The Vietnam War,

Transcription

1 The Vietnam War, Who was Ho Chi Minh? Vietnamese Communist who wanted self rule for Vietnam. Why did the United States aid the French? The French returned to Vietnam in As the Vietminh gained more control of the country, France asked for help. Chapter 17 NB Pages 111 and 112 What made Truman authorize aid to the French? 1) China fell to Communists 2) the Korean War What was the Geneva Accord? Temporary agreement that divided Vietnam at the 26 th parallel Ho Chi Minh controlled the north Diem controlled the south USA supported Diem due to his anti communist stance How were strategic hamlets and Kennedy s addition of thousands of U.S. Military personnel to South Vietnam similar? Both measures were intended to shore up the floundering Diem regime, but were largely unsuccessful What happened when Diem was overthrown? There was celebration among many people in South Vietnam Diem had alienated most of the South Vietnamese people during his rule US ffi i l k f th coup to overthrow him but did nothing unsuccessful US officials knew of the What was the Gulf of Tonkin? North Vietnamese forces allegedly fire on the American destroyer the USS Maddox What power did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution give to Johnson? To take all measures necessary to defend U.S. forces as retaliation for the supposed attack on the Maddox What encouraged Johnson to send aircraft to bomb Vietnam? When the Vietcong began attacking bases where American advisors were located What tactics used by the Vietcong made fighting difficult for U.S. troops? Guerilla tactics booby traps, ambushes and blending in with the population to quickly vanished No one place was safe What was search and destroy? An attempt to force Vietcong into combat The countryside was destroyed by napalm and Agent Orange to force the Vietcong into the open 1

2 How did Johnson s limits make the war effort more difficult? He refused to bomb Cambodia and Laos to destroy the Vietcong supply line on the Ho Chi Minh Trail Ho Chi Minh Trail? Supply trail that brought supplies and support from North Vietnam to South Vietnam The longer it went on, the less public support it had Many people believed the government wasn t telling the truth about the war Why? Called the first television war since for the first time Americans at home could see what was happening on the battlefield There were no censorship laws at the time people were watching people dead and dying on the TV They were being told the war was going well but seeing images that showed otherwise Many saw this as a credibility gap The gap between TV reports and govn t reports Teach ins Used at universities to explain why teachers and students opposed the war Teach ins The Draft Many see this as unfair College students could defer so working class and minorities drafted first Eventually many refused dto report for duty (500,000) and many burned their draft cards Led to the voting age being set at 18 (old enough to fight, old enough to vote) 2

3 The Draft Hawks Supported the war Believed it was vital to defending the nation from communism Doves Wanted the war to end Believed the war was not important or necessary for the country Tet Offensive Vietcong launch a massive attack on US air bases and South Vietnam s major cities Took place on the Vietnamese holiday to Tet The attack failed but worsened the public opinion of the war that a nearly defeated enemy could launch such a large attack Tet Offensive Johnson declines to run for re election Many believe that Johnson was afraid to run again Antiwar protesters and police have violent clash at thedemocraticnationalconventionthatis that is aired on TV Two assassination rock the nation MLK Jr. and Robert Kennedy (lead for Democratic nomination for president) 3

4 05/16/2014 MLK Jr. Robert Kennedy Richard Nixon back again Nixon won the election under his message of peace and honor He promised to unify the United States and restore law and order to the country Nixon moves to end the war Appointed Henry Kissinger who began secret negotiations with North Vietnam Vietnamization Reduce R d the th number b off US troops t and d allow ll South S th Vietnam to take over more of the fighting US troops invade Cambodia in 1970 to destroy Vietcong military bases This sets off protests on many college campuses Nixon moves to end the war Henry Kissinger Kent State Shooting 4

5 The Kent State shootings occurred at Kent State University in the U.S. city of Kent, Ohio, and involved the shooting of unarmed college students by the Ohio National Guard on Monday, May 4, The guardsmen fired 67 rounds over a period of 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others, one of whom suffered permanent paralysis. Some of the students who were shot had been protesting against the Cambodian Campaign, which President Richard Nixon announced during a television address on April 30. Other students who were shot had been walking nearby or observing the protest from a distance. There was a significant national response to the shootings: hundreds of universities, colleges, and high schools closed throughout the United States due to a student strike of four million students, and the event further affected the public opinion at an already socially contentious time over the role of the United States in the Vietnam War Most Americans wanted the war to end 1972 Nixon ordered Christmas bombings 1973 January 27 = peace agreement signed and US troops return home 1975 Peace agreement ends, North invades South, capture capitol of Saigon and rename is Ho Chi Minh City Impact of the Vietnam War Many veterans find it hard to readjust to civilian life Consider the war a defeat Many families consider it unresolved as they had relatives who were prisoners of war (POWs) or missing in action (MIAs) Vietnam Memorial Dedicated in 1982 in Washington, D.C. Contains the names of soldiers killing or missing in the war War Powers Act As a result of Johnson s handling of the Gulf on Tonkin Resolution, congress passed the War Powers Act in 1973 The executive branch now has only limited power to wage war It has never been fully enforced though 5