Wartime America World War II v Vietnam War

Wartime America: World War II v. Vietnam War Lizzy S. Horace Greeley HS AHAP – KLM Chappaqua, NY

Essential Question: What was national support like in wartime America during World War II and the Vietnam War?

On the Road to War: World War II

A Period of Isolationism After breaking the isolationist policy during World War I in 1917, the United States returned to their reclusive ways during the 1920 s, by drawing up a series of antiwar treaties. Ø Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) § 15 nations signed including the United States, Great Britain, France, and Germany. § Each nation declared that they would no longer engage in war “as an instrument of national policy in their relations with one another. ”

A Period of Isolationism In the 1930 s, European and Asian developments accelerated. This worried the U. S. government, for fear that we might be going to war again. Congress passed a series of laws in order to keep our isolationist policy, and out of the developing war. BUT…

FDR’s Quarantine Speech On October 5, 1937, President Roosevelt delivered a speech in response to Germany and Italian participation in the Spanish Civil War, and Japan’s growing power in China. ØFDR held sympathy for the Allies, making it difficult for the U. S. to remain completely neutral

FDR’s Quarantine Speech (cont. ) “…the will for peace on the part of peace-loving nations must express itself to the end that nations that may be tempted to violate their agreements and the rights of others will desist from such a cause. ”

Staying Out of War Congress attempted to stay out of war by passing these bills: ØNeutrality Act of 1935 § Embargo of arms shipments to any foreign nation involved in the war ØNeutrality Act of 1937 § Tightened control on the U. S. economy (no assisting belligerents) ØNeutrality Act of 1939 § “Cash and carry” policy – no American ships used to transports goods across the ocean

Conflict in the Nation America First Committee Anti-war, advocated the isolationist policy and complete neutrality Aimed to enforce the Neutrality Acts Prominent members: Ø Aviator Charles Lindbergh Ø Future President Gerald Ford Ø Publisher Joseph M. Patterson (New York Daily News) Committee to Defend America (by Aiding the Allies) Pro-war, advocated aid to the Allies in the war Supported the Lend. Lease Act Prominent members: Ø Governor Adlai Stevenson (IL) Ø U. S. Representative Claude Pepper (FL) Ø Hollywood screenwriter Philip Dunne Ø Journalist William Allen White

The Public Opinion After France’s defeat, Americans’ opinions about the war’s outcome began to shift. By July 1940, over 66% of Americans (from opinion polls) believed that Germany posed a direct threat to the U. S. Congress responded with the Burke. Wadsworth Act in September 1940. ØBurke-Wadsworth Act: established the first peacetime military draft (in U. S. history)

Declaration of War A view of the raid on Pearl Harbor inspired a sense of unity among Americans. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, Congress approved FDR’s request for a declaration of war against Japan. A few days later, the U. S. also went to war against Germany and Italy.

On the Road to War: Vietnam War

Supporting the French The Vietminh, the Vietnam nationalists, led by communist Ho Chi Minh, threatened the Frenchdominated regime. The French went to the U. S. looking for support ØFebruary 1950: President Harry Truman agreed to provide direct military and economic aid, also recognizing the Bao Dai regime (the French-dominated regime).

The First Indochina War After Truman, President Eisenhower had supported the French as well, against the Vietminh. By 1954, the U. S. was paying 80% of France’s war costs. The war steadily turned against the French, and Eisenhower pulled out U. S. support. The French government eventually left Vietnam after the Geneva Accords (1954), which officially had ended the war.

U. S. and South Vietnam After the Geneva Accords, the U. S. became the principal benefactor of the South Vietnam, through economic and military aid. U. S. President Eisenhower greeting South Vietnam’s President Ngo Dinh Diem

The Viet Cong National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Supporters of Vietminh and North Vietnam who lived in the South Aimed to reunite the nation under a communist leadership by overthrowing Diem’s “puppet regime. ” Progressively grew in power, eventually becoming the U. S. and South Vietnam’s opponent in the war

Support Under Johnson After President Kennedy’s coup to overthrow Diem, Lyndon Johnson felt obligated to continue giving support to South Vietnam. President Johnson used his executive powers to eventually lead the nation into war, which initially, the public stood defiantly behind. 1964 Presidential Election: Johnson was viewed as a “moderate” concerning the war issue compared to his opponent, Barry Goldwater.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident According to President Johnson, American destroyers had been attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin Americans viewed this incident as an act of aggression

Johnson’s Response After the Gulf of Tonkin incident, President Johnson responded with a message to congress: Ø“…the United States intends no rashness, and seeks no wider war. We must make it clear to all that the United States is united in its determination to bring about the end of Communist subversion and aggression in the area. ”

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Congress responded to the Gulf of Tonkin incident, by passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution ØAuthorized the president to “take all necessary measures” to protect American forces and “prevent further aggression in Southeast Asia. Ø“an open-ended legal authorization for escalation of the conflict”

A Comparison The U. S. became involved in WWII and the Vietnam War due to attacks on the nation (Pearl Harbor and Gulf of Tonkin incident, respectively). President Roosevelt and President Johnson were sympathetic to one side in the beginning of each war, eventually intervening America on that side.

Women In The War: World War II

Rosie the Riveter The “ideal women worker” – loyal, efficient, patriotic, pretty A huge icon for women during World War II, and in American wartime propaganda Inspired women to get involved in the wartime effort

Rosie the Riveter (cont. ) Rosie the Riveter Lyrics by Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb, 1942 Norman Rockwell 1943 “All the day long, Whether rain or shine, She's a part of the assembly line. She's making history, Working for victory, Rosie the Riveter… …That little girl will do more than a Male will do… …Rosie is protecting Charlie, Working overtime on the riveting machine… …There's something true about, Red, white, and blue about, Rosie the Riveter. ”

The Domestic View Grow your own, Can your own Make This Pledge: I Pay No More Than Top Legal Prices

The Domestic View Women were told to conserve in order to support the war effort Ø Carry groceries instead of using car § Preserved tired rubber Ø Grow more food § Increased food production, plus self-sufficiency Ø Sew and repair clothing rather than buying new clothes § Save cloth for the troops Ø Raise money for and contribute to war bonds Ø Contribute morality

Military Women Excluded from combat positions Some served doing traditional “women’s work” in military branches (i. e. cleaning and secretarial duties) Many women became nurses, or used their nursing expertise to help in the war effort (i. e. Red Cross, military nursing units)

Military Women Enlist in the WAVES John Falter More Nurses are Needed!

Military Women in the U. S. military during World War II: ØArmy: 140, 000 ØNavy: 100, 000 ØMarines: 23, 000 ØCoast Guard: 13, 000 ØAir Force: 1, 000 ØArmy and Navy Nurse Corps: 74, 000

Women in the War: Vietnam War

Military Women Many of the women in this war were forgotten, men dominated this war Around 11, 000 American women were stationed in Vietnam during the war. Roles in the military: Ø Nurses in the Army, Navy, and Air Force Ø Physicians Ø Physical therapists Ø Personnel in Medical Service Corps Ø Air traffic controllers Ø Communications specialists Ø Intelligence officers Ø Clerks

Statistics The American women who served in Vietnam: ØU. S. Army: 4, 675 ØU. S. Navy: 423 ØU. S. Marine Corps: 36 ØU. S. Air Force: 771 ØNumber of women killed: 8 Total number of U. S. military personnel who served in Vietnam: 2, 709, 965

Vietnam Women’s Memorial Designed by Glenna Goodacre Dedicated to the women who served in the Vietnam War, and for the families who had lost loved ones Reminding Americans of the comfort and care women had provided during

A Comparison World War II had been a major advancement for women in the U. S. , but once the men had returned, women were back to their domestic lives. Vietnam War had occurred right after the “baby boom” period, and the men had dominated during the war. The women were overlooked, and referred to as the “forgotten soldiers, ” unlike their larger roles in World War II.

Wartime Effort: World War II

Peacetime Preparations World War II was the first American war to establish a peacetime military draft: the Burke-Wadsworth Act. The U. S. economy had already devoted some of their industries to aid the Allies. ØSupplied ships and munitions to Great Britain Engaged in naval combat with German U-Boats in the Atlantic

Support the War “Don’t Let That Shadow Touch Them” Issued by the Treasury Department “United We Win” Alexander Liberman 1943

War Production Board Established January 1942 by executive order Converted America’s peacetime economy into maximum wartime production Directed war production ØSupervised the production of over $185 billion worth of weapons and supplies

Conservation “Waste Helps the Enemy” Vanderlaan “When You Ride Alone You Ride With Hitler!” Weimer Pursell 1943

Enlisting Troops “Man the Guns, Join the Navy” Mc. Clelland Barclay 1942 “Want Action? Join the U. S. Marine Corps!” James Montgomery Flagg 1942

Results Troops Population (millions) Enrolled (thousands) Ratio 133. 5 16, 353. 7 12. 2% WWII Casualties Enrolled (thousa nds) Combat WWII 16, 353. 7 292, 131 Other Wounded 115, 185 670, 846 Total Ratio 1, 078, 162 2. 6%

Wartime Effort: Vietnam War

Enlisting Troops Military draft faced some protest from the American public President Nixon and his special assistant, Henry Kissinger, came up with a “lottery” system in 1969. Ø 19 -year-olds with low lottery numbers were drafted ØMet a lot of protest and controversy Later on, President Nixon created an all-volunteer army

The Tet Offensive The first day of the Vietnamese New Year, January 31, 1968, North Vietnam launched an enormous attack on the U. S. and South Vietnam. Suggested to the U. S. how brutal and barbaric the war was becoming Completely undermined U. S. ’s national support – within weeks the opposition to the war doubled

Anti-War

Anti-War

Opposition to the War The Anti-Vietnam War movement ØProtests § Invasion of Cambodia - Kent State § End to War - Marches in Washington D. C. ØTeach-ins: students and faculty coming together, discussing the war § University of Michigan § University of California, Berkeley ØNational Coordinating Committee to End the War in Vietnam § Burned draft cards – New York

Results Troops Vietnam War Population (millions) Enrolled (thousands) Ratio 204. 9 8, 744. 0 4. 3% Casualties Vietnam War Enrolled Combat (thousan ds) Other Wounded Total Ratio 8, 744. 0 10, 799 153, 303 211, 471 3. 6% 47, 369

A Comparison America’s national support differed when comparing World War II to the Vietnam War. Despite each war’s start with a strong sense of unity, support increased as WWII continued, yet decreased throughout the years that the U. S. battled Vietnam.

THE END

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