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The Vietnam War Years

The Vietnam War Years. Big Idea: Who Should Be Exempt From the Draft?. America Supports France in Vietnam. Americas involvement in Vietnam began in 1950. France attempted to rule in Vietnam after WWII. Stop the Spread of Communism. France needs the help of the U.S.

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The Vietnam War Years

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  1. The Vietnam War Years Big Idea: Who Should Be Exempt From the Draft?

  2. America Supports France in Vietnam • Americas involvement in Vietnam began in 1950. • France attempted to rule in Vietnam after WWII. • Stop the Spread of Communism. • France needs the help of the U.S. • 1800- France ruled Indochina. • 1924- Ho Chi Minh • Leader of Vietnam • Created the Ho Chi Minh Communist Party. • 1940- Japanese takes over Vietnam. • Formed the Vietminh • Win Vietnam’s independence. • France Battles the Vietminh • 1945 French regained the country’s southern half. • 1950- The U.S entered the Vietnam struggle. • U.S did supply Ho Chi Minh against the Japanese in WWII. • By 1950- Viewed as a communist aggressor. • Vietminh Drive out the French. • Eisenhower declared Domino Theory. • Despite U.S aide, the French would retake Vietnam. • Geneva Accords: • Divided Vietnam into north and south. 17th Parallel. • North- Communists • South- Nationalists. • Called for elections in 1956.

  3. The United States Steps In • The French are out, U.S took a more active role. • Eisenhower and Kennedy provided economic and military aide. • Diem Cancels Elections. • Years of fighting the French made him a hero. • U.S trusted him. • U.S. provided aide in exchange for a stable government. • Diem Failed to hold up his end of the bargain. • 1957- Communists opposition group popped up. Vietcong. • Vietcong had begun attacks on the Diem government. • Assassinated thousands of government officials. • Ho Chi Minh supported the group. • 1959- began supplying Vietcong along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. • Used gorilla type warfare. • Made South Vietnam more unstable. • Eisenhower administration took little action.

  4. Kennedy vs. Johnson • Kennedy • Administration swam with Diem. • Increased financial aide to Diem’s regime. • Diem’s popularity sank. • Vietnamese people were moved to protected areas. • Many resisted. • Diem tired of Buddhism • Killed several monks and nuns. • Most of who burned themselves in public. • Diem refused to stop persecutions. • To remain stable, Diem would have to go. • November 1, 1963- Diem’s regime was toppled. • Few weeks later Kennedy was assassinated. • Johnson • Diem’s death brought more instability in South Vietnam. • August 2, 1964 • North Vietnam fired a torpedo. • The torpedo missed. • Maddox returned fire- put damage on a patrol boat. • President Johnson • Launched bombing strikes on North Vietnam • August 7 • Tonkin Gulf Resolution- Congress granted Johnson broad military powers in North Vietnam. • Johnson • Did not tell Congress or American people about secret raids. • The Maddox was there for a reason. • Feb 1965- Vietcong attack that killed 8 Americans. • June- 50,000 U.S soldiers were battling the Vietcong. • Vietnam War became Americanized.

  5. Johnson Increases U.S Involvement • Most of the nation supported Johnson to contain communism in Vietnam. • 1965- Began sending large amounts of troops. • Strong Support for Containment • Johnson opposed sending ground troops. • Johnson will speak more about containing communism. • March 1965 • McNamara and Rusk • Johnson started to send U.S. soldiers to fight. • Differences of opinion. • 1965- Johnson was supported strongly by the American Public. • End of 1965- more than 180,000 Americans were in Vietnam. • Westmoreland- Continued to send troops. • West Point Graduate • By 1967- Johnson will have 500,000 troops.

  6. Fighting in the Jungle • U.S and Superior weapons would win them a victory. • Ran into problems • Use of hit and run tactics. • Knew the land • Difficult to tell if people were friend or foe. • Had elaborate tunnels. • Land had traps and land mines. • Soldiers dealt with heat and leeches • Westmoreland • Plans were to destroy the morale • Gradual wearing down by continuous harassment. • The Vietcong saw it as a battle for their very existence, and they were ready to pay any price for victory. • The Battle for Hearts and Minds • To expose the tunnels- U.S planes dropped Napalm- would set fire to the jungles. • Sprayed Agent Orange- leaf killing toxic chemical. • Years later they would be blamed for cancers. • Used search and destroy missions. • Created refuge camps for more than 3 million people. • Sinking Morale • Guerrilla Warfare • Brutal Jungle Conditions • Took their toll • War continued- American morale dropped steadily. • Many soldiers turned to alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs. • Most American soldiers • Firmly believed in their cause. • Wanted to halt the spread of communism. • Took pride in fulfilling their duty like their fathers. • The Early War at Home • War grew costly • Johnson’s domestic programs began to suffer. • Television images of American body bags. • “Living Room War” • Credibility gap • Reporting what the administration was saying and what was really happening.

  7. A Nation Divided • The Working Class Goes to War. • Most Soldiers were drafted. • Qualifications: • Age 18-26 • All registrants were screened • May have been excluded for medical reasons. • Many thought they could find ways around the draft. • Some joined the National Guard or the Coast Guard. • Many who attended universities did not need to go. • Majority of the soldiers were lower-class whites and minorities. • African Americans • Accounted for 20% combat deaths. • Representing 10 % of the U.S population. • Corrected the imbalance- Started a draft lottery system. • Race tensions rose in many platoons. • Women join the ranks. • 10,000 women served in the Vietnam War. • Most were nurses. • Delivered hospitality and entertainment to the troops. • Many of the nations youth began to voice their opposition to the war.

  8. Roots of Opposition/ Protest Movement Emerges • 1965- • Students were becoming more active socially and politically. • The New Left • Growing Youth Movement. • Students for a Democratic Society- • Voiced the demands of this new left organizations. • Free Speech Movement- • Clash with students and professors over free speech on campus’. • Campus Activism • Addressed campus issues • Dress code, curfews, dorm regulations. • 1960’s end many youth believed the nations to be in need of fundamental change. • Movement Grows • SDS marched on Washington. • Reasons for their protests: • U.S had no business being in Vietnam. • U.S can not police the whole world. • Others saw the war as morally unjust. • Antiwar movements grew beyond college campuses. • Protest to Resistance • New York Central Park • Shouting: • “Burn Cards, not people”! • “Hell, no, We won’t Go!” • War Divides the Nation • Johnson’s Administration falls apart as well. • McNamara- Secretary of Defense resigned. • 1968- Johnson’s presidency would take a dramatic turn.

  9. 1968: A Tumultuous Year • 1- The Tet Offensive Turns the War. • Lunar New Year- Tet • South Vietnam spread into the streets to celebrate. • Many held funerals. • In the Caskets were guns. • Many of the villagers were Vietcong agents. • They attacked 100 towns and 12 U.S. embassy's • This offensive lasted for a month, before U.S and S. Vietnamese forces regained control. • Vietcong lost 32,000 victims. • U.S forces lost 3,000 victims. • Tet Offensive affected the American People. • Tet Offensive was almost successful. • Credibility Gap. • Will change public opinion about the war. • 2- Days of Loss and Rage • The Vietnam War will “kill the lady I really loved-the Great Society”. • Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. • Two months later Robert Kennedy was Assassinated. • Year of 1968: • “There was a sense everywhere… that things were giving way. That People had not only lost control of their history, but might never regain it.”

  10. A Turbulent Race for President • Presidential Primary Race • Humphreys vs. McCarthy- Democrats • Nixon- Republicans • Nixon- • 1962- Lost when he ran for Governor of California. • Political career was over. • 1966- he campaigned for Republican candidates and they won back the House and Senate. • 1968- Nixon announced his candidacy for president and won the party’s nomination. • Nixon- promised to restore law and order. • He inherits Vietnam!

  11. President Nixon and Vietnamization • Nixon • Announced troop withdrawal from Vietnam. • Over the next three years Vietnam dropped from more than 500,000 to less than 25,000. • Establishing “Peace With Honor”. • Nixon bombed North Vietnam in the process. • He also bombed Laos and Cambodia • Wanted the enemy to believe he was capable of anything.

  12. Trouble Continues on the Home front • Nixon appealed to the silent majority. • Moderate, Mainstream Americans who quietly supported the U.S efforts in Vietnam. • My Lai Massacre • March 16, 1968 • U.S platoon under the command of William Calley Jr. had massacred innocent civilians in the small village. • Calley was searching for Vietcong members. • Rounded up the villagers and shot more than 200 people. • Troops were following orders. • “Fire at anything that Breathes” • Calley was convicted and imprisoned. • 1970- Mood was less explosive. • Kent State University • Massive student protest • May 4, 1970 • The Guards fired live ammunition into a crowd of campus protesters. • Gunfire wounded nine and killed four. • The Pentagon Papers • 7,000 page document • Revealed among other things. • Johnson had drawn up plans for entering the war even when President promised that he would not send troops. • The papers confirmed that the government had not been honest.

  13. America’s Longest War Ends • Peace at Hand • October 6, 1972- before the election Kissinger announced Peace is at Hand. (Vietnam War) • The Final Push • Nixon won re-election • Agreement- North Vietnam troops would stay in South Vietnam. • Nixon would respond with full force if there was any violation of the peace agreement. • U.S left March 29, 1973. • The Fall of Saigon • Cease fire with the north and south fell apart. • U.S will send aide. • North Vietnam will enter Saigon, and captured the city. • Soon after, South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam.

  14. The War Leaves a Painful Legacy • American Veterans come home • They were extended a cold hand when they came home. • 3.3 million soldiers who served had post traumatic stress syndrome. • Others began using drugs and alcohol • Built the memorial as a healing experience. • Legacy of Vietnam • Still a subject of great controversy. • War contributed to an overall cynicism among Americans. • American grew suspicious of the government and political leaders. • Watergate scandal in the mid 1970’s • Americans were looking for Kennedy’s and Eisenhower's presidency years. • Years were they felt optimism and faith.

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