin gunned down amp killed Robert Kennedy

The funeral of Robert F KennedyPhoto courtesy of the New York City Police Department

Meanwhile antiwar protests continued to rock college campuses

During the 1st 6 months of rsquo68 almost 40000 students on more than 100

campuses held demonstrations

In the days amp months ahead several more incidents stunned the nation

On April 4 a gunman killed civil rights leader MLK

2 months later an assassin gunned down amp killed Robert Kennedy

The funeral of Robert F KennedyPhoto courtesy of the New York City Police Department

Meanwhile antiwar protests continued to rock college campuses

During the 1st 6 months of rsquo68 almost 40000 students on more than 100

campuses held demonstrations

Meanwhile antiwar protests continued to rock college campuses

During the 1st 6 months of rsquo68 almost 40000 students on more than 100

campuses held demonstrations

In August rsquo68 the Democrats met in Chicago for their presidential convention There they would

choose a presidential candidate

In reality Democratic leaders had already decided on the candidate Vice-President Hubert Humphrey

This angered many antiwar activist

They favored McCarthy

McCarthy supporters arrive in Chicago for the Democratic Convention

Senator McCarthy campaigns in the Wisconsin primary

About 10000 antiwar protesters came to Chicago

Some wanted to pressure the Democrats to create an antiwar platform Others wanted to

voice their opposition to Humphrey Still others wanted to create violence to discredit

the Democratic Party

1971 Committee to Help Unsell the War (New York)

Violence eventually erupted at a downtown park away from the convention hall There police

moved in on 1000rsquos of demonstrators

They sprayed the protesters wMace They also beat them wnightsticks Many protesters fled Others fought back

Tear Gas Lincoln ParkAugust 26 - 27th 1968

The violence in Chicago highlighted the Democratsrsquo division

The Republicans were more unified They nominated former Vice-President

Richard Nixon for president

This angered many antiwar activist

They favored McCarthy

McCarthy supporters arrive in Chicago for the Democratic Convention

Senator McCarthy campaigns in the Wisconsin primary

About 10000 antiwar protesters came to Chicago

Some wanted to pressure the Democrats to create an antiwar platform Others wanted to

voice their opposition to Humphrey Still others wanted to create violence to discredit

the Democratic Party

1971 Committee to Help Unsell the War (New York)

Violence eventually erupted at a downtown park away from the convention hall There police

moved in on 1000rsquos of demonstrators

They sprayed the protesters wMace They also beat them wnightsticks Many protesters fled Others fought back

Tear Gas Lincoln ParkAugust 26 - 27th 1968

The violence in Chicago highlighted the Democratsrsquo division

The Republicans were more unified They nominated former Vice-President

Richard Nixon for president

About 10000 antiwar protesters came to Chicago

Some wanted to pressure the Democrats to create an antiwar platform Others wanted to

voice their opposition to Humphrey Still others wanted to create violence to discredit

the Democratic Party

1971 Committee to Help Unsell the War (New York)

Violence eventually erupted at a downtown park away from the convention hall There police

moved in on 1000rsquos of demonstrators

They sprayed the protesters wMace They also beat them wnightsticks Many protesters fled Others fought back

Tear Gas Lincoln ParkAugust 26 - 27th 1968

The violence in Chicago highlighted the Democratsrsquo division

The Republicans were more unified They nominated former Vice-President

Richard Nixon for president

1971 Committee to Help Unsell the War (New York)

Violence eventually erupted at a downtown park away from the convention hall There police

moved in on 1000rsquos of demonstrators

They sprayed the protesters wMace They also beat them wnightsticks Many protesters fled Others fought back

Tear Gas Lincoln ParkAugust 26 - 27th 1968

The violence in Chicago highlighted the Democratsrsquo division

The Republicans were more unified They nominated former Vice-President

Richard Nixon for president

Violence eventually erupted at a downtown park away from the convention hall There police

moved in on 1000rsquos of demonstrators

They sprayed the protesters wMace They also beat them wnightsticks Many protesters fled Others fought back

Tear Gas Lincoln ParkAugust 26 - 27th 1968

The violence in Chicago highlighted the Democratsrsquo division

The Republicans were more unified They nominated former Vice-President

Richard Nixon for president

Tear Gas Lincoln ParkAugust 26 - 27th 1968

The violence in Chicago highlighted the Democratsrsquo division

The Republicans were more unified They nominated former Vice-President

Richard Nixon for president

The violence in Chicago highlighted the Democratsrsquo division

The Republicans were more unified They nominated former Vice-President

Richard Nixon for president

Nixon campaigned on a platform of law amp order He also assured the American people that he

would end the Vietnam War

Richard Nixon campaign rally

Nixonrsquos campaign was helped by the entry of a 3rd party candidate George

Wallace

Wallace was a former governor of Alabama He took many democratic

votes away from Humphrey

George Wallace campaigning in the 60s (File Photo-The Post)

In November Nixon won the election

It was now up to him to resolve the Vietnam crisis

Presidential electoral votes by state

Presidential electoral votes by state

The End of the War amp Itrsquos Legacy

Section 5

Richard Nixon pledged to end American involvement in the Vietnam War

With National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger he came up

with a plan to end the war

Richard Nixon pledged to end American involvement in the Vietnam War

With National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger he came up

with a plan to end the war

Their plan was known as Vietnamization

It called for the gradual withdrawal of US troops amp for the S Vietnamese to

do more of the fighting

By Aug rsquo69 the first 25000 US troops had returned home

Over the next 3 years the of American troops in Vietnam dropped from more than

500000 to less than 25000

Nixon however didnrsquot want to lose the war

So as he pulled American troops out he ordered a massive bombing attack

against North Vietnam

Vietnamese base camp after an attack

Nixon however didnrsquot want to lose the war

So as he pulled American troops out he ordered a massive bombing attack

against North Vietnam

Vietnamese base camp after an attack

Nixon also ordered that bombs be dropped on the neighboring countries of

Laos amp Cambodia

These countries held a of Vietcong bases

To win support for his war policies Nixon appealed to what he called the silent

majority

These were mainstream Americans who quietly supported the presidentrsquos strategy

Lapel Pin for the Silent Majority

In November 1969 Americans learned of

a shocking event

US troops had massacred more than 100 unarmed Vietnamese in

the village of My Lai

Many of those killed at My Lai were women

In November 1969 Americans learned of

a shocking event

US troops had massacred more than 100 unarmed Vietnamese in

the village of My Lai

Many of those killed at My Lai were women

Some lucky villagers like these two children survived the massacre

Aerial photo of My Lai

In april 1970 the country heard more upsetting news President Nixon announced that US

troops had invaded Cambodia

They had tried to destroy Vietcong supply lines there Upon hearing of the invasion colleges exploded in protest

A protest at Kent State University in Ohio turned tragic

To restore order on the campus the local mayor called in the

National Guardhellip

Aerial photo of My Lai

In april 1970 the country heard more upsetting news President Nixon announced that US

troops had invaded Cambodia

They had tried to destroy Vietcong supply lines there Upon hearing of the invasion colleges exploded in protest

A protest at Kent State University in Ohio turned tragic

To restore order on the campus the local mayor called in the

National Guardhellip

In april 1970 the country heard more upsetting news President Nixon announced that US

troops had invaded Cambodia

They had tried to destroy Vietcong supply lines there Upon hearing of the invasion colleges exploded in protest

A protest at Kent State University in Ohio turned tragic

To restore order on the campus the local mayor called in the

National Guardhellip

A protest at Kent State University in Ohio turned tragic

To restore order on the campus the local mayor called in the

National Guardhellip

Some students began throwing rocks at the guards The guards fired into a crowd of

protesters

Source Usually credited to John Filo 1970 Tarentum Pennsylvania Valley News

4 students were killed

An injured or slain student being moved on a stretcher

An injured student being given first aid

Nixonrsquos invasion of Cambodia cost him public support It also cost him political

support

Members of Congress were angry that he had invaded Cambodia without

telling them As a result they repealed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution

Support for the war declined even further in June 1971 That month a former Defense Department worker leaked

what became known as the Pentagon Papers

These documents showed that the past US

presidents had never drawn up any plan to

withdraw from Vietnam

1972 was a presidential election year To win reelection Nixon believed he had to

end the Vietnam War

Nixon called on Henry Kissinger Kissinger negotiated a peace

settlement with the N Vietnamese

Hanoi North Vietnam American servicemen former prisoners of war are cheering as their aircraft takes off from an airfield near Hanoi as part of Operation Homecoming February 1973 (NAIL Control No NWDNS-127-N-A900056 Still Picture Unit National Archives and

Records Administration)

In October 1972 Kissinger announced that peace was close at hand

A month later Nixon was reelected president

Richard Nixon during the campaign

An injured or slain student being moved on a stretcher

An injured student being given first aid

Nixonrsquos invasion of Cambodia cost him public support It also cost him political

support

Members of Congress were angry that he had invaded Cambodia without

telling them As a result they repealed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution

Support for the war declined even further in June 1971 That month a former Defense Department worker leaked

what became known as the Pentagon Papers

These documents showed that the past US

presidents had never drawn up any plan to

withdraw from Vietnam

1972 was a presidential election year To win reelection Nixon believed he had to

end the Vietnam War

Nixon called on Henry Kissinger Kissinger negotiated a peace

settlement with the N Vietnamese

Hanoi North Vietnam American servicemen former prisoners of war are cheering as their aircraft takes off from an airfield near Hanoi as part of Operation Homecoming February 1973 (NAIL Control No NWDNS-127-N-A900056 Still Picture Unit National Archives and

Records Administration)

In October 1972 Kissinger announced that peace was close at hand

A month later Nixon was reelected president

Richard Nixon during the campaign

Nixonrsquos invasion of Cambodia cost him public support It also cost him political

support

Members of Congress were angry that he had invaded Cambodia without

telling them As a result they repealed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution

Support for the war declined even further in June 1971 That month a former Defense Department worker leaked

what became known as the Pentagon Papers

These documents showed that the past US

presidents had never drawn up any plan to

withdraw from Vietnam

1972 was a presidential election year To win reelection Nixon believed he had to

end the Vietnam War

Nixon called on Henry Kissinger Kissinger negotiated a peace

settlement with the N Vietnamese

Hanoi North Vietnam American servicemen former prisoners of war are cheering as their aircraft takes off from an airfield near Hanoi as part of Operation Homecoming February 1973 (NAIL Control No NWDNS-127-N-A900056 Still Picture Unit National Archives and

Records Administration)

In October 1972 Kissinger announced that peace was close at hand

A month later Nixon was reelected president

Richard Nixon during the campaign

Support for the war declined even further in June 1971 That month a former Defense Department worker leaked

what became known as the Pentagon Papers

These documents showed that the past US

presidents had never drawn up any plan to

withdraw from Vietnam

1972 was a presidential election year To win reelection Nixon believed he had to

end the Vietnam War

Nixon called on Henry Kissinger Kissinger negotiated a peace

settlement with the N Vietnamese

Hanoi North Vietnam American servicemen former prisoners of war are cheering as their aircraft takes off from an airfield near Hanoi as part of Operation Homecoming February 1973 (NAIL Control No NWDNS-127-N-A900056 Still Picture Unit National Archives and

Records Administration)

In October 1972 Kissinger announced that peace was close at hand

A month later Nixon was reelected president

Richard Nixon during the campaign

1972 was a presidential election year To win reelection Nixon believed he had to

end the Vietnam War

Nixon called on Henry Kissinger Kissinger negotiated a peace

settlement with the N Vietnamese

Hanoi North Vietnam American servicemen former prisoners of war are cheering as their aircraft takes off from an airfield near Hanoi as part of Operation Homecoming February 1973 (NAIL Control No NWDNS-127-N-A900056 Still Picture Unit National Archives and

Records Administration)

In October 1972 Kissinger announced that peace was close at hand

A month later Nixon was reelected president

Richard Nixon during the campaign

Hanoi North Vietnam American servicemen former prisoners of war are cheering as their aircraft takes off from an airfield near Hanoi as part of Operation Homecoming February 1973 (NAIL Control No NWDNS-127-N-A900056 Still Picture Unit National Archives and

Records Administration)

In October 1972 Kissinger announced that peace was close at hand

A month later Nixon was reelected president

Richard Nixon during the campaign

In October 1972 Kissinger announced that peace was close at hand

A month later Nixon was reelected president

Richard Nixon during the campaign

Presidential Election 1972 States Carried

However the promised peace in Vietnam didnrsquot come South Vietnam objected to

the proposed peace settlement

As a result the peace talks broke down Nixon responded by ordering

more bombings against North Vietnam

Eventually the peace talks resumed In January rsquo73 the warring parties signed a

peace agreement

By the end of March the last US combat troops had left For America

the Vietnam War was over

Signing the peace accords

Soon after South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam

Marines defending the Walls of the Embassy

Shortly after America left the peace agreement collapsed

North amp South Vietnam resumed fighting

However the promised peace in Vietnam didnrsquot come South Vietnam objected to

the proposed peace settlement

As a result the peace talks broke down Nixon responded by ordering

more bombings against North Vietnam

Eventually the peace talks resumed In January rsquo73 the warring parties signed a

peace agreement

By the end of March the last US combat troops had left For America

the Vietnam War was over

Signing the peace accords

Soon after South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam

Marines defending the Walls of the Embassy

Shortly after America left the peace agreement collapsed

North amp South Vietnam resumed fighting

Eventually the peace talks resumed In January rsquo73 the warring parties signed a

peace agreement

By the end of March the last US combat troops had left For America

the Vietnam War was over

Signing the peace accords

Soon after South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam

Marines defending the Walls of the Embassy

Shortly after America left the peace agreement collapsed

North amp South Vietnam resumed fighting

Soon after South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam

Marines defending the Walls of the Embassy

Shortly after America left the peace agreement collapsed

North amp South Vietnam resumed fighting

Shortly after America left the peace agreement collapsed

North amp South Vietnam resumed fighting

In April 1975 North Vietnamese troops captured the Southrsquos capital Saigon

By daybreak thousands of Vietnamese had massed at the US Embassy hoping to be evacuated

Marines loading up a CH-46 Chopper in Compound

The Vietnam War cost both sides many lives

In all about 58000 Americans died in Vietnam Another 303000 were

wounded Vietnamese deaths topped 2 million

After the war Southeast Asia continued to experience violence amp unrest

The Communists imprisoned 100rsquos of thousands of South

Vietnamese

Family escaping across river

In Cambodia a communist group known as the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975

They attempted to transform the country into a peasant society

Some of the Khmer Rouge leadership during their period in power Pol Pot is at left

The Vietnam War cost both sides many lives

In all about 58000 Americans died in Vietnam Another 303000 were

wounded Vietnamese deaths topped 2 million

After the war Southeast Asia continued to experience violence amp unrest

The Communists imprisoned 100rsquos of thousands of South

Vietnamese

Family escaping across river

In Cambodia a communist group known as the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975

They attempted to transform the country into a peasant society

Some of the Khmer Rouge leadership during their period in power Pol Pot is at left

After the war Southeast Asia continued to experience violence amp unrest

The Communists imprisoned 100rsquos of thousands of South

Vietnamese

Family escaping across river

In Cambodia a communist group known as the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975

They attempted to transform the country into a peasant society

Some of the Khmer Rouge leadership during their period in power Pol Pot is at left

In Cambodia a communist group known as the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975

They attempted to transform the country into a peasant society

Some of the Khmer Rouge leadership during their period in power Pol Pot is at left

In doing so they killed many government officials amp intellectuals

The group is believed to have killed as many at 1 million

Cambodians

Skulls of Khmer Rouge victims at the killing fields site at Choeung Ek

Photos from the Khmer Rouge regimes archives showing a few of their hundreds of thousands of victims (Photos on display at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum Phnom Penh

In the US the war resulted in several policy changes

In November 1973 Congress passed the War Powers Act This law prevented the president from

committing troops in a foreign conflict wout approval from Congress

In a larger sense the war made Americans less willing to become involved

in foreign wars

The war also left many Americans with a feeling of mistrust toward

their government

COMING NEXThelliphellip

CHAPTER 23

ldquoAN ERA OF SOCIAL CHANGErdquo

THE END

• THE VIETNAM YEARS
• Moving Toward Conflict
• Vietnam is a long thin country on a peninsula in southeast Asi
• From the late 1800rsquos until WWII France ruled Vietnam
• As result the Vietnamese often rebelled The Communist Party
• In 1941 Japan conquered Vietnam
• The Vietminhrsquos goal was to achieve independence for Vietnam
• However France wanted to retake control of Vietnam
• The French conquered the southern half of Vietnam
• For the next 8 years the 2 sides fought for control of the ent
• Slide 11
• The US supported France during the war America considered t
• President Eisenhower explained his countryrsquos policy with what b
• The Vietminh defeated the French The final blow came in 1954
• Several countries met with the French amp the Vietminh to negotia
• Slide 16
• Ho Chi Minh ruled N Vietnam
• When it came time for the all-country elections Diem refused t
• President of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem left is welcomed in
• The US supported Diemrsquos decision The US government provid
• Diem however turned out to be a terrible ruler
• In 1957 a rebel group had formed in the South The group was
• Ho Chi Minh supported the Vietcong from the North He supplied
• Slide 24
• John F Kennedy became president after Eisenhower
• Meanwhile Diemrsquos government grew more unstable The Vietcong r
• In 1963 military leaders overthrew Diem
• 2 months later JFK himself was assassinated
• S Vietnam didnrsquot improve after Diemrsquos death A string of milit
• In August 1964 Johnson received reports of an incident in the
• A North Vietnamese patrol boat allegedly had fired torpedoes at
• He also asked Congress for special military powers to stop any
• In February 1965 President Johnson used his new power
• US Involvement amp Escalation
• In 1965 LBJ began sending US troops to Vietnam to fight the
• But most of the presidentrsquos advisers supported sending in troop
• These men believed that America had to help defeat communism in
• By the end of 1965 the US had sent more than 180000 troops
• Westmoreland wasnrsquot impressed by the Army of the Republic of Vi
• The USNS Core arrives in Saigon with the first US helicopter un
• The US believed that its superior weaponry would lead to a qu
• The 1st factor was the Vietcongrsquos fighting style They used hi
• Slide 43
• Viet Cong emerges from tunnel to surrender
• A soldier from the 8th Engineer Battalion 1st Cavalry Division
• Engineers unpack and test a Mitey-Mite blower in the jungles of
• Smoke reveals another tunnel exit tunnel exit
• Tunnel rat and his tools - a M1911a 45 pistol and a flashlight
• Slide 49
• Slide 50
• A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tour
• The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender
• The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the su
• For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb
• June 8 1972 Kim Phuacutec center running down a road near Trang
• White phosphorous and napalm bombs explode across Route 1 near
• Riverboat of the US Brownwater Navy deploying napalm during t
• They also sprayed Agent Orange
• US used chemical defoliants extensively leaving much of the
• Some Vietnamese allege that Agent Orange cause these birth defe
• American soldiers also turned the peasants against them by cond
• Vietnamese battalion commander Captain Thach Quyen interrogates
• Soldiers of the US First Air Cavalry Division point their wea
• An injured North Vietnamese soldier is led from his bunker by s
• Vietcong Prisoner Being Pulled by Hair Soldiers leading blindfo
• A young Viet Cong suspect cries after hearing a rifle shot His
• Questioning a suspected Vietcong Photo Credit The Byrd Archi
• An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US
• First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before bei
• The frustrations of fighting the war caused the morale of Ameri
• The First POW The first American taken prisoner by the Viet Con
• 105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dir
• Slide 73
• Slide 74
• American POWs in the Vietnam War endured the longest captivity
• USAF Lt Col James Hughes was paraded through Hanoi visibly in
• Navy Lt Cmdr Hugh Stafford broke his arm collarbone and rib
• Navy Lt Cmdr John McCain (now a US senator) suffered se
• The of US troops in Vietnam continued to increase So did
• Slide 80
• Slide 81
• By 1967 many Americans still supported the war
• The Johnson administration told the American people that the wa
• This led to a credibility gap in the Johnson administration
• A Nation Divided
• Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat und
• Slide 87
• Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried t
• Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965
• Slide 90
• Many university students during the 60rsquos were white amp financial
• Nearly 80 of American soldiers came from lower economic levels
• The US military in the 1960rsquos didnrsquot allow women to serve in
• By the 1960rsquos American college students had become politically
• The group took its name from the ldquooldrdquo left of the 1930rsquos
• 1 of the better known New Left groups was Students for a Democr
• Another New Left group was the Free Speech Movement (FSM)
• A tense moment as University police make their way to a strande
• The strategies of the SDS amp FSM eventually spread to colleges t
• In April 1965 SDS helped organize a march on DC About 20000
• Eventually the antiwar movement reached beyond college campuse
• By 1967 Americans were divided into 2 main groups
• Other Americans took no stand on the war
• 1968 A Tumultuous Year
• January 30 was the Vietnamese equivalent of New Yearrsquos Eve It
• However many of the peasants turned out to be Vietcong rebels
• Slide 107
• Gen Westmoreland declared that the Tet offensive was a major d
• However the Tet offensive shattered Americarsquos confidence in th
• The Tet offensive also hurt President Johnsonrsquos popularity
• Slide 111
• Even before the Tet offensive an antiwar group in the Democrat
• McCarthy surprised many people by nearly beating Johnson in the
• President Johnson decided to address the nation on tv He ann
• In the days amp months ahead several more incidents stunned the
• Meanwhile antiwar protests continued to rock college campuses
• In August rsquo68 the Democrats met in Chicago for their president
• This angered many antiwar activist
• About 10000 antiwar protesters came to Chicago
• 1971 Committee to Help Unsell the War (New York)
• Violence eventually erupted at a downtown park away from the co
• Tear Gas Lincoln Park August 26 - 27th 1968
• The violence in Chicago highlighted the Democratsrsquo division
• Nixon campaigned on a platform of law amp order He also assure
• Nixonrsquos campaign was helped by the entry of a 3rd party candida
• In November Nixon won the election
• Presidential electoral votes by state
• Slide 128
• The End of the War amp Itrsquos Legacy
• Richard Nixon pledged to end American involvement in the Vietna
• Their plan was known as Vietnamization
• By Aug rsquo69 the first 25000 US troops had returned home
• Nixon however didnrsquot want to lose the war
• Nixon also ordered that bombs be dropped on the neighboring cou
• To win support for his war policies Nixon appealed to what he
• In November 1969 Americans learned of a shocking event
• Slide 137
• Slide 138
• Aerial photo of My Lai
• In april 1970 the country heard more upsetting news Presiden
• A protest at Kent State University in Ohio turned tragic
• Slide 142
• Some students began throwing rocks at the guards The guards f
• Slide 144
• Slide 145
• Nixonrsquos invasion of Cambodia cost him public support It also
• Support for the war declined even further in June 1971 That mo
• 1972 was a presidential election year To win reelection Nixon
• Hanoi North Vietnam American servicemen former prisoners of
• In October 1972 Kissinger announced that peace was close at ha
• Presidential Election 1972 States Carried
• However the promised peace in Vietnam didnrsquot come South Vietn
• Eventually the peace talks resumed In January rsquo73 the warri
• Soon after South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam
• Shortly after America left the peace agreement collapsed
• Slide 156
• In April 1975 North Vietnamese troops captured the Southrsquos cap
• The Vietnam War cost both sides many lives
• After the war Southeast Asia continued to experience violence
• In Cambodia a communist group known as the Khmer Rouge took po
• In doing so they killed many government officials amp intellectu
• Slide 162
• In the US the war resulted in several policy changes
• In a larger sense the war made Americans less willing to becom
• COMING NEXThelliphellip
• THE END

In a larger sense the war made Americans less willing to become involved

in foreign wars

The war also left many Americans with a feeling of mistrust toward

their government

COMING NEXThelliphellip

CHAPTER 23

ldquoAN ERA OF SOCIAL CHANGErdquo

THE END

• THE VIETNAM YEARS
• Moving Toward Conflict
• Vietnam is a long thin country on a peninsula in southeast Asi
• From the late 1800rsquos until WWII France ruled Vietnam
• As result the Vietnamese often rebelled The Communist Party
• In 1941 Japan conquered Vietnam
• The Vietminhrsquos goal was to achieve independence for Vietnam
• However France wanted to retake control of Vietnam
• The French conquered the southern half of Vietnam
• For the next 8 years the 2 sides fought for control of the ent
• Slide 11
• The US supported France during the war America considered t
• President Eisenhower explained his countryrsquos policy with what b
• The Vietminh defeated the French The final blow came in 1954
• Several countries met with the French amp the Vietminh to negotia
• Slide 16
• Ho Chi Minh ruled N Vietnam
• When it came time for the all-country elections Diem refused t
• President of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem left is welcomed in
• The US supported Diemrsquos decision The US government provid
• Diem however turned out to be a terrible ruler
• In 1957 a rebel group had formed in the South The group was
• Ho Chi Minh supported the Vietcong from the North He supplied
• Slide 24
• John F Kennedy became president after Eisenhower
• Meanwhile Diemrsquos government grew more unstable The Vietcong r
• In 1963 military leaders overthrew Diem
• 2 months later JFK himself was assassinated
• S Vietnam didnrsquot improve after Diemrsquos death A string of milit
• In August 1964 Johnson received reports of an incident in the
• A North Vietnamese patrol boat allegedly had fired torpedoes at
• He also asked Congress for special military powers to stop any
• In February 1965 President Johnson used his new power
• US Involvement amp Escalation
• In 1965 LBJ began sending US troops to Vietnam to fight the
• But most of the presidentrsquos advisers supported sending in troop
• These men believed that America had to help defeat communism in
• By the end of 1965 the US had sent more than 180000 troops
• Westmoreland wasnrsquot impressed by the Army of the Republic of Vi
• The USNS Core arrives in Saigon with the first US helicopter un
• The US believed that its superior weaponry would lead to a qu
• The 1st factor was the Vietcongrsquos fighting style They used hi
• Slide 43
• Viet Cong emerges from tunnel to surrender
• A soldier from the 8th Engineer Battalion 1st Cavalry Division
• Engineers unpack and test a Mitey-Mite blower in the jungles of
• Smoke reveals another tunnel exit tunnel exit
• Tunnel rat and his tools - a M1911a 45 pistol and a flashlight
• Slide 49
• Slide 50
• A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tour
• The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender
• The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the su
• For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb
• June 8 1972 Kim Phuacutec center running down a road near Trang
• White phosphorous and napalm bombs explode across Route 1 near
• Riverboat of the US Brownwater Navy deploying napalm during t
• They also sprayed Agent Orange
• US used chemical defoliants extensively leaving much of the
• Some Vietnamese allege that Agent Orange cause these birth defe
• American soldiers also turned the peasants against them by cond
• Vietnamese battalion commander Captain Thach Quyen interrogates
• Soldiers of the US First Air Cavalry Division point their wea
• An injured North Vietnamese soldier is led from his bunker by s
• Vietcong Prisoner Being Pulled by Hair Soldiers leading blindfo
• A young Viet Cong suspect cries after hearing a rifle shot His
• Questioning a suspected Vietcong Photo Credit The Byrd Archi
• An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US
• First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before bei
• The frustrations of fighting the war caused the morale of Ameri
• The First POW The first American taken prisoner by the Viet Con
• 105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dir
• Slide 73
• Slide 74
• American POWs in the Vietnam War endured the longest captivity
• USAF Lt Col James Hughes was paraded through Hanoi visibly in
• Navy Lt Cmdr Hugh Stafford broke his arm collarbone and rib
• Navy Lt Cmdr John McCain (now a US senator) suffered se
• The of US troops in Vietnam continued to increase So did
• Slide 80
• Slide 81
• By 1967 many Americans still supported the war
• The Johnson administration told the American people that the wa
• This led to a credibility gap in the Johnson administration
• A Nation Divided
• Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat und
• Slide 87
• Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried t
• Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965
• Slide 90
• Many university students during the 60rsquos were white amp financial
• Nearly 80 of American soldiers came from lower economic levels
• The US military in the 1960rsquos didnrsquot allow women to serve in
• By the 1960rsquos American college students had become politically
• The group took its name from the ldquooldrdquo left of the 1930rsquos
• 1 of the better known New Left groups was Students for a Democr
• Another New Left group was the Free Speech Movement (FSM)
• A tense moment as University police make their way to a strande
• The strategies of the SDS amp FSM eventually spread to colleges t
• In April 1965 SDS helped organize a march on DC About 20000
• Eventually the antiwar movement reached beyond college campuse
• By 1967 Americans were divided into 2 main groups
• Other Americans took no stand on the war
• 1968 A Tumultuous Year
• January 30 was the Vietnamese equivalent of New Yearrsquos Eve It
• However many of the peasants turned out to be Vietcong rebels
• Slide 107
• Gen Westmoreland declared that the Tet offensive was a major d
• However the Tet offensive shattered Americarsquos confidence in th
• The Tet offensive also hurt President Johnsonrsquos popularity
• Slide 111
• Even before the Tet offensive an antiwar group in the Democrat
• McCarthy surprised many people by nearly beating Johnson in the
• President Johnson decided to address the nation on tv He ann
• In the days amp months ahead several more incidents stunned the
• Meanwhile antiwar protests continued to rock college campuses
• In August rsquo68 the Democrats met in Chicago for their president
• This angered many antiwar activist
• About 10000 antiwar protesters came to Chicago
• 1971 Committee to Help Unsell the War (New York)
• Violence eventually erupted at a downtown park away from the co
• Tear Gas Lincoln Park August 26 - 27th 1968
• The violence in Chicago highlighted the Democratsrsquo division
• Nixon campaigned on a platform of law amp order He also assure
• Nixonrsquos campaign was helped by the entry of a 3rd party candida
• In November Nixon won the election
• Presidential electoral votes by state
• Slide 128
• The End of the War amp Itrsquos Legacy
• Richard Nixon pledged to end American involvement in the Vietna
• Their plan was known as Vietnamization
• By Aug rsquo69 the first 25000 US troops had returned home
• Nixon however didnrsquot want to lose the war
• Nixon also ordered that bombs be dropped on the neighboring cou
• To win support for his war policies Nixon appealed to what he
• In November 1969 Americans learned of a shocking event
• Slide 137
• Slide 138
• Aerial photo of My Lai
• In april 1970 the country heard more upsetting news Presiden
• A protest at Kent State University in Ohio turned tragic
• Slide 142
• Some students began throwing rocks at the guards The guards f
• Slide 144
• Slide 145
• Nixonrsquos invasion of Cambodia cost him public support It also
• Support for the war declined even further in June 1971 That mo
• 1972 was a presidential election year To win reelection Nixon
• Hanoi North Vietnam American servicemen former prisoners of
• In October 1972 Kissinger announced that peace was close at ha
• Presidential Election 1972 States Carried
• However the promised peace in Vietnam didnrsquot come South Vietn
• Eventually the peace talks resumed In January rsquo73 the warri
• Soon after South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam
• Shortly after America left the peace agreement collapsed
• Slide 156
• In April 1975 North Vietnamese troops captured the Southrsquos cap
• The Vietnam War cost both sides many lives
• After the war Southeast Asia continued to experience violence
• In Cambodia a communist group known as the Khmer Rouge took po
• In doing so they killed many government officials amp intellectu
• Slide 162
• In the US the war resulted in several policy changes
• In a larger sense the war made Americans less willing to becom
• COMING NEXThelliphellip
• THE END

COMING NEXThelliphellip

CHAPTER 23

ldquoAN ERA OF SOCIAL CHANGErdquo

THE END

• THE VIETNAM YEARS
• Moving Toward Conflict
• Vietnam is a long thin country on a peninsula in southeast Asi
• From the late 1800rsquos until WWII France ruled Vietnam
• As result the Vietnamese often rebelled The Communist Party
• In 1941 Japan conquered Vietnam
• The Vietminhrsquos goal was to achieve independence for Vietnam
• However France wanted to retake control of Vietnam
• The French conquered the southern half of Vietnam
• For the next 8 years the 2 sides fought for control of the ent
• Slide 11
• The US supported France during the war America considered t
• President Eisenhower explained his countryrsquos policy with what b
• The Vietminh defeated the French The final blow came in 1954
• Several countries met with the French amp the Vietminh to negotia
• Slide 16
• Ho Chi Minh ruled N Vietnam
• When it came time for the all-country elections Diem refused t
• President of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem left is welcomed in
• The US supported Diemrsquos decision The US government provid
• Diem however turned out to be a terrible ruler
• In 1957 a rebel group had formed in the South The group was
• Ho Chi Minh supported the Vietcong from the North He supplied
• Slide 24
• John F Kennedy became president after Eisenhower
• Meanwhile Diemrsquos government grew more unstable The Vietcong r
• In 1963 military leaders overthrew Diem
• 2 months later JFK himself was assassinated
• S Vietnam didnrsquot improve after Diemrsquos death A string of milit
• In August 1964 Johnson received reports of an incident in the
• A North Vietnamese patrol boat allegedly had fired torpedoes at
• He also asked Congress for special military powers to stop any
• In February 1965 President Johnson used his new power
• US Involvement amp Escalation
• In 1965 LBJ began sending US troops to Vietnam to fight the
• But most of the presidentrsquos advisers supported sending in troop
• These men believed that America had to help defeat communism in
• By the end of 1965 the US had sent more than 180000 troops
• Westmoreland wasnrsquot impressed by the Army of the Republic of Vi
• The USNS Core arrives in Saigon with the first US helicopter un
• The US believed that its superior weaponry would lead to a qu
• The 1st factor was the Vietcongrsquos fighting style They used hi
• Slide 43
• Viet Cong emerges from tunnel to surrender
• A soldier from the 8th Engineer Battalion 1st Cavalry Division
• Engineers unpack and test a Mitey-Mite blower in the jungles of
• Smoke reveals another tunnel exit tunnel exit
• Tunnel rat and his tools - a M1911a 45 pistol and a flashlight
• Slide 49
• Slide 50
• A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tour
• The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender
• The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the su
• For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb
• June 8 1972 Kim Phuacutec center running down a road near Trang
• White phosphorous and napalm bombs explode across Route 1 near
• Riverboat of the US Brownwater Navy deploying napalm during t
• They also sprayed Agent Orange
• US used chemical defoliants extensively leaving much of the
• Some Vietnamese allege that Agent Orange cause these birth defe
• American soldiers also turned the peasants against them by cond
• Vietnamese battalion commander Captain Thach Quyen interrogates
• Soldiers of the US First Air Cavalry Division point their wea
• An injured North Vietnamese soldier is led from his bunker by s
• Vietcong Prisoner Being Pulled by Hair Soldiers leading blindfo
• A young Viet Cong suspect cries after hearing a rifle shot His
• Questioning a suspected Vietcong Photo Credit The Byrd Archi
• An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US
• First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before bei
• The frustrations of fighting the war caused the morale of Ameri
• The First POW The first American taken prisoner by the Viet Con
• 105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dir
• Slide 73
• Slide 74
• American POWs in the Vietnam War endured the longest captivity
• USAF Lt Col James Hughes was paraded through Hanoi visibly in
• Navy Lt Cmdr Hugh Stafford broke his arm collarbone and rib
• Navy Lt Cmdr John McCain (now a US senator) suffered se
• The of US troops in Vietnam continued to increase So did
• Slide 80
• Slide 81
• By 1967 many Americans still supported the war
• The Johnson administration told the American people that the wa
• This led to a credibility gap in the Johnson administration
• A Nation Divided
• Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat und
• Slide 87
• Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried t
• Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965
• Slide 90
• Many university students during the 60rsquos were white amp financial
• Nearly 80 of American soldiers came from lower economic levels
• The US military in the 1960rsquos didnrsquot allow women to serve in
• By the 1960rsquos American college students had become politically
• The group took its name from the ldquooldrdquo left of the 1930rsquos
• 1 of the better known New Left groups was Students for a Democr
• Another New Left group was the Free Speech Movement (FSM)
• A tense moment as University police make their way to a strande
• The strategies of the SDS amp FSM eventually spread to colleges t
• In April 1965 SDS helped organize a march on DC About 20000
• Eventually the antiwar movement reached beyond college campuse
• By 1967 Americans were divided into 2 main groups
• Other Americans took no stand on the war
• 1968 A Tumultuous Year
• January 30 was the Vietnamese equivalent of New Yearrsquos Eve It
• However many of the peasants turned out to be Vietcong rebels
• Slide 107
• Gen Westmoreland declared that the Tet offensive was a major d
• However the Tet offensive shattered Americarsquos confidence in th
• The Tet offensive also hurt President Johnsonrsquos popularity
• Slide 111
• Even before the Tet offensive an antiwar group in the Democrat
• McCarthy surprised many people by nearly beating Johnson in the
• President Johnson decided to address the nation on tv He ann
• In the days amp months ahead several more incidents stunned the
• Meanwhile antiwar protests continued to rock college campuses
• In August rsquo68 the Democrats met in Chicago for their president
• This angered many antiwar activist
• About 10000 antiwar protesters came to Chicago
• 1971 Committee to Help Unsell the War (New York)
• Violence eventually erupted at a downtown park away from the co
• Tear Gas Lincoln Park August 26 - 27th 1968
• The violence in Chicago highlighted the Democratsrsquo division
• Nixon campaigned on a platform of law amp order He also assure
• Nixonrsquos campaign was helped by the entry of a 3rd party candida
• In November Nixon won the election
• Presidential electoral votes by state
• Slide 128
• The End of the War amp Itrsquos Legacy
• Richard Nixon pledged to end American involvement in the Vietna
• Their plan was known as Vietnamization
• By Aug rsquo69 the first 25000 US troops had returned home
• Nixon however didnrsquot want to lose the war
• Nixon also ordered that bombs be dropped on the neighboring cou
• To win support for his war policies Nixon appealed to what he
• In November 1969 Americans learned of a shocking event
• Slide 137
• Slide 138
• Aerial photo of My Lai
• In april 1970 the country heard more upsetting news Presiden
• A protest at Kent State University in Ohio turned tragic
• Slide 142
• Some students began throwing rocks at the guards The guards f
• Slide 144
• Slide 145
• Nixonrsquos invasion of Cambodia cost him public support It also
• Support for the war declined even further in June 1971 That mo
• 1972 was a presidential election year To win reelection Nixon
• Hanoi North Vietnam American servicemen former prisoners of
• In October 1972 Kissinger announced that peace was close at ha
• Presidential Election 1972 States Carried
• However the promised peace in Vietnam didnrsquot come South Vietn
• Eventually the peace talks resumed In January rsquo73 the warri
• Soon after South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam
• Shortly after America left the peace agreement collapsed
• Slide 156
• In April 1975 North Vietnamese troops captured the Southrsquos cap
• The Vietnam War cost both sides many lives
• After the war Southeast Asia continued to experience violence
• In Cambodia a communist group known as the Khmer Rouge took po
• In doing so they killed many government officials amp intellectu
• Slide 162
• In the US the war resulted in several policy changes
• In a larger sense the war made Americans less willing to becom
• COMING NEXThelliphellip
• THE END

THE END

• THE VIETNAM YEARS
• Moving Toward Conflict
• Vietnam is a long thin country on a peninsula in southeast Asi
• From the late 1800rsquos until WWII France ruled Vietnam
• As result the Vietnamese often rebelled The Communist Party
• In 1941 Japan conquered Vietnam
• The Vietminhrsquos goal was to achieve independence for Vietnam
• However France wanted to retake control of Vietnam
• The French conquered the southern half of Vietnam
• For the next 8 years the 2 sides fought for control of the ent
• Slide 11
• The US supported France during the war America considered t
• President Eisenhower explained his countryrsquos policy with what b
• The Vietminh defeated the French The final blow came in 1954
• Several countries met with the French amp the Vietminh to negotia
• Slide 16
• Ho Chi Minh ruled N Vietnam
• When it came time for the all-country elections Diem refused t
• President of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem left is welcomed in
• The US supported Diemrsquos decision The US government provid
• Diem however turned out to be a terrible ruler
• In 1957 a rebel group had formed in the South The group was
• Ho Chi Minh supported the Vietcong from the North He supplied
• Slide 24
• John F Kennedy became president after Eisenhower
• Meanwhile Diemrsquos government grew more unstable The Vietcong r
• In 1963 military leaders overthrew Diem
• 2 months later JFK himself was assassinated
• S Vietnam didnrsquot improve after Diemrsquos death A string of milit
• In August 1964 Johnson received reports of an incident in the
• A North Vietnamese patrol boat allegedly had fired torpedoes at
• He also asked Congress for special military powers to stop any
• In February 1965 President Johnson used his new power
• US Involvement amp Escalation
• In 1965 LBJ began sending US troops to Vietnam to fight the
• But most of the presidentrsquos advisers supported sending in troop
• These men believed that America had to help defeat communism in
• By the end of 1965 the US had sent more than 180000 troops
• Westmoreland wasnrsquot impressed by the Army of the Republic of Vi
• The USNS Core arrives in Saigon with the first US helicopter un
• The US believed that its superior weaponry would lead to a qu
• The 1st factor was the Vietcongrsquos fighting style They used hi
• Slide 43
• Viet Cong emerges from tunnel to surrender
• A soldier from the 8th Engineer Battalion 1st Cavalry Division
• Engineers unpack and test a Mitey-Mite blower in the jungles of
• Smoke reveals another tunnel exit tunnel exit
• Tunnel rat and his tools - a M1911a 45 pistol and a flashlight
• Slide 49
• Slide 50
• A command center in the Cu Chi tunnels Today tunnels are tour
• The 2nd factor was the Vietcongrsquos refusal to surrender
• The 3rd factor was the American troopsrsquo inability to win the su
• For example US planes dropped napalm a gasoline-based bomb
• June 8 1972 Kim Phuacutec center running down a road near Trang
• White phosphorous and napalm bombs explode across Route 1 near
• Riverboat of the US Brownwater Navy deploying napalm during t
• They also sprayed Agent Orange
• US used chemical defoliants extensively leaving much of the
• Some Vietnamese allege that Agent Orange cause these birth defe
• American soldiers also turned the peasants against them by cond
• Vietnamese battalion commander Captain Thach Quyen interrogates
• Soldiers of the US First Air Cavalry Division point their wea
• An injured North Vietnamese soldier is led from his bunker by s
• Vietcong Prisoner Being Pulled by Hair Soldiers leading blindfo
• A young Viet Cong suspect cries after hearing a rifle shot His
• Questioning a suspected Vietcong Photo Credit The Byrd Archi
• An ammunition dump struck by a shell explodes in front of US
• First-aid center where wounded Marines were treated before bei
• The frustrations of fighting the war caused the morale of Ameri
• The First POW The first American taken prisoner by the Viet Con
• 105 pilot Capt Murphy Jones was paraded first bandaged and dir
• Slide 73
• Slide 74
• American POWs in the Vietnam War endured the longest captivity
• USAF Lt Col James Hughes was paraded through Hanoi visibly in
• Navy Lt Cmdr Hugh Stafford broke his arm collarbone and rib
• Navy Lt Cmdr John McCain (now a US senator) suffered se
• The of US troops in Vietnam continued to increase So did
• Slide 80
• Slide 81
• By 1967 many Americans still supported the war
• The Johnson administration told the American people that the wa
• This led to a credibility gap in the Johnson administration
• A Nation Divided
• Most soldiers who fought in Vietnam were called into combat und
• Slide 87
• Because the war was growing unpopular thousands of men tried t
• Burning draft cards in support of Vietnam War resisters 1965
• Slide 90
• Many university students during the 60rsquos were white amp financial
• Nearly 80 of American soldiers came from lower economic levels
• The US military in the 1960rsquos didnrsquot allow women to serve in
• By the 1960rsquos American college students had become politically
• The group took its name from the ldquooldrdquo left of the 1930rsquos
• 1 of the better known New Left groups was Students for a Democr
• Another New Left group was the Free Speech Movement (FSM)
• A tense moment as University police make their way to a strande
• The strategies of the SDS amp FSM eventually spread to colleges t
• In April 1965 SDS helped organize a march on DC About 20000
• Eventually the antiwar movement reached beyond college campuse
• By 1967 Americans were divided into 2 main groups
• Other Americans took no stand on the war
• 1968 A Tumultuous Year
• January 30 was the Vietnamese equivalent of New Yearrsquos Eve It
• However many of the peasants turned out to be Vietcong rebels
• Slide 107
• Gen Westmoreland declared that the Tet offensive was a major d
• However the Tet offensive shattered Americarsquos confidence in th
• The Tet offensive also hurt President Johnsonrsquos popularity
• Slide 111
• Even before the Tet offensive an antiwar group in the Democrat
• McCarthy surprised many people by nearly beating Johnson in the
• President Johnson decided to address the nation on tv He ann
• In the days amp months ahead several more incidents stunned the
• Meanwhile antiwar protests continued to rock college campuses
• In August rsquo68 the Democrats met in Chicago for their president
• This angered many antiwar activist
• About 10000 antiwar protesters came to Chicago
• 1971 Committee to Help Unsell the War (New York)
• Violence eventually erupted at a downtown park away from the co
• Tear Gas Lincoln Park August 26 - 27th 1968
• The violence in Chicago highlighted the Democratsrsquo division
• Nixon campaigned on a platform of law amp order He also assure
• Nixonrsquos campaign was helped by the entry of a 3rd party candida
• In November Nixon won the election
• Presidential electoral votes by state
• Slide 128
• The End of the War amp Itrsquos Legacy
• Richard Nixon pledged to end American involvement in the Vietna
• Their plan was known as Vietnamization
• By Aug rsquo69 the first 25000 US troops had returned home
• Nixon however didnrsquot want to lose the war
• Nixon also ordered that bombs be dropped on the neighboring cou
• To win support for his war policies Nixon appealed to what he
• In November 1969 Americans learned of a shocking event
• Slide 137
• Slide 138
• Aerial photo of My Lai
• In april 1970 the country heard more upsetting news Presiden
• A protest at Kent State University in Ohio turned tragic
• Slide 142
• Some students began throwing rocks at the guards The guards f
• Slide 144
• Slide 145
• Nixonrsquos invasion of Cambodia cost him public support It also
• Support for the war declined even further in June 1971 That mo
• 1972 was a presidential election year To win reelection Nixon
• Hanoi North Vietnam American servicemen former prisoners of
• In October 1972 Kissinger announced that peace was close at ha
• Presidential Election 1972 States Carried
• However the promised peace in Vietnam didnrsquot come South Vietn
• Eventually the peace talks resumed In January rsquo73 the warri
• Soon after South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam
• Shortly after America left the peace agreement collapsed
• Slide 156
• In April 1975 North Vietnamese troops captured the Southrsquos cap
• The Vietnam War cost both sides many lives
• After the war Southeast Asia continued to experience violence
• In Cambodia a communist group known as the Khmer Rouge took po
• In doing so they killed many government officials amp intellectu
• Slide 162
• In the US the war resulted in several policy changes
• In a larger sense the war made Americans less willing to becom
• COMING NEXThelliphellip
• THE END