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Vietnam WarVietnam War

Tuesday April 28,2015Tuesday April 28,2015

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Vietnam WarVietnam War

Vietnam had been a Vietnam had been a French colony French colony under the name of under the name of French IndochinaFrench Indochina (along with (along with Cambodia and Laos)Cambodia and Laos)

Vietnam fought for Vietnam fought for its independence its independence from 1946-1954 from 1946-1954

Vietnamese Vietnamese revolutionary leader revolutionary leader was was Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh, a , a CommunistCommunist

Admired hero who Admired hero who fought both Japan fought both Japan and Franceand France

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Vietnam WarVietnam War

1954 conference divided Vietnam 1954 conference divided Vietnam into a communist North led by Ho into a communist North led by Ho and a “democratic” South Vietnam and a “democratic” South Vietnam led by led by Ngo Dinh DiemNgo Dinh Diem

US had come to see South Vietnam US had come to see South Vietnam as a “as a “dominodomino” that they couldn’t ” that they couldn’t afford to loseafford to lose

Ho wanted to unite Vietnam under Ho wanted to unite Vietnam under Northern/Communist rule. Northern/Communist rule.

Supported by USSR and China. Ho Supported by USSR and China. Ho Supported National Liberation Supported National Liberation Front/Viet Cong Front/Viet Cong

U.S. officially involved in 1964U.S. officially involved in 1964

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Ho Chi Minh’s IdeologyHo Chi Minh’s Ideology

If we have to If we have to fight, we will fight, we will fight. You will fight. You will kill ten of our kill ten of our men and we men and we will kill one of will kill one of yours, and in yours, and in the end it will the end it will be be youyou who who tires of it. tires of it.

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Ho Chi Minh’s Weapon Ho Chi Minh’s Weapon in spite of ongoing escalation in spite of ongoing escalation

throughout the 1960s, the USthroughout the 1960s, the USexperienced a lack of successexperienced a lack of successagainst the Vietnamese against the Vietnamese guerrilla forces in South guerrilla forces in South Vietnam (the Vietnam (the Viet CongViet Cong) as the) as theUS Army was unprepared forUS Army was unprepared for

their tactics and mentality their tactics and mentality

The US was also never entirely The US was also never entirely successful in shuttingsuccessful in shutting

down the down the Ho Chi Minh TrailHo Chi Minh Trail, a, a supply line that ran betweensupply line that ran between North and South Vietnam viaNorth and South Vietnam via difficult jungle terrain, difficult jungle terrain,

often underground and often underground and through neighboring nationsthrough neighboring nations

like Cambodialike Cambodia

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Vietnam WarVietnam War

Today’s Objective: Analyze why people Today’s Objective: Analyze why people decided to serve and not serve in Vietnamdecided to serve and not serve in Vietnam

Wednesday April 29, 2015Wednesday April 29, 2015

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1969 Draft Lottery 1969 Draft Lottery September 14September 14thth Wins!! Wins!!

850,000 Men 19-25 affected

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Deserters and ObjectorsDeserters and Objectors

Conscientious ObjectorConscientious Objector - Opposed to serving…on - Opposed to serving…on the grounds of moral or religious principles. the grounds of moral or religious principles.

how he arrived at his beliefs; and how he arrived at his beliefs; and the influence his beliefs have had on how he the influence his beliefs have had on how he

lives his life.lives his life.

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Dodgers and ObjectorsDodgers and Objectors

250,000-500,000 refused to register. 250,000-500,000 refused to register. 70,000 draft evaders and deserters moved 70,000 draft evaders and deserters moved

to Canadato Canada

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The Draft TodayThe Draft Today

By law, all males must register with Selective By law, all males must register with Selective Service within 30 days of 18Service within 30 days of 18thth birthday birthday

If not:If not: Can’t voteCan’t voteNo student loansNo student loansDenial of all federal benefit programs…Denial of all federal benefit programs… Including tax refunds Including tax refunds

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You’ve Been Drafted!!You’ve Been Drafted!!

1. Are you afraid or excited?

2. What would your friends or family think you should do?

3. What are your reasons to join or not join?

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What Did People Do? What Did People Do?

““A Soldier’s Experience in Vietnam”A Soldier’s Experience in Vietnam”““I didn’t Want to Go”I didn’t Want to Go”

On index card write:On index card write:4. Did you change your mind?4. Did you change your mind?5. Do you feel better about your decision?5. Do you feel better about your decision?6. How do you feel about those who didn’t 6. How do you feel about those who didn’t

make the same choice you did? make the same choice you did?

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Vietnam WarVietnam WarAmerica’s First TV WarAmerica’s First TV War

Thursday April 30, 2015Thursday April 30, 2015

Thursday April 30, 2015 Thursday April 30, 2015

Today’s Objective

Analyze the impact of media on the Vietnam war

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Depicting War With PicturesDepicting War With Pictures

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America’s TV War America’s TV War

By 1967, 90 percent of the evening news was devoted to the war and roughly 50 million people watched television news each night

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Media’s Impact in Vietnam Media’s Impact in Vietnam

Journalists could follow the military into Journalists could follow the military into combat and report what they saw without combat and report what they saw without formal censorship. formal censorship. Is that right to do?Is that right to do?

As journalists saw more grisly combat, they As journalists saw more grisly combat, they presented the public with more graphic presented the public with more graphic images. images. Is this unbiased?Is this unbiased?

Also, for the first time, interviewed soldiers Also, for the first time, interviewed soldiers expressed their frustration with the expressed their frustration with the progress of the war. progress of the war. Would that impact the Would that impact the public?public?

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Reporting on VietnamReporting on Vietnam

See? Hear?

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Cronkite’s Personal View After TetCronkite’s Personal View After Tet

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Media Responsibility Media Responsibility

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Cronkite on His Impact 2006Cronkite on His Impact 2006

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Reporters in VietnamReporters in Vietnamhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v

=hXDqfMCTf4EWalter Cronkite 1968 on VietnamWalter Cronkite 1968 on Vietnamhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn4w-ud-TyECritique of media’s impact on Vietnam Critique of media’s impact on Vietnam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v

=XqayiS3NnuY#t=122Walter Cronkite 2006 on Vietnam and his effect Walter Cronkite 2006 on Vietnam and his effect

on Vietnamon Vietnamhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apyu1qkM-IU

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Examples of how the media portrayed the Examples of how the media portrayed the events leading up to and during the events leading up to and during the Vietnam War.Vietnam War.

Questions to ConsiderQuestions to Consider:: How was the war depicted in photographs?How was the war depicted in photographs? What effect, if any, does this have on your What effect, if any, does this have on your

opinion on the Vietnam War?opinion on the Vietnam War?

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Vietnam WarVietnam WarFriday May 1, 2015Friday May 1, 2015

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CountercultureCountercultureStrongly opposed widely accepted beliefs or values.

1960’s. Hippies and students questioned authority, pushed social boundaries, religion and philosophies.

New attitudes reflected in music, art, fashion and

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Anti-war protestsAnti-war protests

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdCpI2qdsd8v=TdCpI2qdsd8

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Kent State Massacre May 1970Kent State Massacre May 1970

Do you think the National Guard overreacted?Do you think the National Guard overreacted?

Did they act in self-defense?Did they act in self-defense?

Did the students go too far in their protests? Did the students go too far in their protests?

Who is more at fault? Who is more at fault?

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Extra slides not used (below)

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PHASE 2 – AMERICAN ESCALATION AND MILITARY PHASE 2 – AMERICAN ESCALATION AND MILITARY INVOLVEMENTINVOLVEMENT

this phase originated with this phase originated with ““Ike” and JFK but was Ike” and JFK but was intensified under Lyndonintensified under LyndonBaines Johnson (LBJ), who Baines Johnson (LBJ), who assumed the presidencyassumed the presidency afterJFK’s assassinationafterJFK’s assassination

The U.S. never formally The U.S. never formally issued a declaration of war, butissued a declaration of war, but after the after the Gulf of Tonkin IncidentGulf of Tonkin Incident, , where 2 Americanwhere 2 Americandestroyers were apparently destroyers were apparently fired upon by the North fired upon by the North Vietnamese, Congress Vietnamese, Congress passed the passed the Gulf of Tonkin Gulf of Tonkin Resolutions (August 1964)Resolutions (August 1964)- - herehere Congress gave LBJ Congress gave LBJ their support in sending their support in sending American personnel and materielAmerican personnel and materiel

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the war definitely turned the war definitely turned against the US in 1968, against the US in 1968, when the NVA’s General when the NVA’s General Giap began the Giap began the Tet Tet OffensiveOffensive, a surprise , a surprise offensive on a major offensive on a major Vietnamese holiday that Vietnamese holiday that saw attacks all over the saw attacks all over the country, including in country, including in Saigon itselfSaigon itself

ongoing US casualties ongoing US casualties and losses saw an and losses saw an increase in antiwar increase in antiwar sentiment on the sentiment on the American Home Front,American Home Front,in large part because in large part because Vietnam was a Vietnam was a TV WarTV War where American where American audiences saw the audiences saw the brutality of war firsthandbrutality of war firsthand

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American atrocities at American atrocities at My LaiMy Lai (Lieutenant (Lieutenant Calley)Calley)

they also witnessed they also witnessed the usage of weapons the usage of weapons like like napalmnapalm and and Agent OrangeAgent Orange, which , which devastated the devastated the environmentenvironment

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as the Counterculture as the Counterculture gathered momentum gathered momentum (Hippies, Flower (Hippies, Flower Children, etc.), protests Children, etc.), protests became widespread and became widespread and began to polarize the began to polarize the nationnation

this was intensified after this was intensified after the the Kent State MassacreKent State Massacre– National Guardsmen National Guardsmen

opened fire on student opened fire on student protestors in Ohio, protestors in Ohio, killing four, and by killing four, and by Senator William Senator William Fulbright’s (Chairman Fulbright’s (Chairman of the Senate Armed of the Senate Armed Forces Committee) Forces Committee) admission that the war admission that the war was a “mess”was a “mess”

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increasingly the increasingly the American people American people came to perceive the came to perceive the ““Credibility GapCredibility Gap”, i.e. ”, i.e. they no longerthey no longerbelieved that LBJ was believed that LBJ was telling them the truth telling them the truth about events in the about events in the warwar

in 1968, LBJ chose in 1968, LBJ chose not to run for not to run for president, and president, and Republican Richard Republican Richard M. Nixon was elected M. Nixon was elected on a platform of on a platform of ““Peace with HonourPeace with Honour””

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Nixon wanted the South Nixon wanted the South Vietnamese to play a Vietnamese to play a greater role in the war, a greater role in the war, a policy he labeled policy he labeled VietnamizationVietnamization

in spite of that, he in spite of that, he continues carpet continues carpet bombing Hanoi and bombing Hanoi and orders a secret invasion orders a secret invasion of Cambodiaof Cambodia

He relied on the He relied on the diplomacy of diplomacy of Henry Henry KissingerKissinger to achieve to achieve peace and/or an peace and/or an American withdrawalAmerican withdrawal

the US does manage to the US does manage to extricate itself by Jan. 27, extricate itself by Jan. 27, 19731973

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PHASE 3 – VIETNAMESE CIVIL PHASE 3 – VIETNAMESE CIVIL WAR, 1973-75WAR, 1973-75

the NVA easily defeated the NVA easily defeated the South by 1975; the the South by 1975; the South had appealed to South had appealed to Nixon for aid, which had Nixon for aid, which had been promised, but by been promised, but by 1975 Nixon was 1975 Nixon was embroiled in the embroiled in the domestic Watergate domestic Watergate Crisis, and he was in Crisis, and he was in essence a “lame duck”essence a “lame duck”

1975 – the US abandoned 1975 – the US abandoned its embassy in Saigon, its embassy in Saigon, which was renamed which was renamed Ho Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City in the in the newly unified and newly unified and communist Vietnamcommunist Vietnam