The Vietnam War

US History

The Root of the Problem

Ho Chi Minh Declares indep. from Japan – 1941 Communism would be the path By 1945 – 5,000 soldiers anchor North Vietnam

French given control of Indochina (1946) Truman backs the French Containment policy = $2.6 billion

The Root of the Problem

Geneva Accords (May 1954) Vietnam divided along 17th Parallel French agree to leave abandon South Vietnam

Ho & Vietminh – victorious at Dien Bien Phu National Elections to reunify (1956) US refuses to sign

Eisenhower announces Domino Theory as justification

The Root of the Problem

US backs Diem (1954) Send another $1 billion during Eisenhower’s Admin. Diem cancels promised Geneva elections

Vietcong rise up against Diem, demand Reunification with North Vietnam Economic reform

JFK expands the US’s role in Vietnam Advisors, weapons & technology sent Increased civil unrest Agrees to assassination of Diem (Aug. 1963)

“Hey, hey LBJ – How many kids you kill today?”

LBJ – “I’m not going to be the president who saw SE Asia go the way China went.”

Gulf of Tonkin Resolutions (Aug. 1964) Fearful Congress gives LBJ unlimited control

Operation Rolling Thunder (Feb. 1965) Vietcong attack US military based Offensive strategy into North Vietnam

Air raids: military bases, Ho Chi Minh Trail, villages Three continuous years

“Hey, hey LBJ – How many kids you kill today?”

Gen. W. Westmoreland & US Marines Ordered to Vietnam (March 1965) LBJ: “Peace on the Horizon”

Optimism results in Overconfidence Success different in Vietnam

# of Vietcong killed misconception Territory gained insignificant

Ho’s Philosophy “You can kill 10 of my men for every 1 I kill of yours,

but even at those odds, you will lose and I will win.”

“Hey, hey LBJ – How many kids you kill today?”

A different type of war Operation Rolling Thunder

Why – less causalties Results: 108,000 air raids in 1967 alone More bombs in 3 years than in all of WW II

Ground Offensive Search & Destroy Missions Guerilla Tactics Pacification Program - backfires

“Hey, hey LBJ – How many kids you kill today?”

1968 – Things Getting Worse Contrary to Gen. Westmoreland’s Speech Ho, Vietminh & Vietcong launch Tet Offensive

Tet = Jan. 20, 1968 – Vietnamese New Year Communists strike military & civilian targets 100 South Vietnam cities & 12 US bases attacked

US uses brute force to counter Huge casualties

33,000 – VC 16,000 – US & Allies

“We had to destroy the village to save it.”

Criticism Begins to Mount

Media First war in which the media was on the front lines Evolution

1962-3: Diem great leader, We’re stopping communism Walter Cronkite (CBS) – 1968

“What the hell is going on? I thought we were winning the war! It seems no more than ever that Vietnam is to end in a stalemate.”

LBJ: “If we’ve lost Walter, we’ve lost Mr. Average Citizen.”

My Lai Massacre (March 1968 – November 1969) Reporters uncover senseless execution of 350 Vietnamese

Editorials call for settlement & withdrawal

Criticism Begins to Mount

Students Protest SDS – Students for a Democratic Society

“We are people of this generation, bred in at least modest comfort, housed in universities, looking uncomfortably on the nation we now inherit.”

April 1965 – March on Washington – 20,000 students Deferment, Consciences Objectors & Draft Dodgers

Criticism Begins to Mount

LBJ’s approval rating – 26% Euguen McCarthy & Robert Kennedy challenge LBJ for

President March 31: “I’ve decided that I shall not seek and I will not

accept the nomination of my party for another term as our President.”

Same Speech Will limit bombing Seek Negotiations Westmoreland has asked for 200,000 more troops Other Generals counter – “No amount of troops will help.”

Johnson’s War Becomes Nixon’s War

Nixon narrowly defeats H.H. Humphrey (VP) New Philosophy: Vietnamization

Train & equip S. Vietnamese to replace US Soldiers Nixon Doctrine: no more troops, just $ and weapons

Withdrawal Begins (Nov. 1969) 60,000 troops return home Plan – 400,000 to evacuate in next 3 years

Escalation Madman Theory: secretly orders more bombings Carrot & Stick Policy: sending troops to Cambodia & Laos

Johnson’s War Becomes Nixon’s War

Students Rise-up Again (May 1970) Kent State

Students protest at ROTC – not so civil Governor calls in National Guard to disperse students National Guard fires into the student protesters

4 killed, 9 wounded

Jackson State All black school in Mississippi 1 week after Kent State National Guard called in b/c of vandalism in the city Confrontation results in 2 killed & 12 wounded

Johnson’s War Becomes Nixon’s War

Nixon continues “Diplomacy through Terror” Christmas Bombings (Dec. 1972)

January 1973 – Peace Talks South Vietnamese President Thieu signs

cease-fire with the Vietcong US to provide $1 Billion in military aid and will respond will full

force if cease-fire violated March 1973 – last US troops exit Vietnam

March 1975 – Vietcong launch offensive Saigon falls by April US does nothing, dealing with aftermath of Watergate (Ford)