The Making of a The Making of a Stalemate Stalemate

The Vietnam War 1965-1967The Vietnam War 1965-1967

LBJ’s search for advice - Eisenhower

• WhiteHouseTapes.org Transcript + Audio Clip

• WhiteHouseTapes.org Transcript + Audio Clip

• WhiteHouseTapes.org Transcript + Audio Clip

“Many Flags” campaign - Allied support

• 1.) South Korea – largest contingent – 48,000(would lose 4407 men)-US financial support

• 2.) Australia – 8000, lost 469• 3.)New Zealand, 1000, lost 37• 4.) Thailand – 12,000 troops, 351 lost• 5.) Philippines – medical and small

number of forces in pacification• 6.) Nationalist China – covert operations

The Stalemated War

• 1.) Battles with the North Vietnamese – Americanization of the War - Ia Drang, November 1965WhiteHouseTapes.org Transcript + Audio Clip

• 2.) Bombing Halt – December 1965-January 1966 -LBJ and Eisenhower on Bombing North Vietnam • White House Tapes • Miller Center

• 3.) Westmoreland’s Strategy of Attrition – the body count – designed for limited war

• 4.) Search and Destroy operations• Operation Masher/White Wing – January-March 1966• Operation Attleboro – September-November 1966

American Force levels/casualties in Vietnam(K=killed W=wounded)

• 1964 23,200 K 147 W 522• 1965 190,000 K 1369 W 3308• 1966 390,000 5008 16,526• 1967 500,000 9377 32,370• 1968 535,000 14,589 46,797• 1969 475,000 9414 32,940• 1970 334,000 4221 15,211• 1971 140,000 1381 4767• 1972 50,000 300 587

Soviet and Chinese Support for North Vietnam

• 1.) Despite Sino-Soviet dispute and outbreak of Cultural Revolution in China, support continues

• 2.) Soviet supply of anti-aircraft technology and supplies to the North – along with medical supplies, arms, tanks, planes, helicopters, artillery, and other military equipment. Soviet ships provided intelligence on B-52 raids – 3000 soldiers in North Vietnam (Soviet govt. concealed extent of support)

• 3.) Chinese supply of anti-aircraft units and engineering battalions – 327,000 troops sent – more than 17,000 killed

The Thieu-Ky government

Problems of the South Vietnamese Government

• 1.) Gradual stabilization – constitution, elections - ARVN responsibility for “pacification”

• 2.) Creation of a Revolutionary Development program

• 3.) Problems of corruption, poor training• 4.) Key problem of security – thousands

kidnapped and killed by the Viet Cong• 5.) Refugee problem – 4 million• 6.) Social and Economic Impact of the American

presence - Dependency

Signs of Discontent – the Fulbright Signs of Discontent – the Fulbright Hearings – Feb. 1966Hearings – Feb. 1966

George Kennan – the Realist George Kennan – the Realist CritiqueCritique

1.) Vietnam not a vital national interest1.) Vietnam not a vital national interest2.) Domino theory – events in Indonesia; 2.) Domino theory – events in Indonesia; failed Communist coup of October 1965 – failed Communist coup of October 1965 – hundreds of thousands slaughtered hundreds of thousands slaughtered (reference in Barack Obama’s (reference in Barack Obama’s autobiography)autobiography)3.) Victory not possible3.) Victory not possible4.) Misplaced priority – relations with 4.) Misplaced priority – relations with Soviet Union more importantSoviet Union more important

The Debate at Home

• 1.) Hawks – escalate the war

• 2.) Doves

• a.) Pacifists

• b.) New Left

• c.) Liberals

Draft Card BurningDraft Card Burning

Antiwar DemonstrationsAntiwar Demonstrations

The Kennedy ChallengeThe Kennedy Challenge

Kennedy as Rock StarKennedy as Rock Star

YouTube - Bobby Kennedy - fearlessYouTube - Bobby Kennedy - fearless

Johnson – 1966 Political Problems

• 1.) Image Problems – the Credibility Gap

• 2.) Domestic Problems – Inner City Riots, the “White Backlash”

• 3.) Midterm Election Losses in 1966

Public Opinion Polls – Was sending troops a mistake? NO

• August 1965 61%• March 1966 59%• May 1966 49%• Sept. 1966 48%• Feb. 1967 52%• July 1967 48%• October 1967 44%• March 1968 40%• August 1968 35%

The Drive for Peace Talks – The Drive for Peace Talks – mediators, Wilson, Kosyginmediators, Wilson, Kosygin

1967 – Origins of the Progress 1967 – Origins of the Progress OffensiveOffensive

1.) Increasing Discontent with the War1.) Increasing Discontent with the War 2.) Long Hot Summer – Riots in Detroit2.) Long Hot Summer – Riots in Detroit 3.) Inflation Fears3.) Inflation Fears 4.) LBJ calls for a 10 Percent surtax to pay 4.) LBJ calls for a 10 Percent surtax to pay

for the warfor the war 5.) Public approval of Johnson’s handling of 5.) Public approval of Johnson’s handling of

the war falls to 28 percentthe war falls to 28 percent 6.) Martin Luther King’s opposition, March 6.) Martin Luther King’s opposition, March

on the Pentagon October 1967, McCarthy on the Pentagon October 1967, McCarthy Campaign, McNamara’s decision to resignCampaign, McNamara’s decision to resign

(Events of Two days in October 1967)(Events of Two days in October 1967)

Martin Luther King’s Martin Luther King’s OppositionOpposition

Riverside Church speech, April Riverside Church speech, April 19671967

YouTube - Martin Luther King YouTube - Martin Luther King Jr_Opposing The Vietnam WarJr_Opposing The Vietnam War

King’s opposition – also King’s opposition – also demonstrating a strong move to the demonstrating a strong move to the Left, sign of the radicalization of the Left, sign of the radicalization of the civil rights movement, the rise of civil rights movement, the rise of black powerblack power

Eugene McCarthyEugene McCarthy

McCarthy’s BackgroundMcCarthy’s Background

1.) Senator from Minnesota1.) Senator from Minnesota 2.) Johnson considered him as a possible 2.) Johnson considered him as a possible

running mate in 1964running mate in 1964 3.) Digital Classroom Initiative : Template3.) Digital Classroom Initiative : Template 4.) McCarthy announces candidacy -4.) McCarthy announces candidacy -

November 1967 – only 5 percent in the November 1967 – only 5 percent in the polls -"I am concerned that the polls -"I am concerned that the Administration seems to have set no limit Administration seems to have set no limit to the price it is willing to pay for a military to the price it is willing to pay for a military victory." victory."

San Antonio formulaSan Antonio formula 1.) Background – debate within the Administration 1.) Background – debate within the Administration

– military urging a major escalation – McNamara – military urging a major escalation – McNamara arguing against itarguing against it

2.) Speech - September 29, 1967, in San Antonio, 2.) Speech - September 29, 1967, in San Antonio, Texas, Johnson offered to cease the bombing of Texas, Johnson offered to cease the bombing of North Vietnam if Ho Chi Minh would agree to North Vietnam if Ho Chi Minh would agree to begin serious negotiations for a peaceful begin serious negotiations for a peaceful settlement of the conflict, and if he would settlement of the conflict, and if he would promise not to use the bombing halt as an promise not to use the bombing halt as an opportunity to “increase” their infiltration of opportunity to “increase” their infiltration of troops and supplies into South Vietnam. troops and supplies into South Vietnam.

3.) Transmitted through Henry Kissinger and 3.) Transmitted through Henry Kissinger and contacts in France – (Willingness to include NLF in contacts in France – (Willingness to include NLF in negotiations) Hanoi rejects itnegotiations) Hanoi rejects it

North Vietnamese Planning for North Vietnamese Planning for TetTet

1.) Maximum and Minimum objectives – 1.) Maximum and Minimum objectives – maximum, another August Revolution – maximum, another August Revolution – minimum – psychological advantage for minimum – psychological advantage for negotiations, destabilize Saigon, wear down negotiations, destabilize Saigon, wear down the Americans, force coalition governmentthe Americans, force coalition government

2.) Strategy – main force units divert the 2.) Strategy – main force units divert the Americans – Khe Sanh, Viet Cong hit the citiesAmericans – Khe Sanh, Viet Cong hit the cities

3.) Oct. and Nov. 1967 – battles in the north 3.) Oct. and Nov. 1967 – battles in the north and central highlands, Con Thien and Dak Toand central highlands, Con Thien and Dak To

4.) Beginning of build-up around Khe Sanh4.) Beginning of build-up around Khe Sanh

Johnson’s Progress Johnson’s Progress OffensiveOffensive

1.) Johnson’s November press Conference1.) Johnson’s November press Conference 2.) Bringing Westmoreland home to report to 2.) Bringing Westmoreland home to report to

Congress - “the end begins to come into view”Congress - “the end begins to come into view” ““the light at the end of the tunnel”the light at the end of the tunnel” 3.) LBJ orders surveillance of the peace movement 3.) LBJ orders surveillance of the peace movement

activities at home and abroad– Operation Chaos – activities at home and abroad– Operation Chaos – dossiers on 7000 Americans – violation of CIA dossiers on 7000 Americans – violation of CIA chartercharter

4.) Objective signs of progress – enemy suffering 4.) Objective signs of progress – enemy suffering high casualties, problems with recruiting, ARVN high casualties, problems with recruiting, ARVN desertion rate dropping, even McNamara believed desertion rate dropping, even McNamara believed progress was being madeprogress was being made

5.) PR campaign – “Committee for Peace and 5.) PR campaign – “Committee for Peace and Freedom in Vietnam” – coordinated with the White Freedom in Vietnam” – coordinated with the White HouseHouse