U.S. Escalation

1. U.S. Escalation Chapter 30 section 2

2. I Escalation of War in Vietnam • LBJ “Not sending American boys to do was Asian boys should do themselves”  eventually sends American troops • Supported because of Cold War policies • South Vietnamese army = Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) • US military superiority canceled by jungle terrain  stalemate • Guerilla warfare/booby traps/tunnel systems (PG 891) • US strategy for victory = war of attrition – destruction of morale by continuous harassment

3. Also had to keep Vietcong from winning support of rural poor • If they in the ppl the guerillas have no where to hide • US military tactics to fight Vietcong also hurt rural population • Napalm used to expose Vietcong in tunnels set fire to jungle • Agent Orange leaf killing toxic chemical left landscape destroyed • Search and destroy missions killed livestock and burned villages of those suspected of helping Vietcong • American soldier moral sank  alcoholism & drugs

4. II the Early war at Home • As Vietnam escalates it becomes more costly  US econ suffering • LBJ gets congress to approve tax increase to pay for war BUT has to reduce $6 mil. In funding for Great Society programs  Great Society fails • Vietnam = “living room” war ppl seeing opposite of what LBJ was saying the war was • War protest movement begins to grow

5. III a Working-Class War • Most soldiers drafted under Selective Service System • All males 18 or up had to register with draft board and were called in case of war • Shift in support for war seen in avoiding the draft • Medical deferments(corrupt doctors) • Join National or Coast guard • Enrolled in universities – white financially well off were able to afford university lower class whites or minorities fought • MLK “cruel irony” of American blacks dying for country that regards them as 2nd class citizensrace riots in mil. camps

6. IV Protest Movement Emerges • youth of 1950s were now young adults and rejected the boring conformity of their 50s youth  political & social action • New Left = made up of many activist groups who called for huge changes in American society (NOT SOCIALIST OR COMMUNIST) • Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)  Port Huron Statement (PG 897) • America taken over by large corporations  restoration of participatory democracy • Free Speech Movement(Ucal @ Berkeley)  the “machine” = powerful business & gov’t

7. SDS leads march on wash, civil disobedience at draft centers, & advocated fleeing to Canada to avoid draft  more than 300 chapters nationwide • Reasons for you protest = • 1) belief Vietnam was civil war & US no business in it • 2) draining American strength around the world • 3) unjust war • “burn cards, not people” “Hell no, we won’t go!” – NYC Central Park • Protest movement affects music (will talk about in last section)

8. Americans fin themselves in 2 camps regarding Vietnam • Doves= strongly opposed the war & believe the US should withdraw • Hawks= strongly approved of the war & believes the US should increase military power • People criticized anti-war movement for being disloyal (Pg 900) • All this was still not the height of the Vietnam war years - reaches it peek and most tumultuous in 1968