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Fighting the War

Fighting the War. What it was like for the 3 million Americans that served in Vietnam. Carried 60 pounds of gear Dug chest-deep fighting holes Slept 1-2 hours at a time for months at a time Patrols, ambushes, listening posts, radio watches Ringworm, hookworm, malaria, dysentery were common.

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Fighting the War

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  1. Fighting the War

  2. What it was like for the 3 million Americans that served in Vietnam Carried 60 pounds of gear Dug chest-deep fighting holes Slept 1-2 hours at a time for months at a time Patrols, ambushes, listening posts, radio watches Ringworm, hookworm, malaria, dysentery were common. Trench foot.

  3. Both sides had some advantages • The U.S. advantages 1. had superior arms and supplies • Viet Cong advantages: 1. were familiar with the swamps and jungles (home field advantage). 2. They also could find protection in Cambodia and Laos. 3. Often had the support of the S. Vietnamese population. They were indifferent to this war. Mrs. Kelly likes you to know advantages and disadvantages

  4. U.S. disadvantages • U.S. soldiers were confused. The South Vietnamese people could care less that they were trying to defend their freedom. • Good quote from a Marine “We are the unwilling working for the unqualified to do the unnecessary for the ungrateful.” – Kit Bowen • Government in Saigon was inept and corrupt. • Never sure who was a friend or a foe. Children carried grenades, women were spies…

  5. The Ground War • Because the Vietnamese lacked the equipment that the U.S. had, they avoided head-on clashes. • Instead they used guerilla warfare in small units. Sneak attacks and sabotage. • Had elaborate underground tunnels. Some had running water, electricity and hospitals.

  6. Let’s take a look at the tunnels

  7. Vietnamese Traps • Punji traps with poisonous stakes • Land mines- explosive device planted in the ground. • Trip wires concealed grenades • There was always the possibility of sudden danger. Snipers were everywhere. Weapons and tactics are important

  8. Because of the confusion of the American soldiers as to who was a friend and who was a foe all Vietnamese civilians would suffer. Widespread destruction hurt all.

  9. The Air War • B-52 bomber is introduced. Could bomb roads and bridges. • Saturation bombing- planes dropping thousands of tons of explosives over N. Vietnam. • Fragmentation bombs- A type of bomb that, upon explosion, causes pieces of its thick metal casings to be thrown in all directions. • Roads, bridges and large areas of land were destroyed.

  10. Chemical Weapons • Agent Orange- a herbicide that killed the leaves and undergrowth. This allowed the planes flying overhead to see the Viet Cong. It also killed crops. Later found to be hazardous to your health. I think you know why I am here.

  11. Napalm • Jellylike substance that burned uncontrollably. • Would stick to your body and sear off your flesh. • Chemical weapons destroyed people and plants. This chemical warfare is awful.

  12. The Course of War 1965-1968 • After 1964 election Johnson starts a military escalation- or expansion of the war. He puts in more money and personnel. • Now we are not advising we are fighting for S. Vietnamese military officer Nguyen Ky.

  13. Intensifying the War • By 1965 the Viet Cong were expanding in S. Vietnam. • N. Vietnamese troops and supplies were coming in via the Ho Chi Minh Trail- a supply route that passed through Laos and Cambodia.

  14. Attack at Pleiku • N. Vietnamese kill 8 Americans and wound 126. • Johnson responds- Authorizes the bombing of North Vietnam.

  15. William Westmoreland • Commander of U.S. Forces in Vietnam. • Requests more men • Beginning of 1965- 25,000 soldiers in Vietnam. • End of 1965- 184,000 soldiers in Vietnam. • The escalation has begun BIG TIME!

  16. Regardless of the escalation • We are at a stalemate. • Our objective was not to conquer North Vietnam but rather to force the enemy to stop fighting. • Operation Rolling Thunder- Bombing campaign that lasted for almost 3 years. It produced heavy damage but it did not stop the Viet Cong. Nothing would stop them from fighting.

  17. Hawks and Doves • Criticism at home- • Hawks- supported the war • Doves- opposed the war and raised questions about the expansion of the war.

  18. Another new leader • 1967- Thieu succeeded Ky as president of South Vietnam. But even with our advanced weaponry we could not win. • Escalation again- 1966- 385,000 1967- 485,000 1968- 536,000 Communists escalating also.

  19. Tet- The Vietnamese New Year • Jan. 30, 1968- Viet Cong and N. Vietnamese launch a major offensive which is called the Tet Offensive. • They had surprise attacks on major cities and American military bases. Saigon has fierce fighting for weeks.

  20. The Tet- A Psychological Victory for the North • This is the turning point of the war • The North is pushed back but they now realize that they can attack the South whenever they want. • And at home people who were at one time for the war now want our soldiers to come back home.

  21. Communist Brutality- The Atrocity at Hue • During the Tet enemies were slaughtered by the Communists • While occupying Southern cities (Hue) they killed those that worked for the Americans in civil service jobs or any military personnel. • All the dead were placed in a mass grave.

  22. Massacre at My Lai-An American Atrocity • Our soldiers were under extreme distress and surrounded by brutality. • My Lai- small town in S. Vietnam • We got news that this town was sheltering Viet Cong so the we came in to clear it out. • We found no enemy soldiers, just women, children and the elderly. Bad stuff is about to happen.

  23. My Lai • We gathered up all the prisoners and shot them all. About 400 dead. • It would have been more if a U.S. helicopter crew did not stop the slaughter. They almost had to fire on U.S. troops. What punishment, if any, should be given to these men?

  24. With all of these problems • Tet Offensive loss/win • My Lai Massacre • Hue Massacre • All this brutality is shown on the T.V • People want this to end. • Johnson’s popularity goes down. This sounds so familiar

  25. Review • The US had great soldiers and weapons • The N. Vietnamese had home-field advantage, guerilla warfare techniques and help from S. Vietnamese civilians and the Viet Cong. They had tunnels and dealt with sabotage. • US soldiers were confused- “who is with us and who is against us?”

  26. Weapons and tactics • Bombings • Chemical Warfare • Trip wires • Land mines • Spies

  27. By 1964 we are fighting- no more advising. But the North has no problem getting supplies and men to the South. • The Ho Chi Minh Trail was extremely useful to the North. • We are getting no where! We must escalate our war efforts. • Another new person is in charge of the South. Now we have had Diem, Ky and now Thieu.

  28. 3 thing you must know to understand the Vietnam War • Hue • My Lai • Tet Must know information

  29. Worksheet then Quiz Time 12 points

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