Moving Toward Conflict French Indochina Area of southeast

Moving Toward Conflict

French Indochina Area of southeast Asia controlled by France form late 1800’s until WWII u Controlled by Japan during WWII u

Following WWII u France attempts to regain control u Aided by US

Ho Chi Minh and the Vietminh battle French for independence

Domino Theory - 1954 u Eisenhower fears that if Vietnam is allowed to fall to communists, all other neighboring countries will fall as well

Dien Bien Phu u French capital in Vietnam u Falls to communists in 1954

Geneva Accords - 1954 u Vietnam to be split into N and S Vietnam along the 17 th parallel u Elections to unify country to be held in 1956

Ngo Diem u President of South Vietnam u Cancels elections of 1956 u Vietcong begin to attack the South Vietnamese govt.

JFK u Begins to send military advisors to SV to train South Vietnamese Army

Diem alienates Buddhists u Kennedy OK’s coup u Diem assasinated u

US Involvement and Escalation

1964 – LBJ runs on peace ticket Daisy Ad

Escalation LBJ, Mc. Namara, Rusk increase US troops to 180, 000 by 1965 u 500, 000 troops by 1967 u

Jungle Warfare Ambush u Guerilla tactics u No front lines u Boobytraps, mines, tunnels u

War of Attrition Body counts u Vietnamese goal – injure rather than kill u

Battle for “Hearts and Minds” Prevent communists from converting South Vietnamese u Destruction of countryside u – Agent orange – Napalm – Search and destroy

Low morale of troops u Substance abuse u Fragging u Opposition to the war

The Great Society Suffers u Johnson’s domestic plans underfunded as a result of the war

The Living Room War Role of the media u Cronkite u Credibility gap u

A Nation Divided

A “Maniputable” Draft u Deferments – Students – Conscientious objectors – The Lottery – 1 A – 4 F

African Americans Disproportionate rate of draftees u Disproportionate rate of casualties u “Rich man’s war… u

Women in the War u 7500 Army/Navy Nurses

The “New Left” u NOT u SDS u FSM Socialist or Communist

Opposition to the war SDS form protests in Washington u Draft resisters u Draft dodgers u

Veterans against the war

Kent Sate u Students protesting against the war u National Guard unit fires into crowd u 4 dead in Ohio

Popular music u Many popular performers include anti war messages in their music – Bob Dylan – Woodstock

Hawks and Doves u Are war protesters disloyal? u “America: u “My Love it or leave it” country right or wrong”

LBJ criticized by both hawks and doves

1967 – Mc. Namara resigns

22 -4 1968 -A Tumultuous Year

Tet Offensive u Simultaneous attack by North Vietnamese on major cities in South Vietnam, American military bases, and the American embassy

u u u Tet changed the public perception of the war Winnable? ? ? Worth it? ? ?

1968 Presidential race Eugene Mc. Carthy challenges LBJ for Democratic nomination – runs on the Peace Ticket u Nixon nominated by R u

RFK joins race

LBJ drops out of race Vows to begin peace negotiations u End escalation u “Vietnamization” of the war u

Early morning, April 4 Shot rings out in the Memphis sky Free at last, they took your life They could not take your pride

June 4, 1968 – RFK wins CA primary, assassinated

1968 Democratic National Convention u Extreme violence, protests u Mc. Carthy loses nomination to Hubert Humphrey u George Wallace – 3 rd party candidate u Nixon benefits, wins election