THE VIETNAM WAR YEARS 1954 1975 AMERICA SUPPORTS

THE VIETNAM WAR YEARS 1954 -1975

AMERICA SUPPORTS FRANCE French Rule in Vietnam Late 1800 s – WWII: France rules most of Indochina § Ho Chi Minh: Leader of the Vietnamese independence movement § Helps to create the Indochinese Communist Party 1940: Japanese take control of Vietnam § Vietminh: Organization that aims to rid Vietnam of foreign rulers September 1945: Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam an independent nation

AMERICA SUPPORTS FRANCE French Battle the Vietminh French troops move into Vietnam § Fight to regain cities in the South § 1950: US begins economic aid to France in an effort to stop the spread of communism Vietminh Drive Out the French 1954: Vietminh overrun the French at Dien Bien Phu § France surrenders § The Geneva Accords divide Vietnam at the 17 th Parallel § Election to unify the country scheduled for 1956

THE US STEPS IN Diem Cancels Elections Ho Chi Minh won popular support in the North by breaking up large estates & redistributing land to the peasants South Vietnam’s anti-communist president – Ngo Dinh Diem – refuses to participate in the election § US promises military aid & training in return for a stable government in the South § Diem is corrupt, stifles opposition, & restricts Buddhism 1957: Vietcong – a Communist opposition group in the South – kills government officials § 1959: Ho Chi Minh sends arms to the Vietcong along the Ho Chi Minh Trail

THE US STEPS IN Kennedy & Vietnam Like Eisenhower, Kennedy backs Diem financially & sends military advisors Diem’s popularity plummets due to corruption & the lack of land reform § Starts a strategic hamlet program to fight the Vietcong § Continues attacks on Buddhism – monks burn themselves in protest November 1963: US supported military coup topples the government § Diem is assassinated

THE US STEPS IN

LBJ EXPANDS THE CONFLICT The South Grows More Unstable A succession of military rulers take control in the South Tonkin Gulf Resolution In response to an alleged attack on the USS Maddox, LBJ asks for increased military powers § 1964: Tonkin Gulf Resolution gives the president a “blank check” § February 1965: Operation Rolling Thunder orders sustained bombing of the North § March 1965: US combat troops enter Vietnam

LBJ INCREASES US INVOLVEMENT Troop Build Up Escalates Late 1965: General William Westmoreland – US commander in South Vietnam § Thinks the Southern Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) is ineffective § Requests increasing numbers of American troops § The majority of Americans support LBJ’s early Vietnam policies

LBJ INCREASES US INVOLVEMENT

FIGHTING IN THE JUNGLE An Elusive Enemy Vietcong use hit-&-run, ambush tactics & move among civilians § Use tunnels to help withstand airstrikes, launch attacks, & connect villages § Lace the terrain with booby traps & land mines

FIGHTING IN THE JUNGLE The Battle for “Hearts & Minds” The US wants to stop the Vietcong from winning the support of the rural population However, tactics for exposing tunnels often wound civilians & destroy villages § Napalm: A Gasoline-based bomb that sets fire to the jungle § Agent Orange: A leaf-killing, toxic chemical Search & destroy missions move civilians & destroy property § Forces villagers into the cities & refugee camps § By 1967, there are over 3 million Vietnamese refugees

THE PROTEST MOVEMENT EMERGES War Divides the Nation Combat footage on nightly TV news shows the stark picture of war § Critics talk of a credibility gap between the administration’s reports and events on the ground This uncensored access to information leads to protest marches & rallies against the war § Doves: Strongly oppose the war, believe the US should withdraw § Hawks: Favor sending greater forces to win the war

THE PROTEST MOVEMENT EMERGES

THE TET OFFENSIVE A surprise Attack 1968: Villagers go to the cities to celebrate Tet – Vietnamese new year § The Vietcong hide among the crowds & attack over 100 towns & 12 US air bases § The Tet Offensive lasts 1 month before the US & South Vietnam regain control § General Westmoreland announces that the attacks are a military defeat for the Vietcong

THE TET OFFENSIVE Public Opinion Changes After the Tet Offensive, fewer Americans support the war The mainstream media begins to openly criticize the war § Walter Cronkite says the war is unwinnable § LBJ’s popularity drops – 60% disapprove of his handling of the war

DAYS OF LOSS & RAGE Election of 1968 Senator Eugene Mc. Carthy runs for the Democratic nomination as a dove Senator Robert Kennedy enters the race after LBJ’s poor showing in New Hampshire March: LBJ announces that he will not seek reelection Violence & Protest April: Riots rock over 100 cities after Martin Luther King’s assassination June: Kennedy is fatally shot after winning the CA primary

A TURBULENT RACE Turmoil in Chicago Vice president Hubert Humphrey wins the Democratic nomination § Over 100, 000 demonstrators go to Chicago § Protestors try to march to the convention – beaten by the police – riots

A TURBULENT RACE

A TURBULENT RACE Nixon Triumphs Former vice president Richard Nixon wins the Republican nomination § Promises to restore law & order & to end the war in Vietnam Governor George Wallace runs as an independent candidate § Champions segregation & states’ rights Nixon wins the presidency

A TURBULENT RACE

NIXON & VIETNAMIZATION The Pullout Begins President Richard Nixon is disappointed in the negotiations over Vietnam § National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger works on a new plan § Vietnamization – US troops withdraw while South Vietnamese troops take over “Peace with Honor” Nixon calls for “peace with honor” to maintain US dignity § Orders the bombing of North Vietnam & Vietcong hideouts in Laos & Cambodia

TROUBLE ON THE HOME FRONT Mainstream America Silent majority: Moderate, mainstream people who support the war The My Lai Massacre News breaks that a US platoon massacred civilians in My Lai village § Lt. William Calley, Jr. is convicted & imprisoned The Invasion of Cambodia 1970: US troops invade Cambodia to clear out enemy supply centers § 1. 5 million protesting college students close down 1, 200 campuses

TROUBLE ON THE HOME FRONT Violence on Campus 1970: US National Guard kills 4 in a confrontation at Kent State University in Ohio 1970: Guardsmen kill 2 during a confrontation at Jackson State in Mississippi The Pentagon Papers Nixon invades Cambodia – Congress repeals the Tonkin Gulf Resolution Pentagon Papers reveal that the government had not been honest about its intentions regarding war § New York Times Co. v. Sullivan: Prohibits prior restraint

TROUBLE ON THE HOME FRONT

THE WAR ENDS “Peace is at Hand” 1971: 60% think the US should withdraw from Vietnam by the end of the year 1972: US attacks North Vietnam Kissinger agrees to a complete withdrawal of US troops – “Peace is at hand” The Final Push South Vietnam rejects Kissinger’s plan – talks break off & bombing resumes Congress calls for an end to war – peace is signed in January 1973 The Fall of Saigon Cease-fire breaks down – South surrenders after the North invades in 1975

THE WAR ENDS

A PAINFUL LEGACY The Legacy of Vietnam US government abolishes the military draft 1973: Congress passes the War Powers Act § President must inform Congress with 48 hours of deploying troops § Congress must approve within 90 days The war contributes to US cynicism about government & political leaders