Warm-up for 30-1

Video warm-up

How would you respond if, in attempting to solve a problem, you found more complications instead of a solution?

France ruled most of Indochina from the late 1800s until WWII (Japanese)

Ho Chi Minh created the Indochinese

Communist Party working in exile (1930)

returned home in 1941 to fight the Japanese

created Vietminh- org. whose goal was to win Vietnam’s independence

(goal seemed a reality after WWII)

1945-French troops move back in and est. control in S half of the country U.S. sends $15 million in economic aid in 1950 to France to contain communism **U.S. had an alliance w/ Ho Chi Minh during WWII** Eisenhower continues policy of supplying aid to the French in 1953 domino theory-idea if a nation falls under communist control, nearby

nations will also fall Dien Bien Phu

French outpost in NW Vietnam French forces surrender in May of 1954

Geneva Accords temporarily divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel election to unify the country called for in 1956

United States Steps In Ho Chi Minh’s popularity grew as he redistributed land to peasants Ngo Dinh Diem

S Vietnam’s nationalist president refused to take part in elections & U.S. promised military aid in return for a stable govt.

offered little land redistribution & restricted Buddhist practices

Vietcong -1957 S Vietnamese Communist group oppose the Diem govt. later called the National Liberation Front (NLF)

Ho Chi Minh Trail- network of paths used to transport supplies to the Vietcong

JFK decides to support Diem increased aid due to accusations

of democrats being weak on communism

sent thousand of military advisors to train South Vietnamese troops (16,000 by 1963)

Diem moves peasants to protected areas to combat Vietcong attacks- resented

tired of Buddhist demonstrations he kills hundreds & destroys temples

(monks publicly burn themselves to death in protest)

U.S. supports military coup in 11/63 – Diem killed

Johnson Expands Conflict JFK announced intent to withdraw U.S. troops before death LBJ escalates conflict – becomes America’s 2nd longest war USS Maddox fired on in the Gulf of Tonkin in August of 1964 second alleged attacked prompted LBJ to initiate bombing strikes

on N Vietnam Tonkin Gulf Resolution- adopted by Congress in 1964, it gave the

president broad powers to wage war in Vietnam Operation Rolling Thunder- 1st sustained bombing of N Vietnam-

1965 by June of 1965 -50,000 troops were battling the Vietcong

Warm-up for 30-2

Video warm-up

Describe the meaning of the term “home-field advantage” in sports. Apply the term to war using the American Revolution as an example. Then try to predict what advantages and disadvantages each side had in Vietnam.

LBJ originally opposes ground troops even after Tonkin Gulf Resolution LBJ contradicts himself in March of 1965 Robert McNamara- Secretary of Defense Dean Rusk- Secretary of State *both help devise war plans* (1965- 61% of Americans strongly supported strategy) General William Westmoreland- commander in S Vietnam

continued to request more troops – not impressed w/ Vietnamese troops (1967- 500,000 American troops)

Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) - S Vietnamese Army

Fighting in the Jungle

U.S. had superior weapons

Vietcong strategy knew the jungle terrain & used

guerilla tactics

used hit-and-run & ambush tactics

moved in & out of general pop. -attack in cities or countryside

difficult for U.S. troops to discern friend or foe

had an elaborate network of tunnels- surprise attacks & avoid air strikes

terrain laced w/ booby traps & land mines

U.S. strategy U.S. hoped to win war of attrition & wear down morale U.S. introduced idea of body count (misunderstood foe- military struggle for US/ battle for existence for Vietcong) U.S. hoped to win support from S Vietnam’s rural population (proved hard) napalm- gasoline-based bomb that set fire to the jungle Agent Orange

toxic leaf-killing chemical sprayed by US planes left surroundings in ruins & blamed for cancers & birth defects

search-and-destroy missions- raid on a S Vietnamese village, intended to root out villagers w/ ties to Vietcong- often resulted in burning of villages

as the war continued U.S. morale dropped -many turn to alcohol & drugs S Vietnamese govt. remained unstable & corrupt

The Early War at Home

as war costs rose the economy suffered (the Great Society programs

received a $6 billion reduction)

TV makes Vietnam America’s first “living room war”

image of U.S. troops in body bags swung public opinion (over 16,000 die between 1961 and

1967)

credibility gap- a public distrust of statements made by the govt. (by 1967 Americans are evenly split

over support for the war)

Warm-up for 30-3

How would you feel if student privileges at school- the best classes, schedules, parking-were awarded according to the wealth of a student’s family?

Working Class Goes to War most soldiers that fought in

Vietnam were called to combat by the draft

(est. during WWI it required males to register when 18)

“manipulatable system” some sought medical exemptions some moved to face lenient draft

boards some sought college deferment –

mostly white middle & upper class

(80% of U.S. soldiers were from lower/ middle class backgrounds)

African Americans served in disproportionate #’s as ground combat troops (Draft lottery system put in

place in 1969- black death % drop from 20 to 13%)

racism gripped many military units & led to low troop morale

women served in Vietnam mostly as military nurses – not allowed in combat (10,000 served)

The Roots of Opposition

New Left- youth-dominated political movement of the 1960s Students for a Democratic

Society sought greater individual

freedom

believed corporations & govt. institutions had taken over America

Free Speech Movement grew out of a clash between

students & administrators over free speech on campus

*ideas quickly spread throughout college campuses

(additional issues- dress codes, curfews, & dorm regulations)

Protest Movement Begins

colleges hosted “teach-ins” to protest the war

LBJ admin changes college deferment requiring good academic standing in 1966

youth opposition1. Vietnam was a civil war

2. S Vietnamese govt. was oppressive & no better than Communist regime

3. U.S. should not police the world

4. morally unjust

protests grow in number and size from 1965 on draft resistance continued many went to jail & ~10,000 fled to Canada U.S. divided doves- person who opposed the war & wanted to withdraw hawk- person who supported the war & wanted increased

military force (1967- 70% of Americans believed protests were acts of disloyalty) Johnson continued slow escalation despite doves & hawks

Warm-up for 30-4

Try to remember a time when you or a family member was dealing with a problem that just seemed to get worse no matter how hard they tried to solve it. Discuss.

Tet Offensive Turns the War January 30th was the

Vietnam equivalent of New Year’s Eve

lunar new year festivals known in Vietnam as Tet

Tet Offensive- surprise attack by the Vietcong on S Vietnamese cities in 1968

(100 towns & cities attacked including 12 U.S. air bases)

offensive continued ~ a month until U.S. & S Vietnamese forces regained control

Tet cont.

militarily it was a decisive victory

politically it was a devastating defeat public had been told the enemy was close to defeat

LBJ’s credibility gap suddenly widened

mainstream media began to openly criticize the war

new defense secretary Clark Clifford concluded the war unwinnable (replaced Robert McNamara)

Days of Loss and Rage Robert Kennedy- originally decided not to run for office in 1968 citing party

loyalty Eugene McCarthy- ran against LBJ on a platform to end the war when McCarthy almost won the D primary in NH Kennedy entered the race in March, LBJ announced the U.S. would seek negotiations to end the war he concluded his speech by announcing that he would not run for re-election in April, King was assassinated spurring violence in over 100 cities in June, Robert Kennedy was assassinated after winning the California primary

Sirhan Sirhan assassinated him for his support of Israel

(more than 200 anti-war demonstrations took place on college campuses in the 1st 6 months of 1968)

A Turbulent Race for President Hubert Humphrey- LBJ’s VP ran against Eugene McCarthy for

the D nomination Humphrey won the nomination antiwar activists came to Chicago to protest the convention order collapsed & TV’s caught police beating protesters w/

nightsticks Richard M. Nixon benefited from the turmoil political comeback-had lost to JFK in 1960 & lost governor race

for California in 1962 Nixon promised to end the war in Vietnam George Wallace- third party racist candidate that supported

segregation won 5 S states hurting Humphrey

Warm-up for 30-5

Musical warm-up

Try to consider why political leaders may be unable to keep promises they make. How can the public hold political leaders responsible for what they promise?

Richard Nixon- 37th U.S. President (1969-1974) R announced U.S. troop withdraw from Vietnam in 1969 U.S. wanted a S Vietnamese govt. to remain in power Henry Kissinger- National Security Advisor; plan to end war Vietnamization- gradual withdraw of U.S. troops replaced by S

Vietnamese “peace w/ honor” – maintaining U.S. dignity in the face of withdraw Nixon sought support from what he call the silent majority silent majority- moderate, mainstream American supporters of the war

Trouble Continues on the Home Front

My Lai- Vietnamese village, where in 1968, 200 innocent civilians were massacred by U.S. troops. 25 charged, but only Lt. William Calley was convicted (life sentence reduced to 3 ½ yrs. house arrest)

Nixon announced in April of 1970 that U.S. forces invaded Cambodia to clear out Vietcong supply centers

5/70 - 1st general student strike across the country closing 1200 colleges

Kent State University- Ohio school where protest led to the burning of the ROTC building & the mayor called in the National Guard 4 people killed & 9 wounded on

May 4, 1970

Congress angry over Cambodia invasion - repealed Tonkin Gulf Resolution in Dec. 1970

Pentagon Papers- 7,000 page document leaked to the press revealing that Johnson had not been honest about his intentions in Vietnam

America’s 2nd Longest War Ends in March of 1972 the Vietcong launched a large attack on S Vietnam w/ a presidential election looming Kissinger announced “Peace is at hand” Christmas bombings- 11 straight days of bombing pausing only for Christmas after

negotiations broke down in Dec. of 1972 (100,000 bombs dropped) Jan. 1973- U.S. agrees to end the war *N Vietnamese troops would remain in S Vietnam March 29, 1973- the last U.S. combat troops left for home cease-fire between N & S Vietnam collapsed & N Vietnam invaded U.S. (President Ford) sent economic aid Saigon fell in April 30, 1975

Painful Legacy 58,000 Americans killed,

303,000 wounded 2 million N & S Vietnamese

were killed Americans were not

welcoming to returning troops troops suffered post-traumatic

stress disorder, alcohol & drug abuse, & thousands committed suicide

Vietnam Veterans Memorial in D.C. – unveiled in 1982

Legacy cont. Communists in Vietnam

imprisoned thousands of S Vietnamese

Pol Pot- communist leader in Cambodia that killed at least 1 million

war remains subject of controversy War Powers Act- limited a

President’s power to send troops into battle w/o consulting Congress (must inform within 48 hrs. - 90 day stay)

Vietnam Syndrome- assessing of possible risks to our own interests before deciding whether to intervene in the affairs of other countries

a overall cynicism among Americans about their govt. & political leaders persists