CHAPTER 22
GENERAL INFORMATION
-
o
THE
-
THIS WOULD BE THE LONGEST LASTING WAR IN
- RESULTS OF THE WAR
o
o
DIVIDED THE
BACKGROUND
TO THE WAR
-
- THE VIET MINH (VIETNAMESE NATIONALISTS) UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF HO CHI MINH FOUGHT A WAR OF NATIONAL LIBERATION AGAINST
o THE JAPANESE DURING WORLD WAR II
o THE FRENCH DURING THE POST WORLD WAR II ERA
o
THE
-
BOTH THE FRENCH AND THE AMERICANS LOSE A WAR IN
o THEY UNDERESTIMATE THE FIGHTING POWER OF THE VIETMINH
§ AS WE UNDERESTIMATED THE FIGHTING POWER OF THE JAPANESE DURING WORLD WAR II
o UNABLE TO FIGHT A NON-TRADITIONAL WAR
§ A GUERRILLA TYPE WAR
22/2
-
o
THIS MARKS THE END OF FRENCH INFLUENCE IN S.E.
-
o
VIET
§ THE NORTH WOULD BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE COMMUNISTS AND HO CHI MINH
§ THE SOUTH WOULD BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE ARISTOCRATIC GOVERNMENT OF NGO DE DIEM
o THE COUNTRY IS TO BE REUNITED AFTER ELECTION IN 1956
§ ELECTIONS ARE CANCELED IN THE SOUTH BECAUSE DIEM FEARS THAT HE WILL LOSE THE ELECTION
·
HE DID
· CORRUPTION CONTINUES TO BE RAMPANT IN HIS GOVERNMENT
THE
U.S AND
-
THE
o
IKE FEARS THAT THE
o IKE FEARS THE DOMINO THEORY
-
THE
o WHY – ANTI-COMMUNIST
-
CIVIL WAR ERUPTS IN
o THE NLF (NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT) OR VIET CONG START THE INSURGENCY SEEKING
§ ECONOMIC REFORM
§ REUNIFICATION
§
22/3
o THE VIET CONG HAVE CLOSE TIES WITH THE VIET MINH (NORTH VIETNAMESE COMMUNISTS)
- JFK CONTINUES SUPPORT WITH
o ADDITIONAL MONEY
o MILITARY ADVISORS – GREEN BERETS
ON CONDITION
o DIEM INSTITUTE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REFORMS
o DIEM IS UNCOOPERATIVE IN INSTITUTING REFORM
§
KENNEDY REALIZES THAT THE
§ A COUP D’ETAT REPLACES DIEM
· SOME SAY THAT THE CIA WAS INVOLVED
§ 3 WEEKS LATER KENNEDY IS ASSASSINATED
-
JOHNSON AND VIET
o JOHNSON SEES VIET NAM AS CONTAINMENT OF COMMUNISM
o
JOHNSON DOESN’T WANT TO BE BLAMED FOR THE LOSS
OF S.E.
§ Tonkin Gulf Resolution (1964)
· A CONGRESSIONAL “BLANK CHECK”
o TO PROTECT AMERICAN SERVICEMEN
o RESOLVE THE CONFLICT
· PROVIDES ADDITIONAL MONEY AND MATERIAL AND MEN TO FIGHT THE WAR
22/4
§ OPERATION
ROLLING THUNDER – AIR WAR
·
US BRINGS THE WAR TO
o
BOMBING OF
o BOMBING OF THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL
§
SUPPLY LINE FORM THE NORTH TO
· FAILED IN ITS ATTEMPT TO DEMORALIZE OR DEFEAT THE ENEMY
·
NAPALM AND DEFOLIANT AGENTS SUCH AS AGENT
o SAVE AMERICAN LIVES
o AN ACTUAL USE OF A CHEMICAL WEAPON
§ SEARCH
AND DESTROY – GROUND WAR
· TACTIC USED BY AMERICANS TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY
· WEATHER, DISEASE, THE JUNGLE AND TUNNELS HAMPERED THIS POLICY
§ PACIFICATION
· ENTIRE VILLAGES WERE UPROOTED AND MOVED IN AN ATTEMPT TO UNDERMINE THE SUPPORT FOR THE VIET CONG
o
VERY UNPRODUCTIVE BECAUSE THE
§ VILLAGERS WERE TIED TO THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMES
-
1968 – THE YEAR OF CRISIS
o TET OFFENSIVE (MAP P 742)
§ TURNING POINT OF THE WAR
· IT CHANGED AMERICAN OPINION ABOUT THE WAR
22/5
· A PSYCHOLOGICAL VICTORY FOR THE ENEMY
o IT PROVED THAT THE ENEMY NOT ONLY CONTROLLED THE COUNTRYSIDE BUT COULD IT MOUNT AN OFFENSIVE AGAINST URBAN AREAS AT WILL
o
§
NOT EVEN THE
§ CRITICISM OF THE WAR BEGAN AT HOME
· WHY
o TELEVISION BROUGHT THE WAR INTO OUR LIVING ROOMS
§ WE SAW THE BRUTALITY OF OUR ALLY
§ WE SAW THE REALITY OF WAR
·
DID WE HAVE TO DESTROY VIET
· POLITICAL OPPOSITION TO THE WAR BEGINS ON THE HOME FRONT
o EUGENE McCARTHY AND HIS ANTI-WAR STAND ATTRACTS MANY COLLEGE STUDENTS
§ WHY – THEY ARE THE ONE’S BEING ASKED TO FIGHT AN UNPOPULAR WAR
· THE GOVERNMENT IS CHARGED WITH CREATING A CREDIBILITY GAP
o Def – THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT AMERICANS WERE BEING TOLD AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN REALITY
· ROBERT KENNEDY ANNOUNCES HIS CANDIDACY FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION
22/6
o THE KENNEDY CURSE COMES BACK TO HAUNT LBJ
· JOHNSON CHOOSES NOT TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION
· ROBERT KENNEDY IS ASSASSINATED
· NIXON DEFEATS HUBERT HUMPHREY ON DUAL PLEDGES
o TO END THE WAR
o TO RESTORE LAW AND ORDER TO THE CITIES
o SOLID SOUTH – def – THE TRADITIONAL PRACTICE OF THE SOUTHERN STATES VOTING DEMOCRATIC
§ BROKEN IN THE ELECTION 0F 1968
o “BOL WEEVILS” – DEF – SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS WHO SUPPORTED THE REPUBLICAN AGENDA
-
NIXON AND THE WAR
o PEACE
WITH HONOR
§ VIETNAMIZATION – def – THE GRADUAL WITHDRAWAL OF US TROOPS AND THE TURNING OVER OF THE WAR TO THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE
§
THE SECRET WAR IN
· NIXON DECIDES TO CUT OFF SUPPLIES COMING DOWN THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL
o NOT SUCCESSFUL
§
· LIEUT. WILLIAM CALLEY
· EXHIBITED THE BRUTALITY OF WAR
22/7
§ PENTAGON
PAPERS
· CONFIRMS THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENT LIED TO ITS CITIZENS ABOUT THE WAR
§
· UNIVERSITIES WHERE WAR PROTESTS ENDED WITH THE DEATH OF PROTESTERS
§ THE
ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT
· EVOLVED FROM THE STUDENT MOVEMENT
· INCLUDED ALL SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY
· THE NATION BECAME POLARIZED BETWEEN HAWKS AND DOVES
· MANAGED TO FORCE A SHIFT IN FOREIGN POLICY
-
THE LEGACY OF
o THE DRAFT WAS ABOLISHED
o THE WAR POWERS ACT IS INSTITUTED
§ AN ATTEMPT TO REIGN IN THE POWER OF THE PRESIDENT TO ENGAGE IN EXECUTIVE WAR
o INCREASED CYNICISM TOWARDS GOVERNMENT