Discussion Questions
1. What did Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh want? How and with whom did he make his case?
2. What was President Truman’s response? Why?3. Explain President Eisenhower’s Domino theory.4. According to Ike, what is the strategic
importance of Indochina?5. President Eisenhower's News Conference, April
7, 1954, Public Papers of the Presidents, 1954, p. 382
Southeast Asia
Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon…Nearly 20 years of involvement…58,195 American deaths300,000 Americans wounded…2.4 million Vietnamese deaths…$120 billion spent between 1965-1973…Pervasive legacy that divided the nation…
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
The Vietnam ConflictThinking Skill: State implications of US involvement and the consequences of US escalation
Vietnam
Vietnam History in Brief
• 1887 French colonized Indochina (Vietnam/Laos/Cambodia)
• 1945 Democratic Republic of Vietnam formed after defeat of Japan in WWII
• 1947 Ho Chi Minh fled to the hills, led Vietminh resistance against French (guerilla warfare)
• 1954 France suffered great defeat at Diembiemphou; withdrew despite US funding 80% of French war effort
• 1954 Geneva Accords temporarily divided N & S;free elections promised for 1956.
•Ho Chi Minh (N) v. Ngo Dinh Diem (S)
Ho Chi Minh
Ngo Dinh Diem
Beginnings of US Beginnings of US InvolvementInvolvement
• Promised countrywide elections Promised countrywide elections never held…never held…– Domino EffectDomino Effect– Ho Chi Minh (communist) would win Ho Chi Minh (communist) would win
Resistance Resistance IntensifiesIntensifies
• Vietminh/North Vietnamese “regulars”Vietminh/North Vietnamese “regulars”• National Liberation Front (NLF)/Vietcong National Liberation Front (NLF)/Vietcong
(VC) blended into civilian populace (VC) blended into civilian populace • JFK deploys 15,000 “advisors” & Green JFK deploys 15,000 “advisors” & Green
Beret special forcesBeret special forces• Buddhist monks protest with self-Buddhist monks protest with self-
immolations immolations • Ngo Dinh Diem assassinated Nov. 1963Ngo Dinh Diem assassinated Nov. 1963
Gulf of Tonkin Incident • Aug 2, 1964 USS Maddox was attacked Aug 2, 1964 USS Maddox was attacked
by North Vietnamese patrol boatsby North Vietnamese patrol boats• Aug 4, 1964 2Aug 4, 1964 2ndnd round of “attacks” round of “attacks”
– LBJ authorizes retaliatory airstrikesLBJ authorizes retaliatory airstrikes
• LBJ uses outrage to press Congress to LBJ uses outrage to press Congress to pass the Tonkin Gulf Resolutionpass the Tonkin Gulf Resolution– granted extraordinary war-making powersgranted extraordinary war-making powers– ““Blank Check” (House 416-0, Senate 88-2)Blank Check” (House 416-0, Senate 88-2)
Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam (1987)
Discussion Questions• How did the soldiers’ views change
over the course of the war?• What impact did the environment
have on US ability to successfully wage war?
• What effect did the American media have on the conflict?
• What is the psychological impact of the statement, “We own the day, Charlie owns the night”?
Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam
Discussion Questions• What was the significance of the Tet Offensive?• How did the constant threat of attack impact
morale?• Why did the US fail to achieve its military goals
in Vietnam? Who is ultimately responsible?• Did LBJ have any realistic alternative to
escalation?
Pleiku Attacks
• American military base attacked, Feb. 1965
• Effects:– Gen. Westmoreland called for massive
retaliatory air strikes against N. Vietnam• Operations Flaming Dart, Rolling Thunder
– US ground forces increased from 75,000 to 250,000; 1967- 485,000 and 1969- 543,000
– LBJ made Vietnam an “American War”
General William Westmoreland
President Lyndon Johnson
Foot Foot Soldier’s WarSoldier’s War A Typical
“Grunt”
Women in Women in Vietnam…Vietnam…
About 11,000 women served from 1962-1973 (DoD)
Pontoon Boat
on patrol
US Air Power
Effective Bombing?
Chinook Helicopter
Huey helicopter
Hitting the “LZ”
(landing zone)
On Patrol
Supplies
Jungle Conditions…
Where is the Enemy?
Khe Sahn military outpost
Waiting…
VictimsVictims
Who is the Enemy?Who is the Enemy?
Vietnam Conflict – Part II
Thinking Skill: Examine information from more than one point of viewObjective: Assess the goals of all sides in the conflict through 1968
TET OffensiveTET Offensive
What was the significance of the What was the significance of the Vietnamese New Year in 1968?Vietnamese New Year in 1968?
• N. Vietnamese and V.C. attack virtually all N. Vietnamese and V.C. attack virtually all cities in S. Vietnamcities in S. Vietnam
• Shocks US military, who eventually win Shocks US military, who eventually win • Public in US is demoralized (TV)Public in US is demoralized (TV)• V.C. are re-energized and fight escalatesV.C. are re-energized and fight escalates• Anti-war protests increase in USAnti-war protests increase in US
South Vietnamese Soldier South Vietnamese Soldier shooting a VC prisonershooting a VC prisoner
Napalm AttacksNapalm Attacks
My Lai Massacre – My Lai Massacre – March 16, 1968March 16, 1968
•Lt. William Calley
•347 -504 victims
Student Protests Student Protests Continue…Continue…
LBJ: “How can we get out without losing face?”LBJ: “How can we get out without losing face?”
Answer: “I’m afraid there are few acceptable alternatives…”Answer: “I’m afraid there are few acceptable alternatives…”
Soldiers become disconnected from war effort
Some turn to drugs, alcohol, and await the end of their tour
Soldiers Morale begins to fade…
The fight for peace at home…
Privileged
Or
Protestors
March 1968 – LBJ Withdraws from Race
Nixon Nixon Elected Elected 19681968
Plan to Plan to exit exit Vietnam?Vietnam?
The Pentagon PapersThe Pentagon Papers
Vietnamization BeginsVietnamization Begins
Kent State 1970Kent State 1970
““Ohio” Neil Ohio” Neil YoungYoung
Tin Soldiers and Tin Soldiers and Nixon coming, Nixon coming,
We’re finally on We’re finally on our own.our own.
This summer I This summer I hear the hear the drumming,drumming,
Four dead in Four dead in Ohio…Ohio…
May 4May 4thth, 1970: One of the bodies from Kent State, 1970: One of the bodies from Kent State
US troops begin to pull out of Vietnam…
Saigon falls in 1975. The Vietnam War is over; the Communist forces have won. Will the dominoes begin to fall?
Vietnam and Korea -- ComparisonsVietnam and Korea -- Comparisons
• Cold War - ContainmentCold War - Containment• US couldn’t claim total victory in either US couldn’t claim total victory in either
warwar• Both undeclared wars – constitutional issueBoth undeclared wars – constitutional issue• Civilian control over the military an issue Civilian control over the military an issue
in eachin each• Fronts – different type of fightingFronts – different type of fighting
TET OffensiveTET Offensive
• Vietnamese New Year 1968 : Tet Vietnamese New Year 1968 : Tet offensiveoffensive
• N. Vietnamese and V.C. attack virtually all N. Vietnamese and V.C. attack virtually all cities in S. Vietnamcities in S. Vietnam
• shocks US military, who eventually win shocks US military, who eventually win
• Public in US is demoralized (TV)Public in US is demoralized (TV)
• V.C. are re-moralized and fight escalatesV.C. are re-moralized and fight escalates
• Anti-war protests increase in USAnti-war protests increase in US
Vietnam and Korea -- ComparisonsVietnam and Korea -- Comparisons
• Cold War - ContainmentCold War - Containment• ProximityProximity• US couldn’t claim total victory in either US couldn’t claim total victory in either
warwar• Both undeclared wars – constitutional issueBoth undeclared wars – constitutional issue• Civilian control over the military an issue Civilian control over the military an issue
in eachin each• Fronts – different type of fightingFronts – different type of fighting
Letters Home from VietnamLetters Home from Vietnam
• LBJLBJ• Gulf of TonkinGulf of Tonkin• Escalation of WarEscalation of WarQuestions:Questions:
– How do the opinions of soldiers change over How do the opinions of soldiers change over the course of the war?the course of the war?
– What do you think of the conditions of What do you think of the conditions of Vietnam?Vietnam?
Letters Home cont’dLetters Home cont’d
• Major BattlesMajor Battles: Khe Sahn, Tet Offensive: Khe Sahn, Tet Offensive• War escalationWar escalation• LBJ resignsLBJ resigns• NixonNixon• VietnamizationVietnamization• AtrocitiesAtrocities• Questions:Questions:
– How do US soldier’s morale change?How do US soldier’s morale change?– What were the psychological effects of war?What were the psychological effects of war?– How do they respond to events at home?How do they respond to events at home?
