Pump-Up

• Predict what will lead America in the Vietnam War.

Vietnam War

Today’s Vocabulary • Vietcong– South Vietnamese communist who fight against the U.S.

• Gulf of Tonkin Resolution– Allows the president to send troops into Vietnam

without declaring war which expands Executive power.

• Kent State– When troops fire upon and killed Vietnam protestors.

Today’s Vocabulary • 26th Amendment – Lowers the voting age to 18.

• War Powers Act– Restricts how long the president can control troops

which limits Executive power.

Colonial Vietnam

• France controlled Vietnam.– Those living in Vietnam hoped to

receive their independence after WWII.

• Ho Chi Minh & the Vietminh– Communist who worked for the

independence of Vietnam.

Vietnam after WWII• President Eisenhower wanted to

contain communism b/c he believed in the domino theory.– If one country falls to communism,

other countries in the region would quickly follow.

• Vietnamese forces practice guerrilla warfare in attempt to get rid of the French.

• French forces were defeated at Dien Bien Phu.– Vietnam was divided at the 17th

parallel.• Communist forces in the North.• Pro-Western forces in the South.

Growing Conflict• President Eisenhower supported the

South Vietnamese president, Ngo Dinh Diem.– Refused to hold national elections.– Imprisoned and killed hundreds of Buddhists.

• Ho Chi Minh began an armed struggle to reunify the country with the help of the Vietcong.– South Vietnamese communists.

• U.S. began supplying South Vietnam with money and weapons to resist communism.

Increased Involvement • JFK increased U.S. military in

Vietnam.– Urged Diem to create a more

democratic gov’t.

• Diem’s becomes more unpopular and the South Vietnamese murder Diem.

• Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)– Worked together to resist Communist

aggression.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution• Gulf of Tonkin Incident– North Vietnamese had attacked the

USS Maddox.

• Gulf of Tonkin Resolution– Enabled the president to take “all

necessary measures to repeal any armed attack against forces of the U.S and to prevent further aggression.”

– Congress hands their war powers over to the president and allows him to do what was necessary to fight North Vietnam without declaring war.

Classwork

• Today you will research the events that lead America into the Vietnam War.

• You will write a paragraph explaining if you believe American involvement in Vietnam was justified.

Reflection

• Explain why America gets involved in Vietnam.

Pump-Up

• Predict what fighting will be like in Vietnam. • Do you think the America public will support

the Vietnam War?

Classwork• The war in Vietnam has been described as the war

America watched from their living rooms. Images of combat and American GIs were projected through our TV screens and across our newspapers daily. Look at the following pictures to write a paragraph on the following topics:– Describe what life was like for the average American

soldier during the Vietnam War.– Describe what life was like for Vietnam citizens during

the Vietnam War.– Explain why you think American’s opposed the Vietnam

War.

Operation Rolling Thunder• Bombing campaign was meant to

weaken the enemy’s ability and will to fight.– Agent Orange

• Destroyed vegetation in attempt to expose the enemy.

– Napalm• Destroyed everything around in

attempt to hurt enemy forces.

• This led many in South Vietnam to join the Vietcong to fight against the U.S.

Stalemate• Search-and-destroy missions.

• Fighting in dense jungle against people they we never saw.– Vietnamese seemed peaceful by

day but became the Vietcong at night.

– Ho Chi Minh Trail.

• U.S. attempted a program of pacification in which they tried to win the hearts of the South Vietnamese.– Civilians resented this.

U.S. Forces Mobilize• Average soldier:– Around 18 years old.– Poor.– High school diploma or less.

• Draft was a lottery system based on your birthday.– Draft dodgers.– Many burned draft cards. – Many deferred the draft by enrolling

in college.

Public Opinion Shifts • Media coverage had a strong impact

on public opinion.– 1st “television war”

• Doves– People who opposed the war.

• Hawks– People who supported the war.

• Students for a Democratic Society– Opposed the war b/c the gov’t believed

college students were old enough to die for your country but not old enough to vote.

Opposition to the Vietnam War

Tet Offensive • Began on Jan. 30, 1968

– Vietcong attacked US military bases and 100 cities.

• Communist leaders hoped this would inspire South Vietnamese civilians to rise up against the U.S. but this doesn’t happen.

• Defeat for the Communists, but Americans disapprove of a war in which the communist wont give up fighting.– Media now openly criticized the war.

• Many called for an end to the war.– Johnson announced that he would not run for

re-election in 1968.

Opposition Based on Race• Muhammad Ali opposed the

Vietnam War:– No I'm not going 10,000 miles from

home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over. This is the day when such evils must come to an end. !I have been warned that to take such a stand would cost me millions of dollars. But I have said it once and I will say it again. The real enemy of my people is here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people, or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom, and equality.

Opposition Based on Taxes• Wally Nelson was a member the

first group to propose organized war tax resistance.– We don't intend to cooperate with

the IRS in its attempts to make us pay for killing. What would you do if I came into your office tomorrow with a cup in my hand, asking for contributions to enable me to buy guns and kill a group of people I don't like?

Opposition from Veterans• Vietnam Veterans Against the War,

Statement by John Kerry– I would like to talk on behalf of all those

veterans and say that several months ago in Detroit we had an investigation at which over 150 honorable discharged... veterans testified to war crimes committed in Southeast Asia. ... They told stories that at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads... randomly shot at civilians... and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam in addition to the normal ravage of war. ... We fought using weapons against those people which I do not believe this country would dream of using were we fighting in the European theater. ... We wish that a merciful God could wipe away our own memories of that service as easily as this administration has wiped away their memories of us.

Opposition in Music• "Fortunate Son," Creedence Clearwater Revival, 1969

Some folks are born made to wave the flag,Ooh, they're red, white and blue.And when the band plays "hail to the chief",Ooh, they point the cannon at you, lord,

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senator's son, son. It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no.

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,Lord, don't they help themselves, oh.But when the taxman comes to the door,Lord, the house look like a rummage sale, yes.

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no millionaire's son, son. It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no.

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes,Ooh, they send you down to war, lord,And when you and them, "how much should we give?"Ooh, they only answer more! more! more! yoh,

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no military son, son. It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no.

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate one, no no no. It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate son, no no no.

Election of 1968• Republican: Richard Nixon*– Promised to end the war and

restore law and order.

• Democrat: Hubert Humphrey– Supported President

Johnson’s war policies up until a week before the elections.

• Independent: George Wallace– Opposed civil rights.

Ending the War• Vietnamization– Turning over more of the fighting to the

South Vietnamese in attempt to bring troops home.

– Many opposed Nixon b/c this didn’t immediately end the war.

• Nixon believed that he was supported by a “silent majority.”– Hardworking, law abiding citizens who

were too busy to speak out.

• Began bombing Laos and Cambodia.

U.S. Troops in Vietnam, 1961-1974

Increasing Protests • My Lai Massacre

– U.S. solders kill 450 women, children and elderly.

• Kent State– Troops fire on demonstrators without

an order to do so.– Kills 4 people.

• Pentagon Papers– Confirmed that the gov’t had not been

honest with the public about the war.– Showed that the president had

expanded the war without the consent of congress.

End of U.S. Involvement• 26th Amendment

– Voting age lowered to 18 from 21.

• On January 27, 1973, both sides agreed to ending the war and restoring the peace.– U.S. promised to withdraw troops.– Did not decide the future of South

Vietnam.

• Fall of Saigon– North Vietnam invaded the south.– South Vietnam falls to communism on

April 30, 1975.

Legacy of Vietnam • Cambodia also falls to communism.– War was a defeat.

• 58,000 Americans die.– Post-traumatic stress disorder.– Chemicals leave harmful side effects.– Soldiers not warmly welcomed home.

• War cost $170 billion.– Took money away from domestic

programs.

• War Powers Act – Congress declares war.– President controls troops for 60 days.

Reflection

• Explain why America opposes the Vietnam War and the legacy of the Vietnam War.