Johnson’s WarJohnson’s War

1963-19681963-1968

Americanizing the war in Americanizing the war in VietnamVietnam

• Militarizing the American embassyMilitarizing the American embassy -sent General Taylor as US Ambassador to -sent General Taylor as US Ambassador to

VietnamVietnam• General William Westmoreland takes over General William Westmoreland takes over

military operations in Vietnammilitary operations in Vietnam -believe strongly in using firepower and -believe strongly in using firepower and

conventional military tacticsconventional military tactics• Gulf of Tonkin Resolution – gave President Gulf of Tonkin Resolution – gave President

Johnson a “blank check” in Vietnam to Johnson a “blank check” in Vietnam to protect US forcesprotect US forces

Send in the MarinesSend in the Marines

• VC attack military VC attack military base near Pleikubase near Pleiku

• Westy requests Westy requests Marines for protectionMarines for protection

• 99thth Marine Division Marine Division sent to Danangsent to Danang

• Westy recommends Westy recommends more soldiers for more soldiers for offensive operationsoffensive operations

• Johnson sends 40,000 Johnson sends 40,000 troopstroops

NVA Strengths US NVA Strengths US StrengthsStrengths• Strong will to fightStrong will to fight

• Mobilize the whole Mobilize the whole country into a total country into a total war war

• reinforcement reinforcement every time a US every time a US aircraft bombedaircraft bombed

• large- military-large- military-industrial baseindustrial base

• Superior Superior technologytechnology

• Devised strategies Devised strategies to capitalize on to capitalize on thesethese

American StrategyAmerican Strategy

• AttritionAttrition – find – find and kill NVA/VC. If and kill NVA/VC. If US killed enough US killed enough the Communists the Communists would eventually would eventually run out of troopsrun out of troops

• ErosionErosion – heavy – heavy bombing of military bombing of military and industrial targets and industrial targets in North Vietnam. in North Vietnam. Search and destroy Search and destroy military caches and military caches and the network of trails.the network of trails.

• 70% of supplies 70% of supplies received from 1200 received from 1200 mile coast of Vietnammile coast of Vietnam

Let the games begin – Let the games begin – Operation StarliteOperation Starlite

GoalsGoals

• Pre-emptive attack on VC positionsPre-emptive attack on VC positions

• Used heavy artillery and bombing to Used heavy artillery and bombing to destroy VC positionsdestroy VC positions

• Results - 13 to 1 kill ratio – showed Results - 13 to 1 kill ratio – showed policy of attrition could workpolicy of attrition could work

• 45 Marines killed45 Marines killed

Increasing activityIncreasing activity

• US forces move into the Mekong US forces move into the Mekong Delta and Central HighlandsDelta and Central Highlands

• 1965 saw troop increase from 23,000 1965 saw troop increase from 23,000 to 184,000to 184,000

• Enclave StrategyEnclave Strategy – defense bases – defense bases and operate within 50 miles of itand operate within 50 miles of it

• FirebasesFirebases – semi-permanent, heavily – semi-permanent, heavily fortified defensive basesfortified defensive bases

LZ Baldy

The battle for the Ia DrangThe battle for the Ia Drang

• 1st cavalry was deployed at Pleiku1st cavalry was deployed at Pleiku

• Told to go out and engage enemy Told to go out and engage enemy and kill as many as possibleand kill as many as possible

PleikuPleiku

LZ X-RayLZ X-Ray

The battle is over!

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

• US became convinced that the battle US became convinced that the battle of attrition would workof attrition would work

• NVA decided to use more guerilla NVA decided to use more guerilla warfare type strategies – hit-and-runwarfare type strategies – hit-and-run

Operation White WingOperation White WingJan. to March 1966Jan. to March 1966

• Lasted 40 daysLasted 40 days

• NVA/VC – 2,100 killedNVA/VC – 2,100 killed

• US – 230 KilledUS – 230 Killed

• NVA/VC retreated across the border NVA/VC retreated across the border to Cambodia to replenishto Cambodia to replenish

Operation AttleboroOperation AttleboroFall of 1966Fall of 1966

• Search-and –destroy missionSearch-and –destroy mission

• NVA/VC – 1,100 killedNVA/VC – 1,100 killed

• US – 150 killedUS – 150 killed

• NVA/VC retreat to CambodiaNVA/VC retreat to Cambodia

• Leave behind huge caches of military Leave behind huge caches of military equipmentequipment

Breaking the Iron TriangleBreaking the Iron Triangle

• Known as a VC strongholdKnown as a VC stronghold• Small unit fighting, no major battlesSmall unit fighting, no major battles• VC – 1,000 killedVC – 1,000 killed• US – 400 casualtiesUS – 400 casualties• Problems: had to destroy villages in Problems: had to destroy villages in

order to save villageorder to save village• Peasants had strong ancesteral ties Peasants had strong ancesteral ties

to the landto the land

Operation Junction CityOperation Junction CityFeb. 1967Feb. 1967

• Only parachute drop during VietnamOnly parachute drop during Vietnam• NVA/VC initiated attacks at nightNVA/VC initiated attacks at night• Suffered heavily because US backed Suffered heavily because US backed

by artillery and tanksby artillery and tanks• US used beehive units 8,000 steel US used beehive units 8,000 steel fleshettesfleshettes

• NVA/VC - 2,700 killedNVA/VC - 2,700 killed• US – 300 killedUS – 300 killed

Operation Thayer IIOperation Thayer IIFeb. 1967Feb. 1967

• Used large amounts of NapalmUsed large amounts of Napalm

• Killed 1700 VC and dislocated 17,000 Killed 1700 VC and dislocated 17,000 peasantspeasants

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Simulated_Napalm_Airstrike.jpg

Westy goes to CongressWesty goes to Congress

• Military is Military is convinced that convinced that attrition is workingattrition is working

• Must convince Must convince American peopleAmerican people

• Westy goes before Westy goes before Congress, Nov. Congress, Nov. 19671967

• Says, “we’re Says, “we’re winning the war”winning the war”