The US became involved in Vietnam to prevent South Vietnam from falling to communism, fearing this could lead other Southeast Asian countries to also fall (domino theory). While initially sending advisors, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution allowed greater US action after alleged attacks on US destroyers. However, the US struggled against an elusive Viet Cong enemy hidden in jungles, without clear targets. Growing anti-war sentiment at home was exacerbated by the surprising Tet Offensive, though the US began gradually transferring responsibility to South Vietnam through Vietnamization while still providing support.

1. Vietnam

2. • The US didn’t want South
Vietnam to fall to the
Communists

3. • If South Vietnam fell to communism, would
cause a “domino theory”
• Other countries in southeast Asia would fall to
communism

4. • First American troops in were advisors to
teach the South Vietnamese to fight their own
war

7. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
• North Vietnamese attacked two American
destroyers in international waters
• Johnson asked for authority to take action
• Not a declaration of war

11. • Hawks – Americans who favored presence in
Vietnam
• Doves – Americans who wanted to pull out of
Vietnam

14. • US feared that if they declared war other
countries would join in and cause a world war

15. Trouble for the Americans in Vietnam
• Bombing was difficult because:
1. Jungles
2. No large industrial plants
3. Viet Cong was hard to identify

17. Viet Cong
• Vietnamese Communists in South Vietnam

18. Trouble for the Americans at home
Lack of unity at home

23. Tet Offensive
• Americans called a cease fire on Christmas
1967
• Vietnamese used it to their advantage and
smuggled in troops and weapons
• Surprise attacks on January 30, 1968, the
Chinese New Year (Tet)

24. • American losses: 3,845
• South vietnamese 4,954
• Civilians 14,300
• North Vietnamese and Viet Cong 92,000

25. Vietnamization
• US would gradually turn over responsibility for
the fighting to the South Vietnamese.
• US would still provide supplies and air support