8/3/2019 Public Support for the War Decreased as the War Waged on Throughout the Sixties and Beginning Part of the 1970s

1/7

Opposition to the Vietnam war

Public support for the war decreased as the war waged on throughout the sixties and beginning part of the 1970s.

William L. Lunch and Peter W. Sperlich collected public opinion data measuring supportfor the war from 1965-1971. Support for the war was measured by a negative response tothe question: "In view of developments since we entered the fighting in Vietnam, do youthink the U.S. made a mistake sending troops to fight in Vietnam?" [11] They found thefollowing results.

Month Percentage who agreed with war

August 1965 61%

March 1966 59%

May 1966 49%

September 1966 48%

November 1966 51%

February 1967 52%

May 1967 50%

July 1967 48%

October 1967 44%

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opposition_to_the_U.S._involvement_in_the_Vietnam_War#cite_note-10%23cite_note-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opposition_to_the_U.S._involvement_in_the_Vietnam_War#cite_note-10%23cite_note-10

8/3/2019 Public Support for the War Decreased as the War Waged on Throughout the Sixties and Beginning Part of the 1970s

2/7

December 1967 48%

February 1968 42%

March 1968 41%

April 1968 40%

August 1968 35%

October 1968 37%

February 1969 39%

October 1969 32%

January 1970 33%

April 1970 34%

May 1970 36%

January 1971 31%

May 1971 28%

The U.S. became polarized over the war. Many supporters of U.S. involvement arguedfor what was known as the domino theory , a theory that believed if one country fell tocommunism, then the bordering countries would be sure to fall as well, much like fallingdominoes. This theory was largely held due to the fall of eastern Europe to communismand the Soviet sphere of influence following World War II. However, military critics of the war pointed out that the conflict in Vietnam was political and that the military

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domino_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domino_theory

8/3/2019 Public Support for the War Decreased as the War Waged on Throughout the Sixties and Beginning Part of the 1970s

3/7

mission lacked any clear idea of how to achieve its objectives. Civilian critics of the war argued that the government of South Vietnam lacked political legitimacy, or that supportfor the war was completely immoral

8/3/2019 Public Support for the War Decreased as the War Waged on Throughout the Sixties and Beginning Part of the 1970s

4/7

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Vietnamdem.jpg

8/3/2019 Public Support for the War Decreased as the War Waged on Throughout the Sixties and Beginning Part of the 1970s

5/7

Reasons For United States Intervention

Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ), as he took over the presidency after the death of Kennedy , didnot consider Vietnam a priority [disputed, see: NSAM 273 below] and was moreconcerned with his " Great Society " and progressive social programs. Presidential aideJack Valenti recalls, "Vietnam at the time was no bigger than a man's fist on the horizon.We hardly discussed it because it was not worth discussing.

On November 24, 1963, Johnson said, "the battle against communism ...must be joined... with strength and determination ." [ The pledge came at a timewhen Vietnam was deteriorating, especially in places like the Mekong Delta, because of the recent coup against Diem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyndon_B._Johnsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_assassinationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_assassinationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Valentihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communismhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/B-52D%28061127-F-1234S-017%29.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyndon_B._Johnsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_assassinationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Valentihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism

8/3/2019 Public Support for the War Decreased as the War Waged on Throughout the Sixties and Beginning Part of the 1970s

6/7

Johnson had reversed Kennedy's disengagement policy from Vietnam in withdrawing1,000 troops by the end of 1963 ( NSAM 263 on Oct. 11) with his own NSAM 273 (Nov.26 to expand the war.

President Lyndon B. Johnson Of United States Of America

President Richard Nixon Of United States Of America

Versus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_directivehttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Richard_Nixon_candid_in_the_Oval_Office.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:37_Lyndon_Johnson_3x4.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_directive

8/3/2019 Public Support for the War Decreased as the War Waged on Throughout the Sixties and Beginning Part of the 1970s

7/7

President Ho Chi Minh Of Democratic Republic Of Vietnam

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Ho_Chi_Minh_1946_cropped.jpg