Images of

Vietnam

KEY TERMS:How many of these terms do you know?Viet Minh Vietcong ARVN NVA NLFWhich one is the odd one out and why?

Choose 3 of these terms. You have 10 minutes to make sure you understand them completely. After that you will have 5 minutes to explain them to your partner making sure they understand them completely. I will then test you both.

Dien Bien Phu Ho Chi Minh Domino TheoryGeneva AccordsNgo Dinh DiemDwight D. Eisenhower

Vietnamese TacticsName Description of tactics

Ambushes, booby traps, blend in with peasants, fight when/where least expected, work in small groups with no base etc.

HCM Trail

Had very strict code of respect for peasants. Often helped them farm. Didn’t destroy crops/or go against their wishes etc. Offered to give them land when war over.

Booby traps

Large network of underground hideouts allowed soldiers movement. Safe from bombs, could transport supplies, even contained hospitals.

1968 major attack during new year holiday – almost captured US embassy in Saigon. Turning point in war because; showed how powerful and tactically astute VC were as completely surprised US. Emphasised VC ability to keep turning out large nos. of soldiers. As a response to this US destroyed ancient city of Hues – moral questions.

US Tactics Bombing of North military and industrial targets. Aimed to destroy economy and stop HCM Trail supporting guerrillas in south. Meant to last 8 weeks, lasted 8 years, 8 mill bombs dropped. Successes; damaged north war effort, forced north to negotiate in 1972. Failures; HCM Trail continued, Russia and China replaced any military supplies bombs damaged.

Napalm

Agent Orange

Agent Blue

Aka pineapple bombs made up of hundreds of metal or plastic pellets which came out on impact. Aimed to injure and therefore place strain on medical resources.

Spraying chemicals from aircrafts over jungles to destroy vegetation and reveal VC hiding places.

Ships stopped and searched to stop VC obtaining supplies by ship.

The Presidents

Eisenhower (1953) - moved slowly, sent in ‘Advisers’

Kennedy (1961) - increased US involvement, sent more money and ‘Advisers to train ARVN.

Johnson (1963) - Staunchly anti-communist. Tonkin resolution gave his power to take US into war. 1965 combat troops arrived.

Nixon (1968) - ended war, withdrew first troops in 1969, last left in 1973.

Source Work

Study sources 41 and 42 page 358.Do these sources support or contradict each

other? Explain your answer with reference to the sources (8)

Opposition to the war in the USDoves Vs Hawks

Tet Offensive - major turning point for public opinion. American people first realised how resilient and tactically astute VC were. Plus how determined Vietnamese were in war effort and ability to recruit more and more soldiers.

Opposition to the war in the USProtests –• First in NYC 1963. 1964 Catholic Peace Fellowship rally in DC attended by

25,000.

• 1965 Quaker Norman Morrison set himself on fire in protest.

• Numerous student protests. 1965 first anti-war teach-in at Michigan University where students and lectures refused to attend class or leave universities. Spent time discussing war instead.

• 1970 Kent State University – protests in retaliation to news that troops had entered Cambodia to destroy VC bases. National Guard opened fire and killed 4 and injured 9. Whole country shocked!

• 1969 After Mai Lai revelations 700, 000 anti war protesters demonstrated in DC.

Opposition to the war in the USMedia – First war to be extensively covered by tv cameras. Could see almost in real

time war as it was fought. Impact of colour images of Vietnamese being tortured, killed, having villages burnt was massive and cause great hostility.

Mai Lai Massacre – March 1968 300-400 peasants mainly women and children indiscriminately killed and their village burnt. Photographs turned up in ‘Life’ magazine and stunned the public. Big trial and Lieutenant Calley of Charlie company convicted of mass murder. Evidence that war had gone very wrong.

American people viewed their democratic and capitalist ideals as morally superior to the LED Vietnamese. Population horrified that this sort of thing could happen in their modern, freedom loving country. Began to question the war and all it stood for.

Opposition to the war in the USAnti-war / peace movement - • Anti Draft Movement – against forced military service. People publicly

burnt draft cards which was illegal. Some poured blood on draft cards. Many anti draft protests. Became known as ‘draft dodgers’. Many people left the country to avoid the draft.

• Vietnam Veterans Against the War – 1967. Group of vets many injured and disabled who publicly campaigned for end to war.

• Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. MLK Famous anti-war advocate. Attacked money wasted on war and not on poverty as LBJ promised. Also disproportionate no. Of blacks in army in relation to pop. Size. And fact that mostly white, college students could defer draft and blacks couldn’t. Muhammad Ali – see next slide.

Muhammad Ali

"No, I am not going 10,000 miles to help murder kill and burn other people to simply help continue the domination of white slavemasters over dark people the world over. This is the day and age when such evil injustice must come to an end." —Muhammad Ali 1966

"I Ain't Got No Quarrel With The VietCong... No VietCong Ever Called Me Nigger" — Muhammad Ali, 1966

In 1966 Heavy Weight Boxing Champion of the World Muhammad Ali applied to the Selective Service committee for Conscientious Objector Status on religious grounds (as a minister with the Nation of Islam). In what became an extensive legal, political, professional, and personal battle, Ali was convicted of draft evasion, stripped of his boxing title, and became a lightning rod — and a voice — for opinions on the Vietnam War.