Fighting in Vietnam US: contain communism North Vietnam:
reunify under Communism
Slide 3
Domino Theory If one country in a region fell to Communism, the
other ones would, too (like dominoes) Justify need for American
intervention in world
Slide 4
Slide 5
Vietnam People's Army (VPA) Role grows as war grows US
advantage neutralized by VPA fighting b style and tactics Viet Cong
/ National Liberation Branch of VPA Guerilla and army units Many
recruited in South Vietnam Propaganda North Vietnam: insurgency
from South US/South Vietnam: tool of North
Slide 6
Slide 7
Gulf of Tonkin The Incident August 2, 1964 USS Maddox fights 3
North Vietnamese torpedo boats Destroys 3 boats August 4, 196 NSA
says Vietnam attacks Leads to Vietnam War 41 years later: US fired
warning shots, then Vietnam attacked. The Resolution (August 10,
1964) US Response President Lyndon B. Johnson can use military
w/out declaring war US rapidly expands involvement in war
Slide 8
1967 October 1967 Opposition mostly college campuses Most
support war Each day = more deaths October 21 1967 100,00
protestors at Lincoln Memorial 30,000 march at Pentagon Hundreds
arrested. Martin Luther King Jr: Boosts anti-war movement High # of
African American deaths Bad sending by government November 1967 US
Troops cannot handle fighting tactics of Vietnam 500,000 American
Troops 15,000+ killed 109,000+ wounded. $25 billion per year
Americans more discouraged with war Draft system 40,000 a month
More anti-war movement.
Slide 9
Tet Offensive, 1968 Surprise attack launched by Viet Cong/NVA
Wave of attacks (80,000 troops attack 100 towns) US/South lose
control of towns Regroup, drive forces out Results Shows North can
attack with big force South cannot defend (even with US aid)
Started belief that US would lose (upsets Americans)
Slide 10
Opposition to the War Kent State (May 1970) National Guard
kills 4 students protesting war Pentagon Papers (Summer 1971)
Confidential details about war
Slide 11
Media Most publicized war 1000s watch on TV The Living Room War
WWII: newspaper reports and radio Technology advanced: print to
photography to video Vietnam: TV War to home Images stay with them
Change public perception Vietnam Veterans Against the War Go on TV
(in wheelchairs/crutches) Throw away medals/awards from war in
protests
Slide 12
New President Johnson does not seek reelection Richard Nixon
elected Nixon wants Global cooperation, regardless of
government
Slide 13
Case-Church Amendment August 15, 1973 Ended US military
involvement in Vietnam President needed approval from Congress for
military activity Vietnamization End US involvement in war South
Vietnam gradually takes over war Ending US Involvement
Slide 14
Post US Presence 2 years of fighting April 1975: North Vietnam
captured Saigon Ends war Unites Vietnam 58,220 US servicemen
died
Slide 15
USS Dixie Towards Pearl Harbor (Dec. 1941) Helped repair ships
Provided tender facilities to Seventh Fleet in Vietnam Given Armed
Forces Expeditionary Medal Seventh Fleet Multiple operations
against enemy Mine countermeasures after war Evacuated US citizens
and refugees from South Vietnam and Cambodia after reunification of
Vietnam 1980s: maintain security during Olympics/Asian Games