The Vietnam War Era (1954-1975)Lesson 2 America’s Role Escalates

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the major issues and events that caused President Johnson to increase American troop strength in Vietnam.

• Assess the nature of the war in Vietnam and the difficulties faced by each side.• Evaluate the effects of low morale on American troops and on the home front.

The Vietnam War Era (1954-1975)Lesson 2 America’s Role Escalates

• William Westmoreland• Napalm• hawks• Doves

Johnson Increases US Involvement:

• America Supported America’s involvement

• Containment Policy

• In 1965, 61% of Americans supported the war, while 24% opposed it

– Start of 1965 , 25,000 troops in S. Vietnam

– End of 1965, 185,000 troops

– 1968 – 543,000 troops• That’s half a million!

– American commander in S. Vietnam –William Westmoreland (served in WII and Korea), continued to request more troops

Escalation of Forces in Vietnam

Analyze Data What does the data reveal about the war during the years 1965 to 1968?

Fighting in The Jungle:

• US vs Vietnam– 1st world country vs. 3rd world country

– American public thought of quick and decisive victory

• Vietcong N. Vietnamese Soldiers– used hit and run tactics because of their lack of

high powered weaponry – guerilla warfare

– Soldiers lived amongst the people of N. Vietnam

– Tunnel network

– Booby traps and mines

GUERRILLA WARFARE

USED BOOBY TRAPS,

LAND MINES,

TUNNELS TO SNEAK

ATTACK TROOPS

A Frustrating War of Attrition:• USA’s strategy was attrition – destroy their

morale and wear them down– He also introduced the idea of a “body count” to

encourage his men and discourage the enemy

– American forces tried to win over the S. Vietnamese so that they wouldn’t join the Vietcong

– US planes dropped Napalm – gas bombs – to set fire to the jungle

• They also sprayed agent orange – a leaf killing toxic chemical (cancerous)

– These weapons left villages and innocent civilians devastated

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER 1972

Johnson Changes Strategies

• America moves past advisory role

– Troops on the ground + Massive bombing campaign

• Operation Rolling Thunder• Intense Bombing campaign against the N.

Vietnamese

• Hoped to stop the Vietcong in N. Vietnam –move towards peace

• 1965 – 1973 6 million tons of bombs

– Napalm + Agent Orange• Napalm – jellied gasoline substance dropped in

canisters

• Agent Orange – chemical intended to kill plant life

– Destroy the Jungles of Vietnam

Agent Orange was later found to have caused cancer, miscarriages, birth defects and other diseases.

E. The Government did not acknowledge the damage of Agent Orange until 1984. It was later discovered that the government knew all along how dangerous it was – almost 12 million gallons of Agent Orange was sprayed on Vietnam.

Escalation of Forces in Vietnam

Analyze Maps Based on the information in the map, what advantage did the Ho Chi Minh Trail give the Vietcong?

Sinking Morale

• Troops eventually became frustrated because of:– 1. Guerilla warfare

– 2. Harsh Jungle Conditions

– 3. Making No Headway against

the enemy

• Many troops turned to alcohol, drugs,

prostitution, and infighting among their

own men

• Morale would worsen later when

soldiers realized they were fighting

even though their govt. was

negotiating a withdrawal

Doubt Grows on the Home Front

• American Public looses faith in the Vietnam War– American Military proven ineffective against guerilla warfare

• Public expected a quick victory

• Defense Spending – Money and focus on the war instead of the Great Society

Doubt Grows on the Home Front

• Anti-War Movement

– Support for American Intervention prior to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

• Nation becomes divided

• Hawks– Supporters of the War

– Believed in Containment and Domino Theory

• Doves– Did not fully support the Vietnam War

» Vietnam was a Civil War – no need for American Intervention

» Liberals, pacifists, college students, civil rights leaders