The United States becomes involved in the Vietnam War to stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. Over time, the war becomes increasingly unpopular and divisive in the US as it drags on without clear progress. Protests and opposition to the war intensify during the 1960s. Finally, in the early 1970s, President Nixon begins withdrawing US troops from Vietnam as part of his Vietnamization policy. The last US troops depart in 1973 after over a decade of involvement, leaving South Vietnam to fight on its own.

1. American History
The Vietnam War
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The United States becomes locked in a military stalemate in Southeast Asia. U.S. forces withdraw
after a decade of heavy war casualties abroad and assassinations and antiwar demonstrations at
home.

2. American History
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
The Vietnam War
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LESSON 1
LESSON 2 U.S. Involvement and Escalation
LESSON 3 A Nation Divided
Should the United States have gotten involved in the conflict in Vietnam?
LESSON 4 1968: A Tumultuous Year
Moving Toward Conflict
LESSON 3
LESSON 5 The End of the War and its Legacy

3. American History
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Moving Toward Conflict
Lesson 1
To stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, the United States uses its military
to support South Vietnam.

4. American History
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Moving Toward Conflict
Lesson 1
America Supports France in Vietnam
• United States seeks to strengthen ties with France, help fight spread of communism
• America provides the French with massive economic and military support
French Rule in Vietnam
• Late 1800s—World War II, France rules most of Indochina
• Ho Chi Minh—leader of Vietnamese independence movement; helps create Indochinese
Communist Party
• 1940, Japanese take control of Vietnam
• Vietminh—organization that aims to rid Vietnam of foreign rule
• Sept. 1945, Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam an independent nation

5. American History
Lesson 1
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America Supports France in Vietnam (continued)
France Battles the Vietminh
• French troops move into Vietnam; French fight, regain cities, South
• 1950, U.S. begins economic aid to France to stop communism
The Vietminh Drive Out the French
• Domino theory—countries can fall to communism like row of dominoes
• 1954, Vietminh overrun French at Dien Bien Phu; France surrenders
• Geneva Accords divide Vietnam at 17th parallel; Communists get north
• Election to unify country called for in 1956

6. American History
Lesson 1
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The United States Steps In
• After France retreat, United States takes more active role in halting communism in Vietnam
• Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations provide economic and military aid to South Vietnam
Continued…
Diem Cancels Elections
• Ho has brutal, repressive regime but is popular for land distribution
• S. Vietnam’s anti-Communist president Ngo Dinh Diem refuses election
• U.S. promises military aid for stable, reform government in South
• Diem corrupt, stifles opposition, restricts Buddhism
• Vietcong (Communist opposition group in South) kills officials
• Ho sends arms to Vietcong along Ho Chi Minh Trail

7. American History
Lesson 1
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The United States Steps In (continued)
Kennedy and Vietnam
• Like Eisenhower, JFK backs Diem financially; sends military advisers
• Diem’s popularity plummets from corruption, lack of land reform
• Diem starts strategic hamlet program to fight Vietcong
— villagers resent being moved from ancestral homes
• Diem presses attacks on Buddhism; monks burn themselves in protest
• U.S.-supported military coup topples government; Diem assassinated

8. American History
Lesson 1
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President Johnson Expands the Conflict
• Lyndon Johnson escalates the nation’s role in Vietnam
The South Grows More Unstable
• Succession of military leaders rule S. Vietnam; country unstable
• LBJ thinks U.S. can lose international prestige if communists win
The Tonkin Gulf Resolution
• Alleged attack in Gulf of Tonkin; LBJ asks for power to repel enemy
• 1964 Tonkin Gulf Resolution gives him broad military powers
• 1965 8 Americans killed, LBJ orders sustained bombing of North
• U.S. combat troops sent to S. Vietnam to battle Vietcong

9. American History
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U.S. Involvement and Escalation
Lesson 2
The United States sends troops to fight in Vietnam, but the war quickly turns into a
stalemate.

10. American History
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U.S. Involvement and Escalation
Lesson 2
Johnson Increases U.S. Involvement
• Much of the nation supports Johnson’s determination to contain communism in Vietnam
• After 1965, Johnson begins sending large numbers of American troops to fight
Strong Support for Containment
• LBJ hesitates breaking promise to keep troops out; works with:
— Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, Secretary of State Dean Rusk
• Congress, majority of public support sending troops
The Troop Buildup Accelerates
• General William Westmoreland—U.S. commander in South Vietnam
• Thinks southern Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) ineffective
• Requests increasing numbers; by 1967 500,000 U.S. troops

11. American History
Lesson 2
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Fighting in the Jungle
• Jungle terrain and guerrilla tactics turn war into frustrating stalemate for U.S. troops
Continued…
An Elusive Enemy
• Vietcong use hit-and-run, ambush tactics, move among civilians
• Tunnels help withstand airstrikes, launch attacks, connect villages
• Terrain laced with booby traps, land mines laid by U.S., Vietcong
A Frustrating War of Attrition
• Westmoreland tries to destroy Vietcong morale through attrition
• Vietcong receive supplies from China, U.S.S.R.; remain defiant
• U.S. sees war as military struggle; Vietcong as battle for survival

12. American History
Lesson 2
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Fighting in the Jungle (continued)
Continued…
The Battle for “Hearts and Minds”
• U.S. wants to stop Vietcong from winning support of rural population
• Weapons for exposing tunnels often wound civilians, destroy villages
— napalm: gasoline-based bomb that sets fire to jungle
— Agent Orange: leaf-killing, toxic chemical
• Search-and-destroy missions move civilian suspects, destroy property
• Villagers go to cities, refugee camps; 1967, over 3 million refugees
Sinking Morale
• Guerrilla warfare, jungle conditions, lack of progress lower morale
• Many soldiers turn to alcohol, drugs; some kill superior officers
• Government corruption, instability lead S. Vietnam to demonstrate

13. American History
Lesson 2
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Fighting in the Jungle (continued)
Fulfilling a Duty
• Most U.S. soldiers believe in justice of halting communism
• Fight courageously, take patriotic pride in fulfilling their duty

14. American History
Lesson 2
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The Early War at Home
• Vietnam War drags on—support begins to waver; Johnson’s domestic programs unravel
The Great Society Suffers
• War grows more costly with more troops; inflation rate rising
• LBJ gets tax increase to pay for war, check inflation
— has to accept $6 billion funding cut for Great Society
The Living-Room War
• Combat footage on nightly TV news shows stark picture of war
• Critics say credibility gap between administration reports and events
• Senator J. William Fulbright’s hearings add to doubts about war

15. American History
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A Nation Divided
Lesson 3
An antiwar movement in the U.S. pits supporters of the government’s war policy
against those who oppose it.

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A Nation Divided
Lesson 3
The Working Class Goes to War
• Young Americans resist going to war in a faraway place for questionable cause
Continued…
A “Manipulatable” Draft
• Selective Service System, draft, calls men 18–26 to military service
• Thousands look for ways to avoid the draft
• Many—mostly white, affluent—get college deferment
• 80% of U.S. soldiers come from lower economic levels

17. American History
Lesson 3
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The Working Class Goes to War (continued)
African Americans in Vietnam
• African Americans serve in disproportionate numbers in ground combat
• Defense Dept. corrects problem by instituting draft lottery in 1969
• Racial tensions high in many platoons; add to low troop morale
Women Join the Ranks
• 10,000 women serve, mostly as military nurses
• Thousands volunteer: American Red Cross, United Services Organization

18. American History
Lesson 3
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The Roots of Opposition
• College students across the country become powerful, vocal group of war protestors
The New Left
• New Left—youth movement of 1960s, demand sweeping changes
• Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Free Speech Movement (FSM):
— criticize big business, government; want greater individual freedom
Campus Activism
• New Left ideas spread across colleges
• Students protest campus issues, Vietnam war

19. American History
Lesson 3
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The Protest Movement Emerges
• Spring 1965—college groups begin hosting “teach-ins” to protest war
• As war continues, protests grow and divide the country
The Movement Grows
• In 1965, protest marches, rallies draw tens of thousands
• 1966, student deferments require good academic standing
— SDS calls for civil disobedience; counsels students to go abroad
• Small numbers of returning veterans protest; protest songs popular
From Protest to Resistance
• Antiwar demonstrations, protests increase, some become violent
• Some men burn draft cards; some refuse to serve; some flee to Canada
Continued…

20. American History
Lesson 3
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The Protest Movement Emerges (continued)
War Divides the Nation
• Doves strongly oppose war, believe U.S. should withdraw
• Hawks favor sending greater forces to win the war
• 1967 majority of Americans support war, consider protesters disloyal
Turmoil in the Johnson Administration
• LBJ continues slow escalation, is criticized by both hawks and doves
• Combat stalemate leads Defense Secretary McNamara to resign

21. American History
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1968: A Tumultuous Year
Lesson 4
An enemy attack in Vietnam, two assassinations, and a chaotic political convention
make 1968 an explosive year.

22. American History
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1968: A Tumultuous Year
Lesson 4
The Tet Offensive Turns the War
• 1968 begins with surprise Vietcong attacks in South Vietnam
• American public stunned; people with moderate views turn against the war
A Surprise Attack
• 1968 villagers go to cities to celebrate Tet (Vietnamese new year)
• Vietcong among crowd attack over 100 towns, 12 U.S. air bases
• Tet offensive lasts 1 month before U.S., S. Vietnam regain control
• Westmoreland declares attacks are military defeat for Vietcong
Continued…

23. American History
Lesson 4
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The Tet Offensive Turns the War (continued)
Tet Changes Public Opinion
• Before Tet, most Americans hawks; after Tet, hawks, doves both 40%
• Mainstream media openly criticizes war
• LBJ appoints Clark Clifford as new Secretary of Defense
• After studying situation, Clifford concludes war is unwinnable
• LBJ’s popularity drops; 60% disapprove his handling of the war

24. American History
Lesson 4
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Days of Loss and Rage
Johnson Withdraws
• Senator Eugene McCarthy runs for Democratic nomination as dove
• Senator Robert Kennedy enters race after LBJ’s poor showing in NH
• LBJ announces will seek peace talks, will not run for reelection
• Growing division over Vietnam leads to shocking political development
• Americans endure two assassinations, urban riots, college campus protests
Violence and Protest Grip the Nation
• Riots rock over 100 cities after Martin Luther King, Jr. is killed
• Kennedy wins CA primary; is fatally shot for supporting Israel
• Major demonstrations on over 100 college campuses

25. American History
Lesson 4
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A Turbulent Race for President
• Chaos and violence climax in August at Democratic National Convention
• Thousands of demonstrators converge on Chicago to protest; bloody riot with police
• Fractures Democratic Party; Republican wins the White House
Turmoil in Chicago
• Vice-president Hubert Humphrey wins Democratic nomination
• Over 10,000 demonstrators go to Chicago
• Mayor Richard J. Daley mobilizes police, National Guard
• Protesters try to march to convention; police beat them; rioting
• Delegates to convention bitterly debate antiwar plank
Continued…

26. American History
Lesson 4
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A Turbulent Race for President (continued)
Nixon Triumphs
• Nixon works for party for years, wins 1968 Republican nomination
• Campaign promises: restore law and order, end war in Vietnam
• Governor George Wallace is third-party candidate
• Champions segregation, states’ rights; attracts protest-weary whites
• Nixon wins presidency

27. American History
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The End of the War and Its Legacy
Lesson 5
President Nixon institutes his Vietnamization policy, and America’s longest war finally
comes to an end.

28. American History
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The End of the War and Its Legacy
Lesson 5
President Nixon and Vietnamization
• New president Richard Nixon announces first U.S. troop withdrawals from Vietnam
• U.S. war against North Vietnam continues even as troops leave
The Pullout Begins
• Nixon finds negotiations not progressing
• National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger works on new plan
• Vietnamization—U.S. troops withdraw, S. Vietnam troops take over
“Peace with Honor”
• Nixon calls for “peace with honor” to maintain U.S. dignity
• Orders bombing of N. Vietnam, Vietcong hideouts in Laos, Cambodia

29. American History
Lesson 5
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Trouble Continues on the Home Front
• Many average Americans support the president
• Events of war continue to divide the country
• Nixon believes he has firm backing of silent majority—moderate, mainstream people who
support war
The My Lai Massacre
• News breaks that U.S. platoon massacred civilians in My Lai village
• Lt. William Calley, Jr., in command, is convicted, imprisoned
The Invasion of Cambodia
• 1970, U.S. troops invade Cambodia to clear out enemy supply centers
• 1.5 million protesting college students close down 1,200 campuses
Continued…

30. American History
Lesson 5
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Trouble Continues on the Home Front (continued)
Violence on Campus
• National Guard kills 4 in confrontation at Kent State University
• Guardsmen kill 2 during confrontation at Jackson State in MS
• 100,000 construction workers rally in NYC to support government
The Pentagon Papers
• Nixon invades Cambodia; Congress repeals Tonkin Gulf Resolution
• Pentagon Papers show plans to enter war under LBJ
• Confirm belief of many that government not honest about intentions

31. American History
Lesson 5
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The Long War Ends
• March 1972—North Vietnamese launch largest attack since Tet Offensive
• Nixon orders massive bombing campaign; mines laid in Haiphong harbor
• Bombings halt North Vietnamese; stalemate continues
• Nixon administration takes steps to end America’s involvement in Vietnam
Continued…
“Peace is at Hand”
• 1971, 60% think U.S. should withdraw from Vietnam by end of year
• 1972 N. Vietnamese attack; U.S. bombs cities, mines Haiphong harbor
• Kissinger agrees to complete withdrawal of U.S.: “Peace is at hand”

32. American History
Lesson 5
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The Long War Ends (continued)
The Final Push
• S. Vietnam rejects Kissinger plan; talks break off; bombing resumes
• Congress calls for end to war; peace signed January 1973
The Fall of Saigon
• Cease-fire breaks down; South surrenders after North invades 1975

33. American History
Lesson 5
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The War Leaves a Painful Legacy
• 58,000 Americans, over 2 million North, South Vietnamese die in war
• Many Americans more cautious about foreign affairs; cynical attitude towards government
Continued…
American Veterans Cope Back Home
• Returning veterans face indifference, hostility at home
• About 15% develop post-traumatic stress disorder
• 1981—U.S. government commissions Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC; hold
competition for design
Further Turmoil in Southeast Asia
• Communists put 400,000 S. Vietnamese in labor camps; 1.5 million flee
• Civil war breaks out in Cambodia; Khmer Rouge seize power
• Want to establish peasant society; kill at least 1 million people

34. American History
Lesson 5
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The War Leaves a Painful Legacy
The Legacy of Vietnam
• Government abolishes military draft
• 1973 Congress passes War Powers Act:
— president must inform Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops
— 90 day maximum deployment without Congressional approval
• War contributes to cynicism about government, political leaders

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