arvn troops don’t cut it why not? what are they fighting for? communist sympathizers fragile south...
TRANSCRIPT
ARVN Troops Don’t Cut It Why Not?
•What are they fighting for?
•Communist sympathizers
•Fragile South Vietnamese leaders (musical chairs government) sees ARVN as a force guaranteeing their rule. Aggressive fighting would drain ARVN forces and make a coup d’etat more likely
America Takes Over in Vietnam
American Advisors Feel that Money Sent to South Vietnam is wasted…
Outposts aka VC Depots
Lack of accountability of funds- radio story
Graft/Black Market
OK… come out! Give us
your weapons!!!
Just a moment,
please. I’m not properly dressed right
now!
VC Forces Grow
About 2000 VC under the height of Diem’s repression
About 53,000 by the time of the 1964 election
LBJ (and his advisors--political and military) Feel That The Only Chance To Stop
Communism is To Send In American Troops. LBJ is hesitant with the election coming up.
• Need for legitimacy• Korean War memories in
U.S. • Congress has the power to
declare war• LBJ has his advisors write up
a draft of a Congressional Resolution giving himself war powers in Vietnam, but holds onto it
I. Clandestine Activities
•U.S. sponsors commando raids by South Vietnamese troops into North Vietnam
•American Advisors play an integral role
II. Why does the U.S. care about being clandestine?
III. International Water Dispute
?
IV. Incident at sea…
…late 1963
V. LBJ’s Response
VI. Gulf of TonkinIncident
VII. What is LBJ to do? VII. U.S. Attacked in the
Tonkin Gulf… What will LBJ do? Is he a wussy?
Good Time for a media literacy lesson, says Mr. Hansen, Best Teacher Ever?
VIII. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Vs.
“It’s like Grandma’s nightshirt. It covers everything.” LBJ
(VIII continued). LBJ’s Response Part #2 … 1st
U.S. attack on North Vietnam!
VIII (continued) . LBJ’s Response Part #3 …
backs away from declaring war
When Goldwater declares a more forceful
commitment, releases Daisy Commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExjDzDsgbww
IX. LBJ Wins 1964 Election in
a landslide…
tries to calm down
the Vietnam
situation…no more
attacks for months
X. However, the VC try to get revenge for the aerial bombing with an attack on
the U.S. air base at Pleiku.
•Several Americans KIA and many planes are damaged…
XI. LBJ is pissed off…
• “I have asked the commanding general…what he needs… He has told me. And we will meet his needs. We cannot be defeated in Vietnam by force of arms. We will stand in Vietnam.” LBJ
XII. In March of 1965, the first American combat troops landed in Vietnam. Their official mission… protect the
airbases. Their actual authorized mission…find and destroy the VC…take over for the ARVN army.
Handout
Vietminh Boat
ARVN boats
US destroyers
US Aircraft Carrier