Vietnam War

1. Vietnam War

3. How did U.S. get involved? • Vietnam – colony of France late 1800s to WWII • WWII • Japanese invaded • U.S. supported Vietminh against Japanese • Vietnamese want independence Ho Chi Minh Leader of Vietminh, later Communists

4. How did U.S. get involved? • After WWII • Ho Chi Minh declares the country: “Democratic Republic of Vietnam” • Communist government – in North • U.S. & France won’t officially recognize • France wants its colony back • U.S. doesn’t want communism • U.S. Goal: Containment • Soviets, Chinese support North Vietnam

5. How did U.S. get involved? • As China and Soviets increase support to Vietminh in North . . . • Stage set for battle between French & Vietminh • French take over South, with huge military & economic aid from U.S. – U.S. pays for most of France’s war. Why?

6. Domino Theory • Meanwhile . . . • USSR – Communist • N. Korea – Communist • China – Communist • N. Vietnam -Communist • Domino Theory • If one country in Indochina goes, they’ll all fall to communism

7. French Indochina War • By 1950 – French control major cities • Not countryside • Guerilla warfare • Hide – Jungle & Villages • Hit & Run • Underground tunnels & rooms • Simple weapons • Can’t kill an enemy you can’t see

8. French Defeated • Pacification Strategy • Win over villages to eliminate support of guerillas • Becomes “whack-a-mole” game • French underestimated Vietminh • Last battle – Dien Bien Phu – May 1954

9. Vietnam Divided • July 1954 Geneva Accords – peace agreement • Divides Vietnam at 17th parallel temporarily • Elections scheduled for 1956 to reunify • Ho Chi Minh – Controls North from Hanoi • Ngo Dinh Diem – Leader in the South from Saigon

11. South Vietnam under Diem • Corrupt, unpopular w/peasants • Won’t hold agreed upon elections to reunify country - 1956 • Relocations to “strategic hamlets” • Forces Buddhists to obey Catholic laws - monks burn selves in protest • Shocks world – especially Americans Ngo Dinh Diem

12. Buddhist Monks Protest

13. End of Diem Reign • Kennedy gives up on Diem as leader • Supports a military coup – Nov. 1963 • Diem assassinated • U.S. now intricately involved • Series of unsuccessful, unpopular leaders

14. Gulf of Tonkin Incident & Resolution • August 1964 - U.S.S. Maddox said fired upon by North Vietnamese gunboats • Later retracted it • President Johnson asks Congress for broad powers to “protect U.S. interests” • Congress passes Resolution • By 1967, 500,000 US soldiers in Vietnam fighting • By June, Operation Rolling Thunder – sustained bombing of North Vietnam

15. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Congress issues Resolution • “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against U.S. forces” • Never declared war • U.S. fully engaged in battle

16. Who’s who? • ARVN-Army of the Republic of Vietnam – The South Vietnamese Military • NVA-North Vietnamese Army – the North Vietnamese Military • Vietcong – live in South VN, but on the side of the North. Look like civilians, but are plotting attacks against US & S. VN – aka National Liberation Front

17. US & ARVN soldiers NVA soldiers Vietcong soldiers

18. Who’s Who? Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara Commanding Officer in Vietnam General Westmoreland Secretary of State Dean Rusk

19. Guerilla Warfare • No “Front Line” • Sneak attacks • Booby traps everywhere Punji traps • Land mines

20. Guerilla Warfare – Land Mines • Used by both sides • VC disassembled and reused U.S. mines • Buried them on pathways/roads used by US • Today: 3.5 million armed mines remain in VN • 160 casualties per month • 1997 Mine Ban Treaty • Eliminated production/use of these mines • By 2000 – 139 nations agreed • NOT U.S., China, or Russia • U.S. gives $$millions to clearing mines

21. Guerilla Warfare -Tunnel Network • Fighting bases, provided continuous support to troops • 200 miles at Cu Chi • Trapdoors for access everywhere • Some openings under water • Arms factories, wells, medical areas, kitchens • Hidden firing posts for offensive attacks “The more the US tried to drive us from our land, the more we burrowed into it.” VC Major

22. How did U.S. Fight Guerilla Warfare? • War of Attrition • Wear them down, kill enough to make them give up • Leads to “Body Count” • Winning “Hearts & Minds” • Similar to Pacification Strategy – make nice • “Search & Destroy” enemies bases in villages • “Zippo Missions” - Burned villages & livestock, uprooted civilians • Search & Clear - Find enemy amongst civilians and clear them out through attacks – causes >3 million S. Vietnamese refugees

23. How did U.S. fight Guerilla warfare? • B52 Bombers • Smashed roads, bridges • Saturation bombing – tons over large areas Bomb craters today

24. Helicopters • For the 1st time, helicopters are used to carry out missions in a war • They drop troops off in Landing Zone (LZ) & pick them up after the mission • Most were Hueys

25. How did U.S. fight Guerilla warfare? • Fragmentation Bombs • Thick metal in all directions • Penetrates people, light armored vehicles • Grenade-like balls • Carries 200,000 steel fragments, small metal darts • Some cover size of football field

26. How did U.S. Fight Guerilla Warfare? • Today, some still unexploded • Colorful design attracts kids

27. Napalm • Jelly-like substance mixed with gasoline • Sticks to whatever it touches and burns

28. Trang BangVillage Phan Thi Kim Phuc

29. Lasting Effects of Napalm • Peace Activist • Forgiven, but not forgotten • Publicly pardoned person who dropped napalm on her village • Dedicated her life to promoting peace Kim Phuc Phan Thi

30. Agent Orange • Herbicide • Kills leaves, thick vegetation • Dropped by planes • 20 million gallons over 6 million acres by ‘72 • Expose VC hiding spots • Later - health problems in people, animals • Birth defects • Cancer • Skin conditions

31. War Proves Frustrating US Major: “We had to destroy the town to save it.” McNamara : “If I had known they could take this much punishment and fight this well, I would have thought differently at the start.” • US saw war as a military struggle • Vietnamese saw it as battle for their existence. They would pay any price to win • Meanwhile, morale and support for war are sinking

32. War Begins to Divide Country • TV images conflict with US government’s war reports • Creates “credibility gap” for Johnson • Fulbright Hearings contribute to doubts • By 1967 Americans evenly split in support & opposition of war • American youth begin protesting

33. Working-Class War • Draft - Began with all men 18-26 • Deferments • Medical - some local draft boards more lenient than others • Attending University • National Guard, Coast Guard • Later, must be student in “good standing” – leads to more protests

34. Poor Man’s War • Only wealthy could afford college • Wealthy had connections to doctors, National Guard, etc. • 80% of soldiers from lower economic levels • African Americans – used on ground more • 20% of combat deaths • Yet, represented only 10% of population • MLK speaks out against war • Great Society falls by the wayside

35. 1969 - Draft Lottery • Each day of year in blue plastic capsules • Represented birthdays • 366 capsules in large glass jar • Drawn one at a time • Each assigned a draft number • If your number was called, you were drafted • Lower than 196 - drafted Eliminated deferments for marriage, college students

36. Draft Resistance • Many avoided draft • Fled to Canada, Sweden, other countries • Estimated 100,000 • Protest movement • Burning draft cards

37. “Fortunate Son” By Creedence Clearwater Revival

38. Protest Movement • New Left (Old Left = Socialism, Communism; New = bring sweeping changes to America) • Students for Democratic Society (SDS) • Founded by Tom Hayden, Al Haber • Hayden UM “Michigan Daily” Editor • Free Speech Movement • University of California – Berkley • Ideas spread at U.S. Universities • Came together around War Tom Hayden & Jane Fonda

39. Jane Fonda looking admiringly at an NVA gun crew “Hanoi Jane” Jane Fonda sitting on a seat of an anti-aircraft gun

40. Protest Movement • SDS organized marches on Washington D.C. • Burned draft cards • 1965 UofM teach-ins • Professors taught about war through the night • 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention

42. Country Divided • Hawks • Use full military force • Doves • Get out of Vietnam • Said it’s Civil War • South no better than North

43. Protest Movement Grows • Many musicians write protest songs • Joan Baez • Peter, Paul & Mary • Bob Dylan • Creedence Clearwater Revival • John Lennon • Phil Ochs • Pete Seeger • Country Joe & The Fish

44. 1968 – A Pivotal Year • Nov. 1967 - McNamara resigns • Clark Clifford – New Sec of Defense • Quickly determines war is not winnable • Johnson won’t seek reelection • Troops feel demoralized • April 4 – Dr. Martin L. King assassinated • Cities erupt in riots • June 5 – Robert Kennedy assassinated • just won CA Democratic primary race

45. 1968 – A Pivotal Year • Jan. 30 – Tet Offensive • VN New Year – week long truce • Celebrators stream into cities, funerals • Weapons in coffins; Vietcong among civilians • Surprise attack in >100 cities

46. 1968 – A Pivotal Year • Jan. 30 – Tet Offensive • Month-long battle • Heaviest U.S. casualties • Public opinion turns against the war • VC & North Vietnamese Army (NVA) are stronger than U.S. government has said • Widens the “credibility gap”

47. 1968 Election: Democratic Nat’l Convention • Humphrey (Johnson’s VP) most likely pick for Democratic candidate • 10,000 protesters – led by SDS – want Senator Eugene McCarthy, or other anti-war politicians • Riots break out at Chicago Convention • Splits the Democratic Party • People shocked by chaos on TV • Helps Republicans win election

48. Election Results • Republican Richard Nixon beats Humphrey by close margin on popular vote • 3rd Party Candidate – George Wallace takes 46 electoral votes • Racist Alabama Gov., segregationist

49. Withdrawal from Vietnam • Nixon & Henry Kissinger “Vietnamization” • Kissinger, National Security Advisor • June 1969 - Remove U.S. forces • Replace with South Vietnamese soldiers • “Peace with Honor” • Provides a way to pull out w/o losing dignity or looking weak on Communism • Nixon looks for support from “Silent Majority” • Secretly bombs Laos & Cambodia

50. My Lai Massacre