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The Vietnam War

America’s Longest War

(until Iraq!)

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Why Vietnam?

  • Ruled by French, wanted independence

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  • Led by Ho Chi Minh Communist

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  • US gets involved because of policy of containment

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  • Don’t let another domino fall

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Dien Bien Phu

  • US helped France with monetary aid under Truman

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  • Stepped up aid during Ike and JFK’s presidency

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  • When French were defeated at DBP, America takes lead role in Vietnam

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Geneva Accords

  • Peace agreement

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  • 17th Parallel
    • N – Ho Chi Minh
    • S –Ngo Dinh Diem

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  • Elections scheduled to unify country in 1956

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US HALTS UNIFICATION

  • Diem
    • Anti-communist
    • Refused elections

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  • US supports decision
    • Didn’t want HCM to win

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  • Diem’s Regime
    • Diem wasn’t a good guy either
    • Corrupt government
    • Suppressed opposition
    • Persecuted Buddhists

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Vietcong

  • Communist group in South

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  • Attacked Diem’s government

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  • Ho Chi Minh supported VC and supplied them along Ho Chi Minh Trail

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US Presidents and Vietnam

  • Truman
    • Gave $$$

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  • Eisenhower
    • Military aid and training

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  • Kennedy
    • Tried to help Diem with $ and thousands of military advisors
    • Supported coup of Diem – later executed
    • Said he was going to withdraw troops from Vietnam

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LBJ Inherits the Conflict

  • LBJ thinks fall of South Nam would be political suicide

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  • Can’t appear “soft” on Communism or let another domino fall

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Granny’s Nightshirt

  • 1964 LBJ announces North Vietnamese attacked US ship patrolling Gulf of Tonkin

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  • Lots of confusion, but LBJ asks Congress to give him power to take” all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression.”

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  • Called Granny’s Nightshirt because it “covered everything.”

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  • What does that mean to the power of the presidency?

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US Escalation

  • LBJ used his newly granted powers

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  • Operation Rolling Thunder – sustained bombing of N. Vietnam
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  • American troops begin arriving

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Why Escalate?

  • Containment

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  • American people supported containment

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  • Advisors urged escalation – Vietnam vital interest

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Troop Buildup

  • Led by General William Westmoreland

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  • Wanted even more ground troops – South can’t do it alone

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  • 1965 – 180,000
  • 1967 – 500,000

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A Different Kind of War

  • Thought it would be easy

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  • Jungle terrain and guerilla tactics soon changed that thought
  • Weather was a factor

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Hunting for Charlie

  • Charlie – the enemy

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  • Search and destroy missions to try to root out the enemy

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  • Used guerilla tactics

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  • Blended in with civilians

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  • Used extensive tunnel system to move

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Weapons of Charlie

  • Booby Traps

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  • Land Mines

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  • Spider Holes

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  • Climate and terrain

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US Weapons

  • Napalm
    • Jellied gasoline
    • Set fire to jungles

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  • Agent Orange
    • Chemical defoliant
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  • Infrared Detection
    • Detect heat of unseen enemy

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So…Why Don’t We Win?

  • Low morale
    • Frustration
    • Failure
    • Led to alcohol and drug abuse
    • Fragging officers-killed superiors
    • What are we doing here?

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  • Homefront
    • Economy suffering
    • Still support war, but not wholeheartedly
    • Credibility Gap: Is LBJ  telling us the whole story?
    • Led to antiwar movement