Vietnam War

Anti-War Protests; Living Room War; War’s End

Escalation of troops in-country – 1960’s

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

1961 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968

U.S. Troops

Anti War Demonstrations

Columbia University, 1967

$@** No, We Won’t Go!

Anti- War Demonstrations

Democratic Convention

Chicago, 1968

Student Protestors

Univ. of CA -Berkeley, 1968

Anti-War Demonstrations

May 4, 1970

National Guard called

4 students shot dead – 2 were not protesters

11 students wounded

Kent State University

Jackson State UniversityAn all-black college

May 10, 1970

2 dead; 12 wounded

Living Room WarVietnam was America’s first media

war.

From 1968-1975, media had unlimited access to military personnel and targets.

The media covered the protests and riots more than the military troops in harms way.

Living Room WarDue to the amount of video sent back

to the US, Americans got photos of the carnage and consequences.

This led to a decline in American morale and support of the war.

Paris Peace Accords, 1973Cease fire would begin Jan 27, 1973.

1.US troops and non-Vietnamese soldiers would leave South Vietnam.

2. SV, Viet Cong to decide on the type of government they want.

3.US POWs would be released.

4. Goal was re-unification of Vietnam

End of the WarLast American troops left South Vietnam on March 29, 1973

1975: North Vietnam defeats South Vietnam.

Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City

Fall of Saigon

South Vietnamese Attempt to Flee the Country

Fall of Saigon

America Abandons Its Embassy

April 30, 1975April 30, 1975

North Vietnamese at the Presidential Palace

The Costs1. 3,000,000 Vietnamese killed2. 58,000 Americans killed; 300,000

wounded3. Under-funding of Great Society

programs4. $150,000,000,000 in U.S. spending5. U.S. morale, self-confidence, trust

of government, decimated

War Powers Act, 1973President must notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying military force

President must withdraw forces unless he gains Congressional approval within 90 days

And in the end…

If we have to fight, we

will fight. You will kill

ten of our men and we will kill one of yours, and in the end it will be you who tires of it.

Ho Chi Ho Chi Minh:Minh:

Lessons for Future Presidents

Wars must be of short duration.1.Wars must yield few American

casualties.2.Restrict media access to battlefields.3.Develop and maintain Congressional

and public support.4.Set clear, winnable goals.5.Set deadline for troop withdrawals.

Interesting Facts Average age of a Vietnam soldier was 22, not 19 as

is widely believed. There were 9 million active duty military during the

active war years of 1964-1973. 2 million served in Vietnam.

Only one-third of all soldiers who served were drafted.

91% of Vietnam vets are glad they served; 74% would do it again, even knowing the outcome.

As of January, 2004, there are still 1,875 soldiers still unaccounted for (MIA)

In the 1995 Census, 9 million Americans claimed to be Vietnam vets; however, in the 2000 Census, the actual survivor number is just over 1 million! So much for being baby-killers!

Vietnam Memorial in DC

Vietnam War Women’s Memorial