Transcript Vietnam War
Vietnam War U.S. Involvement Vietnam War • 1954-civil war ended between communist North Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh and weak neutral government in south Vietnam • 1956-war begins again and by 1960 the south Vietnam forces were confined to the cities Vietnam War • 1960-confilict spreads to Laos—2 sides in Laos: one U.S. and other communist • 1961- U.S. sign an agreement creating a coalition government in Laos • 1961- May- Kennedy sends 400 Green Berets to help train south Vietnamese in guerilla war fare-it fails Vietnam War • 1961-August- U.S sends 600 green berets and helicopters • 1962- South Vietnam hold their own in battles • 1963-Vietcong emerge from jungle and chew up inept south Vietnamese Vietnam War • Without massive American intervention the war would be lost Tonkin Gulf • August 2, 1964- American destroyer “Maddox” claimed to be attacked by communist patrol boat in Tonkin Gulf, off the coast of North Vietnam • August 4- Maddox and another ship, “C Turner Joy” claimed to have been attacked-neither ship saw enemy vessel or suffered any damage. • Johnson ordered air raids against torpedo boats and oil storage tanks Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Johnson asked and got more power when congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Gave the president the authority to take the nation to war without congressional approval • Article 1 of constitution says congress has that power • 1973- congress placed restriction on the resolution Gulf of Tonkin More trouble in Vietnam • Spring 1965-South Vietnam regime had completely lost control of the countryside and huddled in the cities More Involvement • Presidential advisor said without American intervention South Vietnam government would collapse • Johnson decides to get involved deeper Vietcong Attacks • Feb 7, 1965Vietcong raids camp of American military advisers • Killing 8, wounding 100 • The raid gives Johnson excuse to order air strikes More Involvement • April 196535,000 American troops • June-doubled • 2 years – 500,000 troops • 20,000 deaths Guerrilla war • Vietnam was a guerrilla war • Every village as a potential battleground • 150,000 civilians died annually Agent Orange / Napalm • In in effort to take away Vietcong hiding places – American planes dropped Napalm (a jellied gasoline that explodes on contact) and Agent Orange (a chemical that strips leaves from trees and shrubs). $$$$$$$$$$$$ • 1966-cost $8 billion • 1968- cost $27 billion Unpopular • Three causes that made the Vietnam War to be the most unpopular in U.S. history. T.V., Cost, Lies • Television- First time Americans could see a child running down a street of thatch-covered house her clothes aflame. • LIES - Government Falsehood- Statement contradicted one another: reported only 103,000 Vietcong and suffered 79,000 casualties-Jan1,1966 237,000 Vietcong. • Cost- Every Vietcong communist killed cost the U.S. $322,000 Television and the War • “New Left”Antiwar movement by college students and intellectuals. • Beginning in 1964 and Berkeley, Cal. Students wreaked havoc at American universities— called for “nonnegotiated peace” demand and class disruption. Protest • April 1967125,000 students surged through the streets of New York to the United Nation building to ask the U.N. to intervene. • October 196775,000 descended on the Pentagon and blocked the building entrance in a massive act of non-violent disobedience. Non-violence Discontent • Only 29% of the American people thought the President was doing a good job. • Burning of draft cards gesture of opposition of the war. • “New Left” destroyed itself by its violent methods that antagonized everyone else in the country. Tet Offensive • Jan. 1968-Tet is the Vietnamese New Year • Vietcong made a surprising move and came down on every city of substantial size in South Vietnam and dozens of American bases • Thousands of guerrillas enter the hear of Saigon, captured the American Embassy for 6 hours • City was leveled by US bombers to regain control of cities The Truth • Tet offensive demonstrated that in 3 years of war, the Vietcong was still a military power • Also demonstrated that the Vietnamese people had turned against their government • Thousands of peasants must have known about the moves of the Vietcong forces yet the government knew nothing Vietnam Withdraw • Nixon and Kissinger dictated a final withdraw of Vietnam. • It was clear the war could not be won and its continuance hampered negotiation elsewhere in the world. • It was important that the withdraw not appear to be a surrender. Vietnam Pull-out • Peace talks opened up in Paris in 1968 • Vietcong demanded a role in the gov. • South Vietnam military leaders in Saigon had little popular support to stay in power had to keep fighting • US to win the war had to send million of troops to Southeast Asia • To withdraw was to confess that the tens of thousands of lives lost in Vietnam had been lost for nothing U.S. Had 3 Choices 1. Continue the war at the present level-lead nowhere 2. Pull out quickly and let the South Vietnamese take care of themselves-cause political reaction at home 3. Begin a slow pull out, while trying to negotiate a settlement • Nixon chose the third---allowing South Vietnamese to fight on the ground and US forces to supply air power 1970 • March 18-a right wing general seized control of the government in Cambodia • North Vietnamese troops moved in the defense-less country • April 27-Nixon ordered combined American and South Vietnam troops to remove the Vietcong in Cambodia • Students take to the street smashing everything in sight End of Vietnam • Kissinger and North Vietnamese finally come to terms: • U.S. agreed to permit the North Vietnam army to remain in South Vietnam after cease-fire • Nixon calls is “peace with honor” • Help Nixon get re-elected More Trouble in Vietnam • December-Nixon unleashes new B-52 attacks on the North because of haggling over details at peace talk • Bombing causes world outcry but it works • Final cease-fire was signed on Jan. 27, 1973 The Real End • Neither side obey peace settlement • Nixon orders air raids over Cambodia • August 15, 1973-Congress passed resolution for ceasing all American military activity in S.E. Asia Vietnam Falls • Spring 1975-Communist mounted a massive attack • April 30 communist forces force Saigon South Vietnam to surrender The Fall of Saigon