American - Vietnam War

1. Aim: What were the causes and consequences of
America’s involvement in the Vietnam War?
Do Now:
a) Analyze the political cartoon and answer the
discussion questions
Homework:
a) Complete Regents Review Sheet #5 – Civil War and
Reconstruction (Pages 16 &17) due Wednesday June 1,
2016
b) Vietnam War DBQ due Thursday, June 2, 2016 –

3. The Cold War Continues: The Vietnam War (1954-
1975)
Background: The Early Years of
the Vietnam War:
• Vietnam is a small country in
Southeast Asia.
• Its history is one of foreign
invaders and occupations.
• The Vietnamese are extremely
nationalistic and have, for
centuries, fiercely opposed the
invading forces.

4. The Cold War Continues: The Vietnam War (1954-
1975)
Vietnam was controlled by the French
in the 1800s and the Japanese during
World War II.
• After the Japanese surrendered in
WWII, the French returned to
reclaim their territory.
• Instead, the Vietnamese revolted for
their independence under
Communist leader Ho Chi Minh. In
1954 (just after the Korean War
ended)
• 12,000 French troops were
surrounded by the North Vietnamese
army and soon forced to surrender.
• Vietnam was now independent.

5. Geneva Accords
The Geneva Accords of 1954 set a
compromise by temporarily
dividing Vietnam into two
separate nations:
• North Vietnam was a
Communist nation whose
forces were led by Ho Chi
Minh.
• South Vietnam was non-
communist and ruled by Ngo
Dinh Diem.

6. Domino Theory
Domino Theory: U.S. leaders feared that if South
Vietnam fell to Communism, other nations would
quickly follow.
Describe this cartoon in your own
words.

7. Eisenhower and Kennedy
Ho Chi Minh formed a
new guerrilla army
including some South
Vietnamese called the
Vietcong
• US sent military
advisors to train S
Vietnam
• But the Vietcong were
too powerful

8. Diem’s Reign of Terror
Corrupt administration
• Very unpopular
• Discriminated against
Buddhism
• One of the most
popular religions in
Vietnam
• 9 people were killed
by Diem’s police
during religious
protests

9. Diem’s Reign of Terror
• Vietnamese Generals
assassinated Diem with the
support of the US
• However unpopular Diem
had been he was also a
strong political leader
• Without Diem South
Vietnam collapses
• US must get more
involved

10. Johnson
Johnson didn’t want a bigger
war, but had to be strong
against Communism.

11. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964)
• Johnson announced that North
Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked
U.S. ships in the Gulf of Tonkin, off
the coast of North Vietnam.
• This gave LBJ the reason he needed
to act.
• He asked Congress to allow him to
have full authority to do whatever
it took to resolve this conflict and
prevent further North Vietnamese
aggression.
• Changed the U.S. role in Vietnam
from military advisors to active
fighters.

12. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964)
• The Vietnam War escalated (expanded) as Johnson
ordered more ground troops and continued repeated
bombings North Vietnam and Vietcong-held areas of
South Vietnam for three years.
• 1965: 3,500 marines were sent to protect an
American air base in S. Vietnam.
• End of 1965: 184,000 U.S. combat troops in
Vietnam.
• 1968: 500,000 troops in Vietnam!
We fought two enemies:
the North Vietnamese
AND the Vietcong.

13. Difficult Warfare
• US arrogantly believed that it would be an easy war to
win
• Ambushes
• Booby traps
• Guerrilla tactics
• Vietcong blended in with civilians
“a war where nothing is ever quite certain and nowhere is
ever quite safe”

14. US Tactics
• Search and destroy missions
• Find the enemy, bomb them, destroy the supply lines,
and force them out into the open
• Napalm - a jellylike substance that burst into flames
and stuck to people’s bodies.
• Agent Orange- an herbicide was used to destroy the
jungle where the Vietcong were hiding.
• Dangerous side effects on civilians and soldiers
including: Birth defects, Spinal Bifida,
Cancers, and Skin disorders

18. Tet Offensive (1968)
The Vietcong and North Vietnamese launched several
attacks on every big city in South Vietnam, and broke into
the U.S. embassy in Saigon, the South Vietnamese capital.
• While the U.S. was able to strike back and actually
declare a military victory here, many Americans
witnessed the graphic images on the TV news that
shocked and sickened them.
• The Tet Offensive marked the TURNING POINT OF
THE WAR, showing that even with half a million
troops, no part of S. Vietnam was safe and the war was
far from over.
• North Vietnam sent supplies to the Vietcong in the
south through the Ho Chi Minh Trail
• Some thought our government was not telling us

21. America Divided About the Vietnam War
Draft protesters and Political Radicals:
• Many people felt that the Vietnam
War was not a worthwhile cause
and the enemy posed no threat to
the United States.
• College students opposed to the
war adopted various protest
strategies.
• Peaceful protests
• Occupation of college buildings
• Chanting defiant slogans
• Setting draft cards on fire
• Draft dodgers move to Canada

22. America Divided About the Vietnam War
Hawks Doves
1. The war was to continue our
our fight to contain communism.
communism.
2. To prevent the domino theory
theory from occurring in
Southeast Asia.
3. This is the war that is
defining the baby boom
generation just like the previous
previous generation fought in
World War II and Korea.
1. We were sending young men
men (18, 19 years old) to fight
South Vietnam’s war in a foreign
foreign land.
2. People saw their friends and
and loved ones coming home in
in body bags.
3. Too much money was spent on
on the war when it could have
used on other problems in the U.S.
U.S. (ex. poverty).

23. America Divided About the Vietnam War
Counterculture
• Anti-war protests fed a spirit of rebellion, particularly
among young people.
• Many young people rejected traditional American
values that had been followed during their parents’
generation.
• Young people adopted new fashions and music.

24. Apply your knowledge
After watching the video – Answer the following question
Why did Johnson not run for re-election in 1968?