Transcript vietnam part three. the american public responds to war

The Vietnam War
Part 3: American Popular Opinion
of The War
(1962-1975)
Why did the American Public lose faith in the
Vietnam War?
What were some major events that illustrate the divide
in the nation?
American Public Opinion
at first 61% in favor 24% opposed
Reason #1: The Living Room War = TMI
Vietnam is sometimes called the
“Living Room War”
Live coverage of the conflict was aired on TV nightly…
Once America saw how brutal the battle was…they started to
questions why America was in Vietnam.
Fighting the Vietcong
Cu Chi Tunnel (Saigon)
130 Miles!
“From the tunnels we were able to fight
Americans from every angle,” said the
Colonel Chau Lam, a veteran of the
tunnels once known by the code name
“Uncle Number Seven”. “They didn’t
know where we were coming from. That
way we could do more damage and
limit casualties with fewer forces.”
-as quoted on MSNBC.com
"When foreigners
come there is war.
When foreigners
go there is peace,“
-Viet Cong pamphlet
How can America tell if they are winning the battle?
•Westmoreland used body counts to prove the US
was winning.
How do we fight an enemy we can’t find?
* Search & Destroy = destroy everything, force
the Vietcong out of hiding.
But the Vietcong keep hiding in the jungle…
•Napalm = jelly gasoline bomb.
•Agent Orange = chemical pesticide that kills all
vegetation (plants)
Agent Orange = pesticide, used to kill jungle…bad side effects
EFFECTS
Reason #2: The Draft…was it fair?
• William Westmoreland = U.S. commander in
South Vietnam
America’s Plan in Vietnam:
1.) We have better weapons, use them
2.) Fight a War of Attrition = gradual wearing
down of the enemy by continuous harassment.
This plan takes a lot of? … American Soldiers
Who went to war? Who Did not?
(1965-1975)
Selective Service System = The Draft
You Get to Stay Home!
• College Deferment: Males in College = did
not go to war. Usually wealthy/white
• Conscientious Objector (CO) = people who
has moral/religious issues with the war
• People flee to Canada
• Medical reasons (handicaps)
Who went to war? Who Did not?
(1965-1975)
These people go to war:
•
The Poor & Middle Class
– can’t afford college = get drafted
•
•
African Americans
Women
– nurses, Red Cross, USO (entertainment)
Americans Protest! (1962-1975)
The Draft plus All these bad things =
Americans PROTEST
1962: Military Advisors are in Vietnam = Protest Begins
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)
• Organized: teach-ins, building take overs, riots
Why are Americans so Angry?
Credibility Gap = loss of trust in the government
I report to you
that our country
is challenged at
I'm tired.
homeI'm
andtired
of
feelingthat
rejected
abroad:
it is
1968
=
Johnson
Doing
what's
by
American
ourthe
will
thatright
is
did
not
seek
reisn't
the
problem.
It is
people.
I'm
tired
of
being
tried
and
knowing
what's
right.
waking
up
in the
election
not
our
strength;
middle
the night
our of
sense
of
worrying
the
purposeabout
and not
war. to
our ability
achieve a better
America.