Vietnam 1955 1975 Chapter 24 n Vietnam was

Vietnam (1955 -1975) Chapter 24

n -Vietnam was a colony of France until 1954. n n n -Originally called Indochina. 1940’s-Ho Chi Minh leads Vietnamese in fight against the French. US supports Fr. b/c Minh is communist. 1954 -French defeated at Dien Bien Phu= n Geneva Conference- Vietnam divided at 17 th parallel North-Communist led by Ho Chi Minh. South-Democratic led by Ngo Dinh Diem. Elections scheduled for 1956 to unify country never happens and begins the conflict between both sides.

Kennedy and Vietnam n n n -JFK wanted to stop the spread of Communism. By 1963, there were 16, 000 advisors in S. Vietnam. Ngo Dinh Diem-weak and corrupt leader. Catholic in a mostly Buddhist country. When he forces Buddhists to follow Catholic law, Buddhist monks set themselves on fire in protest. Diem overthrown and assassinated (1963). -U. S. Secretary of Defense Robert Mc. Namara suggests to JFK that the U. S. pull out of Vietnam. -Before JFK can make a decision, he is assassinated.

LBJ and Vietnam -Johnson wanted to win Vietnam at any cost. n -N. Vietnam and Communists were winning support in the South. n -Communist guerilla fighters in S. Vietnam were called Viet-Cong. (or VC) n

Gulf of Tonkin Incident n n -August 1964, a U. S. Navy Destroyer is torpedoed off the coast of N. Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin. -Ship is in international waters. -Johnson uses incident to push U. S. further into war. -On August 7 th, 1964 Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Gives Johnson complete control over U. S. involvement in Vietnam. -No declaration of war needed. n -After winning the 1964 election, LBJ increases U. S. involvement and begins to draft more men. (escalation) n (Later proven USS Maddox was spying and fired first) n

Selective Service • 2. 6 million troops drafted in Vietnam • Average soldier-19 years old, poor, less educated than WWII or Korea • 24% were Black and Hispanic when these groups only made up 11% of the population. • 1965 -from 25, 000 to 184, 000 troops • 1966 -385, 000 • 1967 -485, 000 • 1968 -536, 000 • Johnson Told the Nation

Deferments l l -By 1966 -67, Anti-war movement begins. -Most were against the unfair Deferments. l -Official postponements of being drafted. Deferred for health, marriage, college, conscientious objectors (some leave US) -Deferments usually went to rich or politically connected families. l l -Minorities also upset about draft status b/c they were forced to fight for a country that gave them no rights. -Major protests in Chicago, NYC, and D. C. -Felt LBJ reason America’s youth was being killed. -“Hey, Hey LBJ, how many babies you kill today? ”

Operation Rolling Thunder § Goal=use air power for a quick victory § Feb. 1965 -air bombing of N. Vietnam to destroy the Ho Chi Minh Trail (VC supply lines that go through Cambodia and Laos) § VC use 300, 000 people to maintain trail daily § By 1967, US dropping 800 tons of bombs a day (Saturation Bombing). Kills and maims thousands of civilians.

Tet Offensive n n n -January 30, 1968 was the Vietnamese New Year (“Tet”). -Viet Cong began surprise attack on major cities, American military bases and even the US Embassy. -Two major places were attacked. 1. Saigon -Capitol of S. Vietnam -Viet Cong attack U. S. embassy -Lasts until March. n 2. Khe Sanh n n – American base near border – Battle lasts until April. – Viet Cong lose both battles, but prove they can attack any part of U. S. troops or invade any parts of S. Vietnam. – Images of brutal fighting on American TV turn many against the war. clip

Battlefield in Vietnam -Viet Cong had a major advantages over U. S. n 1. Jungle Fighting n 2. Allies in Cambodia and Laos n 3. Support from locals n -Made the U. S. military superiority useless. n -S. Vietnamese also did not help us. n -Fighting in jungles was extremely hard. (Leeches, Fever, heat, rain, infections). VC booby trapped civilians, like children and babies, with expolsive that killed unsuspecting US soldiers. n

Viet Cong Weaponry n n n -B/c the U. S. had better weapons and military, the Viet Cong used sneak attacks against U. S. 1. Booby Traps 2. Underground Tunnels 3. Animal Snares 4. Punji Stakes § n 5. Betty’s -Holes filled with sharp, poisoned tipped spikes. Land Mines, trip wires, and Bouncing

US Warfare n n -U. S. uses 2 major chemicals in Vietnam. 1. Agent Orange q q q n -Used in Jungles by pilots to kill leaves and brush. -Helped to expose V. C. hiding places. -Later discovered to cause huge health and mental problems in U. S. troops who were exposed. 2. Napalm -Jelly-like substance dropped from planes. q -Burned uncontrollably. q -If hit human skin, would burn off flesh. 3. US also uses cluster bombs, search and destroy missions, and patrification (moved suspected VC villagers to camps then burn their villages). q

Agent Orange

Napalm • Modern Napalm Attack • Apocalypse Now Napalm Scene

My Lai Massacre (1968) U. S. troops told village of My Lai was hiding 250 V. C. troops. -Troops only found women and children, elderly. -Lieutenant William Calley Jr. ordered them to be killed anyway. -175 -400 were lined up, shot, and bodies left in ditches. Only the heroism of pilot Hugh Thompson saved the rest. Incident covered up until 1969 and Calley sentenced to life in prison. -President Nixon later releases him. -American people felt he was a scapegoat for Generals who ordered the village wiped out. Resistance to the war only gets stronger! -In village of Hue, V. C. killed 5, 000 civilians.

My Lai Massacre

Lt. William Calley Jr.

Student Protests ¡ ¡ -June 1971, The NY Times publishes the Pentagon Papers. l -Show that govt. lied to the American people about the Vietnam War. -Helps create an even bigger anti-war movement in the U. S led mostly by college students -One of the major anti-war groups was S. D. S. l -Students for a Democratic Society.

Anti-War Violence n -Students and police/Govt. begin clashing in 1964. n 1. Berkley (1964) -University of California at Berkley students are arrested for passing out anti-war fliers. n -There was no freedom of speech on college campuses at the time. n -Berkley becomes the center of the radical antiwar-movement. n

n 2. Teach-Ins n -University of Michigan 1965. n -Professors planned a one day strike against the war in Vietnam. n -Govt. threatens to fire professors if they strike. n -Instead, professors teach special night classes about the war. n -Thousands show up. n -Spreads to other universities.

n 3 Columbia University ¨ -Students take over University offices and fight with police in April 1968. n 4 The Weathermen ¨ -Chicago SDS fought police w/ pipes and clubs. ¨ -Wanted to overthrow capitalism and stop draft. (video, united stream) -Early in the war, the majority of Americans were Pro-War: -Their slogans were “My Country Right or Wrong” & ”Love It or Leave It. ” -Another reason for war support was that many anti-war protests were violent.

Counter Culture -Youth of 1960’s who looked for their own identity. n -Took their idea from Beatniks & went against society’s norms. n -“Hippies” did all they could to look different. n -Mini skirts, long hair, loose clothing, etc. n

Hippies:

Sexual Revolution n n n n -New views on sex began in the 1960’s. -More open discussion of sex in media and society. -2 major books during sexual revolution. 1. Sex and the Single Girl -Helen Gurley Brown 2. Human Sexual Response -William Masters and Virginia Johnson -Traditional roles (Marriage) were rejected.

Drugs -Psychedelic drugs gained huge popularity in the 1960’s. n -Marijuana and LSD were 2 major drugs. n -Overdoses were common. {Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Hendrix} n

Music p p p -New Kind of music begins in 1960’s -Rolling Stones, Beatles, Hendrix, Joplin, Doors, Grateful Dead. -Centers around Haight-Ashbury area of San Francisco -2 major concerts in late 1960’s 1. Woodstock n n n p 2. n n -August 1969 -400, 000 show up for concert in NY -Largest and most memorable music event. Altamont -Dec. 1969 -Rolling Stones have free concert for 300, 000. -Hire Hell’s Angels Biker gang as security. -Ends in violence. 4 people die.

Vietnamization n n n -1967 Robert Mc. Namara tells LBJ to end war in Vietnam. -LBJ ignores his request and anti-war sentiment grows. -Finally on March 31, 1968 LBJ announces that he will not run for re-election. -Nixon wins 1968 election after Dem. Candidate Robert Kennedy is killed -One month later, Paris Peace Talks begin. -Nixon creates policy called Vietnamization. – Replace U. S. troops with S. Vietnamese troops.

Anti War Movement’s Rebirth § § § Nixon ignores strategy to pull out of Vietnam. -Kept bombing schedule. -Also began to bomb Cambodia (in secret). -Restarts anti-war protests on college campuses. 1. Kent State (video, United Stream) § -Ohio 1970 § -National Guard kills 4 unarmed students § 2. Jackson State § -All black college where 2 are killed by police for protesting war.

U. S. Withdraws n n n n -January 1973 Peace treaty signed. -4 parts of treaty: 1. U. S. withdraws in 60 days 2. All POW’s returned. 3. No attacks on Cambodia and Laos. 4. 17 th Parallel would divide N&S Vietnam until the country can be reunited. The Vietnam Conflict is over.

► -April 29, 1975, the last of U. S. troops pull out of Vietnam. ► -April 30 th, S. Vietnam is overrun and conquered by N. Vietnamese Communists. ► Members of the US Embassy in Saigon and remaining US citizens in Vietnam have to be taken out by helicopter. ► Vietnam falls to communism.

Results of Vietnam 1. Longest and least successful war in U. S. history. 2. 58, 132 American troops killed, 300, 000 wounded. 3. Laos and Cambodia fall to communism 4. Cost of war was $150 Billion, US rethinks policy on communism 5. Soldiers came home to chants of “baby killer”, no parades, no appreciation from Americans ► -1979, veterans begin plans for Vietnam War Memorial. Opens in 1982 in Washington D. C.

Evacuation/Fall of Saigon