Ch. 19 Early U.S. Involvement1954 Geneva Conference- Vietnam divided at the 17th parallel

North-Communist, South- Democratic goal was to unite

Ike & JFK had “military advisors” in Vietnam

1964- Pres. Johnson felt it was time to use U.S. forces in Vietnam to prevent the “Domino Theory”

Gulf of TonkinReported that 2 U.S. ships had been attacked by N. Vietnamese gunboats in the Gulf of Tonkin

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution- Cong. gave the president the power to do whatever it takes to prevent further aggression.

Napalm Attacks

Troops in Vietnam

Helicopters Played a Major Role

Guerilla Warfare

Gradual Escalation

1965- 184,000 troops1968- 536,100 troopsTet Offensive- massive strikes by the NVA that showed their strength in January 1968

Controversy Over the Controversy Over the WarWar

We made a promise to protect them

Prevent the spread of Communism

Prevent the beginning of the Domino Theory

To far away Not our fight S. Vietnam Govt.

was very corrupt Thousands of

Americans were being killed for nothing

War Hawks- Supported the War Hawks- Supported the warwar Doves- Opposed the WarDoves- Opposed the War

Protests

Many Protests Turned Violent

Student Protests

Colleges were the place of most protests

Draft Dodgers- many burnt their draft cards and fled to Canada

Many took college deferments

The country was divided over the war

Media brought the battle into peoples homes which increased the division

Older generations resented the attitudes of the young

Hippies and Flower Children stood out b/c of their dress and lifestyle

Woodstock 1969

Soldiers returned home facing hostility and protests

Many struggled to adjust to life at home

LBJ- refused to run for the 1968 presidency

1968 Democratic Convention- student protest led to violence

Richard Nixon (R)- won the 68 presidential election

Vietnamization- U.S. troops withdrawn while S. Vietnam army was trained to fight

Richard Nixon (R)1969-1974

Student Protest

1969-1971- worst student protest

1969 protest in D.C. and Nixon called for the “Silent Majority” to support his efforts to end the war

1970- U.S. stepped ups its bombings in SE Asia

May 1970 Kent State- student protest led to 4 students who were killed by the national guard

1972- U.S. gradual withdraws from Vietnam

Kent State Shootings

Pentagon Papers

1971 Daniel Ellsberg worked for the Dept. of Defense

He released the Pentagon study on the Vietnam War to the NY Times

Nixon felt that it would damage support for the war

Eventually it went to the Supreme Court and papers were published

War is Over

1975 Saigon falls to the Communist

Over 58,000 U.S. soldiers died

365,000- were injuredCost over $150 Billion

Fall of Saigon

War Powers Act 1973

Pres. must inform Cong. within 48 hrs. of deploying U.S. troops

If conflict last more than 90 days Pres. must obtain Cong. approval to continue.

Limits the power of the presidency to use military force

Vietnam Legacy People protested the war and draft Media coverage greatly impacted

peoples views U.S. questioned itself as “policeman

of the world” and was reluctant to engage in future conflicts

Military superiority does not guarantee victory