Vietnam War: Longest U.S. War

Transcription

1 Vietnam War: Longest U.S. War

2

3 China France Japan France

4 The French War In Indochina French were unwilling to give up their claims in Indochina because of the valuable resources like tin, rubber, and rice War broke out in November 1946 between Vietnam and France French controlled most of the cities and the Vietminh retreated into the countryside

5 U.S. Support for the French 1950 Truman agreed to send $20 million to the French Truman s Policy of containment opposing communism wherever it appeared in an effort to contain its spread Over the next 4 years, the U.S. gave more than $2.6 billion to the French

6 The End of French Rule In May 1954 the Vietminh, under Ho Chi Mihn and with support from Communist China, finally defeated the French at Dien Bien Phu. July 1954 Geneva Accords: Representatives from the France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, China, Laos, Cambodia, and the Vietminh agreed: Vietnam would be divided at the 17th parallel Would be reunified in 1956 after national elections Who is not on the list?

7 U.S., Why Didn t You Sign? The U.S. did not sign the agreement because President Eisenhower feared that if elections were held in 1956, South Vietnam would be reunited with North Vietnam as communist and other nations of SE Asia would do likewise (the Domino Theory) Domino Theory If one country is taken over by Communism then nearby nations will be taken over one after another.

8 Divided Country, Divided Loyalty Ho Chi Minh leader of the North but also many in South Vietnam look to him for leadership Considered communist because he took aid from China but was truly a Nationalist-wanted a united Vietnam under its own rule. Hero because he broke up large estates and redistributed land to the peasants. He had beaten the French and drove the imperialist out of the country.

9 The Diem Regime U.S. hoped Ngo Dinh Diem would be the savior of South Vietnam He was Nationalist Anti-communist Autocratic ruler Catholic Rich But Diem was seen as out of touch by many of his people. U.S. sent aid to help strengthen the country economically but $4 of every $5 the U.S. sent was spent on the military

10 Elections? Diem canceled nation wide elections with U.S. support Held a election in South Vietnam only where he believed he had full support. Diem claimed 98% approval In Saigon he claimed 605,000 votes - only 405,000 registered voters What s going on here? What s wrong about this? And, why are we supporting it?

11 Civil War! Peasants are not happy with Diem So, who are they going to lean towards? Answer: HO CHI MINH! This made it easy for the Vietminh to gain support in South Vietnam Remember: Ho Chi Minh, China, and the Soviet Union are buddies..

12 So, why do you think the U.S. is going to get involved now?

13

14 Kennedy Years Kennedy increases U.S. involvement He sends advisers and money Kennedy believed that if the U.S. helped South Vietnamese economically they could get the nation to turn away from communism Instead of using the money for schools, hospitals, and land reform though Diem gives the money to corrupt Saigon officials

15 Overthrow of Diem May 8, Buddhists gathered to protest a government ruling forbidding the display of Buddhist flags and government troops fired on them A month later a Buddhist monk burned himself in protest of the Diem regime Nov. 1, South Vietnamese army officers seized control of the government and in the process Diem was killed

16 -1941 to Supported Ho CHI Minh- North Vietnam -Wanted Vietnam independence - When 1950s Opposed Diem - U.S. s enemy!

17 Johnson s War Johnson did not want Vietnam to fall to communism like China So, he surrounded himself with JFK s foreign policy team. Advised LBJ to increase U.S. presence in Vietnam Sec. of Defense Robert McNamara recommends the U.S. send more troops

18 The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution August, 1965 LBJ announced N. Vietnamese torpedo boats had attacked two U.S. destroyers patrolling in the Gulf of Tonkin Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Blank Check What does this mean?

19 Gulf of Tonkin Why is it Important? Gave LBJ the authority to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression. LBJ failed to tell the public that American warships had been helping South Vietnamese commandos raid 2 North Vietnam islands the night of the attacks

20 Operation Rolling Thunder Feb Vietcong forces attacked a U.S. military base at Pleiku, South Vietnam, killing 8 Americans LBJ orders bombing of major bases, roadways, and railways including the Ho Chi Minh Trail A supply line of dirt roads and trails which supplies flowed from North Vietnam through Laos and Cambodia into South Vietnam

21 Troops in Vietnam What is supposed to be a low manpower air war escalates quickly into a high level ground war. By the end of 1965, more than 180,000 Americans were in South Vietnam By the end of 1967, nearly 500,000 soldiers had been sent to Vietnam

22

23 What was it like over there?

24 Ground War Led by General Westmoreland His strategy was: War of Attrition- wearing down of enemy through constant battle and loss of soldiers. No territorial goals Body counts on the TV every night First Living Room War

25 Fighting in the War At first, Americans were very optimistic of ending the war quickly High Vietcong body counts led many to believe the U.S. was winning the war However, the U.S. underestimated the Vietcong and North Vietnamese allies You can kill 10 of my men for every one I kill of yours, but even at those odds, you will lose and I will win. - Ho Chi Minh

26 Air War Bombing cost fewer lives than ground combat so the U.S. relied heavy on air power U.S. bombed roads, railways, factories, and homes in North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia By 1967 the U.S. had dropped more bombs on Vietnam than the Allies dropped during WWII To evade the bombs, the VC developed an extensive network of underground tunnels

27

28

29 Conditions Miserable conditions: Suffocating heat & constant torrential rains Bugs: mosquitoes, leeches, etc. Jungles and muddy trails Bouncing Betties A mine which when triggered is propelled into air, groin level, and explodes. Unknown enemies Farmers by day, Vietcong by night

30

31

32 Guerilla Tactics Vietnamese avoided open battles Guerilla Warfare = Ambushes, hit-and-run raids, sabotage Vietcong had 2 advantages: 1. they knew the terrain 2. support of the peasants who supplied them with food, shelter, and intelligence

33 Guerilla Tactics Pacification program U.S. uprooting entire villages and forcing the people to move to cities or refugee camps surrounded by barbed wire and then the troops burned the fields and empty villages Upset the peasants Troops also tried development projects where they offered medical care and farming advice. But it was too little, too late.

34 New Weapons Agent Orange Introduced by the U.S. Defoliated the jungles of Vietnam Symptoms: Skin rashed, breathing problems, various types of cancer, and birth defects.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange, resulting in 400,000 deaths and disabilities 500,000 children born with birth defects

35 Agent Orange

36 New Weapons Napalm Gel that when it comes in contact with surfaces, including the human body, it sticks tenaciously and continues to burn. Developed and first used by the U.S. in World War II. Its use in the Vietnam War became highly controversial. Protest groups use pictures to show what they consider an inhuman war which must end.

37

38 Life as a Soldier in Vietnam Average soldier was 19 years old Average time over there: At least a year Faced daily horrors mud, heat, booby traps, and an invisible enemy Big time drug problems

39

40 What happened next in the war?

41 Late 1967 General Westmoreland said. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel Not so much General!

42 America Loses Confidence

43 Tet Offensive January 1968: During cease fire for Tet holiday The Vietcong and the North Vietnamese army attack South Vietnam all at once Took over every major southern Vietnamese city U.S. embassy in Saigon U.S. and south Vietnamese beat back the Vietcong North Vietnamese army is destroyed BUT.. It s seen as an American defeat by the media

44

45

46

47 Effects Americans didn t like Johnson and how he was handling the war 1968 dropped in support 48% to 36% Johnson doesn t run for president again American moral begins to drop

48 My Lai Massacre March 1, 1968 The most notorious incident of U.S. brutality in the Vietnam War. U.S. soldiers, with orders to burn and destroy, entered My Lai, a poor village, which was wrongly thought to be a Vietcong stronghold. Finding no enemy soldiers, they brutally raped several women and killed everyone, between civilians. Mostly old men, women, and children. The incident was covered up until mid 1969 When this event hits media, many Americans begin to view all Vietnam veterans as Baby Killers

49 Robert Haeberle U,S. Army photographer

50 ANTI WAR MOVEMENT DOVE V. HAWK DOVE Someone opposed to the war HAWK Someone supportive of the war s efforts

51 Anti War Protesters Doves: New Left Ways they protested Made up of Middle Class college students inspired by Civil Rights Movement. Not afraid to stand up and question the government. Marches Draft Card Burning Draft Dodging Increased protest kept LBJ from sending in more ground troops. Seen by Hawks as the reason the U.S. couldn t win the war.

52 Pres. Nixon and the War Said he represented the silent majority those individuals that did not demonstrate against the war or speak out against the govt. Promised to start bringing the boys home from Vietnam.

53 Nixon and the War As part of Nixon s Peace with Honor he introduced his secret plan known as Vietnamization A U.S. program of turning over to the South Vietnamese government responsibility for war, in order to get the U.S. troops out of Vietnam Anti War protest opposed of plan because it did not immediately end the war When did we eventually leave? 1975 What problems do you see with this?

54 1971: Pentagon Papers These papers leaked out regarding Johnson s administration These documents showed that the government misled Congress and the United States regarding the war Such as Primary reason for fighting was not to contain communism but instead to avoid war. Increases Anti war protest because the government is again seen as lying.

55 1973 CEASEFIRE! Paris Peace Agreement: Ceasefire signed between South Vietnam, North Vietnam, and U.S. Conditions: U.S. will leave Vietnam North Vietnam could stay in South Vietnam North Vietnam would not resume war If North Vietnam resumed war U.S. will intervene Last U.S. troops left Vietnam in March North Vietnam wins war Saigon is renamed HO CHI MINH City

56 FALL OF SAIGON

57

58 The Costs 1. 3 million Vietnamese killed 2. 58,000 U.S. soldiers killed/mia/pow 3. Cost U.S. $150 billion 4. U.S. morale, self-confidence, and trust of government decreased

59 Impact 26 th Amendment: 18 years old can vote! Nixon abolished the draft War Powers Act 1973 President must notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying military force President must withdrawal forces unless he gains Congressional approval within 90 days POW/MIA issue Disregard to Veterans Shunned by society known as Baby Killers No homecoming celebrations

60 Memorial to Vietnam America did not want to remember the war so they chose to forget the veterans Vietnam veterans were considered scapegoats for the unpopular war. Many had trouble dealing with emotional & physical injuries and found little support from friends & neighbors. In the early 1980 s the country began to come to terms with the war 1982: Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. was opened A long polished black granite wall with the name of over 58,000 soldiers lost in Vietnam. Allowed veterans a place to remember & grieve.

61

62 Lessons for Future Presidents 1. Wars must be short 2. Wars must have low causality rates 3. Restrict media access to battlefields 4. Develop and maintain congressional support 5. Set clear and winnable goals 6. Set deadline for troop withdrawals

63 How is the Vietnam War similar to the war in the Middle East? What lessons from the Vietnam War should the government be thinking about today?