China (900 AD) Independence (1500) France (to 1941) Japan (1941-1945) Vietnam-U.S. allied in WWII Independence led by Ho Chi Minh Educated in France, Russia, and China communist Followers: the Vietminh
French back in 1946 Install Bo Dai emperor Ho Chi Minh wants Truman s help; ignored Vietminh begin war against French U.S. supports French with weapons and money
1954 Domino theory Dien Bien Phu; French surrender GENEVA ACCORDS Split Vietnam Communist North (Ho Chi Minh) Non-communist South (Ngo Dinh Diem) Reunified in 1956
Elections cancelled by Diem US told him to Ho Chi Minh would win Vietcong (South Vietnamese communists) begin attacking
Diem very unpopular Catholic Anti-Buddhist laws Coup (November, 1963) overthrew Diem US didn t try to stop it Kennedy dead three weeks later
Gulf of Tonkin Incident (Aug. 1964) U.S.S. Maddox fired upon Aug. 4 second attack Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Johnson asks Congress for authority to retaliate Congress gives full authority The Blank Check
Passed the House 416-0 Passed the Senate 98-2 Find out years later it was a lie there was no attack
Operation Rolling Thunder Heavy bombing of North Vietnam Goal: bomb North Vietnam to give up Focus on Ho Chi Minh trail Why isn t it working?
Ground commander Tells Johnson Enemy defeated by 1967 Need 120,000 troops
600,000 500,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 0 15,000 23,000 Troops in Vietnam 184,000 389,000 543,000 486,000 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 Troops in Vietnam
Civil War Guerilla War Enemy blends in Ambush Hit and run attacks Use of tunnels Vietcong supported by Chinese & Soviets
Eliminate hiding places Napalm (burn down the jungle) Agent orange (defoliate the jungle)
Pacification Remove loyal villagers Eliminate the Viet Cong Allow the villagers to return
Most apathetic war since 1941 Tired of corruption Most villagers don t care communist or not Becomes war of attrition Viet Cong don t have to win, just outlast Americans
Who is eligible? 18-25 year old men deferments? College Medical National Guard Conscientious objectors avoid the draft? Flee Burn draft card Have connections Who is left?
Average age of draftees = 19 Many unsure of purpose Westmoreland: victory is close! credibility gap
First televised war 1967 Sec. of Defense Robert McNamara resigns Clark Clifford: new Sec. of Defense war is unwinnable February 28, 1968 Walter Cronkite gives anti-vietnam editorial
War is expensive Johnson: no tax increase Deficits grow Inflation increases Anti-war movement intensifies criticized by hawks for not doing enough
Who is protesting? Students for a Democratic Society College aged people Called Doves How are they protesting? Refuse to go Burn draft cards Marches Music
1965 Anti-war protests: University of Michigan teach-ins Bay Area (Berkeley, Stanford) hotbed of antiwar movement Many universities received government $ for research Some students anti-rotc October 21, 1967 Over 100,000 march at the Pentagon
Opposed to mainstream conformist culture Clothing Unisex clothes Jeans Tie-dye Beads Led to term hippie Long hair, beards
Music Folk music Bob Dylan Joan Baez Rock Beatles Rolling Stones Jefferson Airplane Jimi Hendrix Janis Joplin Grateful Dead
Woodstock Festival August 1969 Three day festival Celebration of youth culture Woodstock
Role of drugs marijuana Psychedelics LSD, acid Timothy Leary Turn on, tune in, drop out Looking for new consciousness
Free love Break the restraints of marriage Sex, drugs, and rock and roll Utopian lifestyle How is it similar or different from the 1840 s? Is there a difference between anti-war and counter culture?
President Nguyen Van Thieu re-elected New constitution Democratic reforms However... Still very corrupt Johnson planning on running for reelection
December 1967 Westmoreland war is almost won enemy has no strength left Tet: Vietnamese New Year late January/early February (lunar holiday) Tet: not usually a time of fighting January 30, 1968 (Tet) Massive attack by Vietcong Attack on every major city and installation in South Vietnam simultaneously Tet Offensive
Peace talks begin(go nowhere) "New agreement of sorts from the Paris peace talks. After a six hour talk, both sides finally agreed on corned beef on rye for lunch! Couldn t agree on shape of table!
Ancient capital (Hue) destroyed ARVN Army of the Republic of South Vietnam (government army) retakes lost cities and towns Government loses support U.S. bombing intensifies in South Vietnam Vietcong everywhere Westmoreland wants more troops Johnson denies request
Johnson criticized by Hawks and Doves Challenged in New Hampshire primary by Eugene McCarthy March 31, 1968: Johnson announcement
The Democratic Party splinters Hawk and Dove April 4, 1968 King assassinated Intense race riots follow
Democratic Party splits Three seek nomination Hubert Humphrey Eugene McCarthy Robert Kennedy
Hubert Humphrey Johnson s V-P Status Quo Johnson s policies support from Old Guard Democrats money of the Party Hawks of the Party
Eugene McCarthy Minnesota Senator Challenged Johnson before LBJ dropped out Opposed to war Supported by youth anti-war Doves
Robert Kennedy New York Senator Opposed to war Supported by youth anti-war Doves Won the California primary June 4 th Kennedy interview Many saw him as the last best hope Kennedy Funeral
Democratic Convention in Chicago Youth International Party (Yippies) protest Abbie Hoffman/Jerry Rubin Humphrey earns nomination Violence between Doves and police Democratic Convention Humphrey gets the nomination
Abbie Hoffman s opinion of authority Mayor Daley s response
Chicago Seven Hoffman, Rubin, and five others on trial for inciting a riot Yippies disrupting the trial Sentenced to five years in prison Sentence overturned by higher court
Three candidate race for president in 1968 Hubert Humphrey Richard Nixon George Wallace
Hubert Humphrey ending war on our terms Peace with honor
Richard Nixon End war on our terms Restore Law and Order Hated anti-war protesters Appealed to silent majority Average, hardworking Americans Not protesting generally white
George Wallace Former Governor of Alabama Anti-civil rights VP candidate, Curtis LeMay, advocated nukes in Vietnam The only four letter words hippies don t know are w-o-r-k and s-o-a-p
If you are an anti-war activist who is your best choice? Nixon 43.4% of popular vote 301 Electoral Votes Humphrey 42.7% of popular vote 191 Electoral Votes Wallace 13.5% of popular vote 45 Electoral Votes
VIETNAMIZATION Turn war over to South Vietnamese U.S. gradually draws down forces As U.S. forces decrease, South Vietnam expected to pick up more and more
600,000 500,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 0 15,000 23,000 184,000 Troops in Vietnam 389,000 543,000 486,000 480,000 280,000 140,000 16,000 0 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972
secret bombings on communist bases (Laos & Cambodia) 1970 Nixon orders secret invasion of Cambodia
Renews antiwar protests Kent State May 4, 1970 Four killed Jackson State May 14, 1970 Two killed You see these bums, you know, blowing up campuses storming around about this issue. Richard M. Nixon
Story broke in 1969 1968: Lieutenant William Calley led platoon into village of My Lai ordered killing of over 350 elderly men, women, and children. Village behavior: daily routines No gunfire
Calley stood trial 1971: sentenced to life in prison (hard labor) Nixon reduced to 4 ½ months at Fort Benning, Georgia 1974: Nixon commuted entire sentence
1970: Congress repealed Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Took away President s ability to wage unlimited warfare Some soldiers begin to turn against officers ( fragging )
Realpolitik realistic politics deal with country based on strength, not philosophy Henry Kissenger s idea Détente Ease tensions of Cold War Started with China then Soviet Union Chinese-Soviet problems (since 1960) allowed Nixon to play them against each other Put pressure on North Vietnam to end War Known as linkage policy
Led to the end of the Vietnam War SALT Treaty Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty Limited production of nuclear weapons Eased tension in Europe U.S. recognizes East Germany as nation East Germany recognizes West Berlin as independent city
Henry Kissinger for the United States Le Duc Tho for North Vietnam
October, 1972 Kissinger: peace at hand The deal: Remove all American troops Coalition government in South Vietnam North Vietnamese troops remain Thieu refuses to sign Nixon promises support if agreement is broken Broke off talks U.S. renewed bombing of Hanoi
Soviet Union & China pushed North Vietnam to resume talks (détente) January 27, 1973 Treaty of Paris ENDS U.S. involvement American troops removed American Prisoner s of War (POW s) returned Coalition government in South Vietnam
Fighting resumes President Van Thieu asks President Ford for help Congress refuses aid
April 30, 1975 Communists surround Saigon Loyalists surround American embassy trying to escape Fall of Saigon
Single, independent, communist Vietnam 58,000 American soldiers killed Millions of Vietnamese killed Destruction of Vietnam Saigon now Ho Chi Minh City Loyalists flee to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the U.S.
Cambodia Khmer Rouge in power (communists) Kill 2 million Cambodians (genocide) Let by Pol Pot
Pentagon Papers 1971 Classified documents about Vietnam 26 th Amendment 1971 Lowers voting age from 21 to 18 War Powers Act 1973 President: authority to use military without consulting Congress must notify Congress within 48 hours must return troops within 60 days (if Congress doesn t approve)
Vietnam Syndrome Treatment of veterans Ignored Abused Problems with recovery Vietnam Memorial wall built in 1982