Why did the US get involved

in Vietnam?

It was a Congress of accomplished hopes,

a Congress of realized dreams.
- Speaker of the House John W. McCormack
the Great Society legislations

regarding

Major Accomplishments of LBJs

Great Society
Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act
Medicare - public health care for the elderly
Medicaid - public health care for families w/ low incomes/limited
resources
Elementary and Secondary Education Act aid for poor school
districts
Headstart
New immigration laws, abolishing quotas
Arts funding
Funding for higher ed
Funding for public housing
Food stamp program

The Train
Robbery

South Vietnam is fighting for tis life against a brutal

campaign of terror and armed attack inspired, directed,
supplied, and controlled by the Communist regime in
Hanoi. This flagrant aggression has been going on for
years, but recently the pace has quickened and the
threat has now become acuteAt their request, the U.
S. has taken its place beside them in their defensive
struggleIf peace can be restored in South Vietnam,
the U.S. will be ready at once to reduce its military
involvement. But it will not abandon friends who want
to remain free. It will do what must be done to help
them
- State Department Paper on Vietnam, February 1965

 French Indochina (1800s1945 captured by

Japanese in WWII
With US aid, France
reclaimed the colony postWWII
France lost control of
Indochina to nationalist
forces (incl. Ho Chi Minh)
at Dien Bien Phu 1954
W powers divide Vietnam
at the 17th parallel

 Ho Chi Minh became leader of North

Vietnam as S. Vietnam leader
Ngo Dinh Diem (US backed leader)
installed in South Vietnam
Geneva Accords set date for election
1956
When it is clear that Ho Chi Minh will
win the election, Diem backs out and
N. Vietnam attacks S. Vietnam
beginning a civil war
Despite Diems unpopularity
(plutocracy; persecution of Buddhists;
lack of political freedom) , the US
stepped up aid under Eisenhower and
JFK admins

 By 1963 the US realizes Diem is a lost cause

Kennedy approves a coup of Diem

Diem is ultimately assassinated, and JFK is

assassinated himself only a few weeks later

Johnson Steps up involvement after

alleged Tonkin Gulf Incident
Remembers Trumans loss of China
Im not going to be the president to see
Southeast Asia go the way China went.
Domino Theory revived
Tonkin Gulf Resolution passed by Congress in
1964 blank check
to use military ops
w/o declaring war
550,000 troops to
Vietnam

Americanization of the
Vietnam War
Operation Rolling Thunder
(Bombing Campaign) and
Ground War 1965-1968
Nonstop bombing of Hanoi for 3
years, esp. targeted the Ho Chi
Minh Trail
Carpet bombing napalm
More bombs used in Vietnam
than by both Axis and Allies in
WWII

Napalm attack

Why did the US get stuck in

Vietnam?
Hard to tell friend from
enemy; Vietcong were
farmers by day, soldiers by
night
Patient, willing to accept
many casualties
US misunderstood the resolve of the Viet Minh and Viet
Cong
US unable to recognize that this was first and foremost a
NATIONALIST war (NOT a war for communism)

Cuchi Tunnels show revolve of Vietnamese to survive

Declining Public Opinion

TET OFFENSIVE 1967:
Surprise coordinated attack on S.
Vietnam
Impact: Anger, disbelief,
disillusionment toward LBJ admin,
who had indicated that the war was
going well for the US

Living Room War

Body counts on television every night
Footage of the aftermath of
the My Lai Massacre

My Lai Massacre

Anti-War Demonstrations
Columbia University
1967

LBJ decides not to

run for reelection in
1968
Hey, hey LBJ, how many kids
did you kill today?

 During student
protests at
Kent State
University, 4
students are
shot dead; at
Jackson State,
2 are killed

Nixon and Vietnamization 19681974

Runs on promise of secret plan to
end the war
Vietnamization - transition to
aerial war
Actually expands the war secret
bombing of Cambodia
Pentagon Papers released (1971)
leads to Watergate break-in to
incriminate Ellsberg
(which ultimately leads to Nixons
impeachment/resignation)

Pentagon Papers leak leads to

further public cynicism
Former defense analyst Daniel Ellsberg
leaked govt. docs. regarding US role in Vietnam to the
New York Times.
Indicated that govt misled Congress and the public re.
intentions during the 50s and 60s
New York Times v. United States (1971)

 Ceasefire b/w North and South

Vietnam 1973
Peace treaty signed in 1975
US removed all troops by 1973
N. Vietnam could leave troops
already in SV
N. Vietnam promises not to
attack S. Vietnam
War is resumed within two years
N. Vietnam conquers S. Vietnam
in 1975

Costs of the Vietnam War

3,000,000 Vietnamese killed

58,000 Americans killed; 150,000 wounded

(disproportionately working class and minorities)

$150 billion

Underfunding of Great Society

US morale and trust in government decimated

Public disregard for Vietnam vets due to televised

warfare labeled babykillers

Reforms made in the aftermath of

the Vietnam War

26th amendment 18 year olds vote

War Powers Act

If we have to fight, we will fight. You will kill ten

of our men and we will kill one of yours, and in
the end it will be you who tires of it.
- Ho Chi Minh
The unyielding determination of the enemy...
wore down the American commitment which
proved to be far less resolute.
- Historian James Paterson