The Vietnam War

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The Vietnam War
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How Did American Involvement in Southeast Asia
Escalate?

• 1941 The Allies sign the Atlantic Charter, which
  states their post-war goals.
• 1945 Vietnam declares its independence after 100
  years of occupation.

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Involvement, cont.

• 1949 China becomes a Communist state.
• 1950 The Korean War begins on June 25.
• 1954 France continues to wage war to protect its
  colonial empire in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

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French Indochinese War 1946-1954
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France v. Vietnam

• The USA begins to provide the French with
  economic and military aid.
• By 1954, the United States funds 75 of all the
  costs of a war.
• French generals make one last stand at Dien Bien
  Phu. The United States guarantees air support,
  but domestic political concerns prevent
  Eisenhower from fulfilling this promise.

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France v. Vietnam

• After the fall of Dien Bien Phu, the Geneva
  Conference of 1954 agrees to resolve the problems
  of Southeast Asia in the following ways
• 1. Make Laos and Cambodia independent
  countries.
• 2. Temporarily divide Vietnam at the 17th
  parallel.
• 3. Guarantee that North and South Vietnam
  would hold free elections in 1956 to reunite
  both countries under a single government.

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• 1956 The United States prevents free elections
  from taking place in Vietnam. Why??
• The Domino Theory- fear that, like dominos,
  countries in the region will fall to communism-
  moving eventually to the Philippines the west
  coast of the U.S.
• 1960 When JFK enters the White House, 780
  American military advisors are in South Vietnam.
  By the time of his assassination, the United
  States has more than 17,000 advisors in Vietnam
  to support the fragile regime of Ngo Dinh Diem.

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Why did JFK support the Vietnam War?

• After the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, he wanted
  to reassert American military might.
• JFK was an ardent "Cold Warrior.
• He supported "limited brushfire wars" in the age
  of a nuclear threat.
• On the morning of Nov. 22, 1963 he spoke to his
  aides about his desire to experiment with new
  troops weapons in South Vietnam.

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Johnsons Vietnam War

• 1964 Congress begins to debate U.S. involvement
  in Vietnam after North Vietnamese ships allegedly
  fire on American destroyers patrolling the Gulf
  of Tonkin.
• Gulf of Tonkin Resolution- Pres. Johnson claims
  North Vietnamese vessels fired at U.S. vessels in
  the Gulf of Tonkin Congress empowers Johnson to
  take all necessary measures to repel any attack
  against the forces of the U.S. and prevent
  further aggression.
• WHAT DOES THIS MEAN????

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• In reality, American ships had violated North
  Vietnamese waters to support South Vietnamese
  commandos.

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• Fall 1964- Johnson needs a way to justify aerial
  bombing of North Vietnam
• February 1965- The Vietcong bomb an American
  airbase at Pleiku.
• March 1965- American Marines are sent in.
• March 1965- Ground war begins
• June 1965- search and destroy missions begin,
  U.S. commits itself to an all-out war

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1966-1967

• Sanitized versions of the war are broadcast at
  home. Much of the actual carnage is not shown on
  TV.
• Hawks criticize Pres. Johnsons handling of the
  war.
• Doves protest the war the draft in record
  numbers.
• Pres. Johnson chooses not to run for President in
  1968.

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1968, A Very Bad Year

• North Vietnamese launch the Tet Offensive-
• A massive military strike against American bases
  in 39 Southern Vietnamese cities.
• U.S. steps up involvement in the war.
• North Vietnamese show they are better equipped,
  trained determined to win the war.
• TURNING POINT!!!!

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Major targets of the Tet offensive
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Saigon Police chief executes a Vietcong captain
Pulitzer Prize winning photo
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My Lai Massacre

• March 16
• Charlie Company told that non- Communist would be
  out of village
• Were they ordered to kill women and children?
  Accounts vary

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My Lai, cont.

• Soldiers led by Lt. Calley
• Hundreds killed, mostly elderly men, women, and
  children
• Attack stopped by other US soldiers
• A cover up followed event not made public until
  a year later

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Johnson decides not to run

• March 31st
• Shocked the nation
• "I shall not seek, and I will not accept the
  nomination of my party for another term as your
  President"

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Martin Luther King Killed

• April 4
• Riots broke out in more than 60 US cities

The Lorraine Motel, where King was assassinated,
now the site of the National Civil Rights Museum
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Robert F. Kennedy Killed

• June 4
• Democratic presidential candidate

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Democratic National Convention

• August
• Party is in complete chaos
• Johnson out, Kennedy dead
• VP Humphrey followed Johnsons policies
• Sen. Eugene McCarthy was anti-war

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Convention, cont.

• Inside Convention
• Security rough up reporters, caught on tape
• Mayor Daley shouts an F word at a senator
• Outside, on the streets
• Massive protest
• Mayor ordered police to use force

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Election of 1968

• November
• Democrats ran Hubert Humphrey
• Republicans ran Nixon, who boasted of a secret
  plan to end war
• 3rd party candidate George Wallace won 3 states
• Nixon wins