The Vietnam War: 1954-1975

Fighting the War: 1965-1968…

At home and abroad.

“And it’s one, two, three, What are we fightin’ for?…”

-Country Joe and the Fish

VIETNAM - Escalation and Fighting

• The violence and brutality of the Vietnam War affected civilians as well as soldiers.

Escalation of American involvement began in 1965 and continued through 1968.

• Beginning of 1965 - 25,000 troops

• End of 1968 - 500,000 troops

How did battlefield conditions in Vietnam

affect American soldiers?• The Vietnam war was characterized by small engagements (fights) that involved guerilla-type warfare.

• For US soldiers, it was difficult to know the difference between friend (ARVN [South Vietnamese regular army]) and foe (VC [Viet Cong])

Battlefield conditions in Vietnam

• American tactics consisted of “search and destroy” missions and massive bombing of VC targets.

• “Operation Rolling Thunder” - intensive bombing campaign from 1965-1968

• Americans had absolute mastery of the air throughout the course of the war.

Bombing during Vietnam inflicted heavy damage on the landscape and thousands of military and civilian

casualties.• Americans used ‘saturation bombing’ and fragmentation bombs

• Americans also used chemicals to defoliate the landscape – Napalm– Agent Orange

US casualties increased.

• Casualties began to mount and TV networks broadcast scenes from the battlefield

• Weekly body counts became standard TV fare for nightly news.

America’s first ‘TV’ War

• People’s perceptions of the war were more and more influenced by television news reports

“Hawks” and “Doves”

• Hawks - supported the war

• Doves - opposed the war

• Although the majority of Americans still supported the Vietnam War, there was increasing disagreement in both government and the public mind over US Vietnam policy.

A Growing Antiwar Movement

• More and more people saw the Vietnam war as a waste of federal tax money that could have been applied to LBJ’s Great Society domestic social programs.

LBJ attempted to rally support

• War faced growing protest and unpopularity at home.

• LBJ continued to promote the war in order to maintain support for GREAT SOCIETY programs in the USA.

• Escalation continued.• A growing

‘credibility gap’.

The Tet Offensive: 1968

•A coordinated set of attacks by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese during Tet (Vietnamese New Year)

•US tactical victory - inflicted heavy losses on the VC and North Vietnamese

•North Vietnamese strategic advantage - American public support of war dropped

The impact of the Tet Offensive on American Public Opinion

• After the Tet Offensive in Jan-Feb of 1968, public opinion turned more sharply against continuing the war.

• Vocal anti-war protests increased

• Many Americans felt that: – US soldiers were not

given a chance to win – US didn’t have a clear

objective in Vietnam for victory

• LBJ made surprise announcement he wouldn’t seek re-election in 1968

Public Opinion of U.S. Involvement in Vietnam

“Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Johnson is handling the situation in Vietnam?”

Appro ve Disapprove No o pinion

December 1965 56% 26% 18%

May1966 41% 37% 22%

April 1967 43% 42% 15%

July 1967 33% 52% 15%

December 1967 39% 49% 12%

February 1968* 35% 50% 15%

“In view of the de velopm ents s ince we entered the fighting in Vietnam, do yo u think the United States made a mis take se nding troops to fight in Vie tnam?”

Yes, Made a mistake No, did not No opinion

May1966 36% 49% 15%

April 1967 37% 50% 13%

July1967 41% 48% 11%

February 1968** 49% 41% 10% *During the Tet Offensive **After the Tet Offensive Source: The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion 1935—1971, by George H. Gallup

Tet Illustrated Communist (VC) brutality and the brutality of the war in general

• In recapturing Hue (Vietnamese city), VC murdered 5000 civilians before surrendering.

• Suicide bombers hit civilian targets as well.

• South Vietnamese responded in anger and brutality as well.

My Lai Massacre- 1968

• US soldiers under Lt. William Calley murdered Vietnamese civilians at My Lai (village) [250+]

• US helicopter crew stopped the slaughter

• Story with pictures published in LIFE magazine in 1971

• American public horrified.

• An isolated incident but shocking that American soldiers could or would commit such atrocities

Review Questions - answer these questions on a separate sheet of

paper• Describe how the battlefield conditions affected the following people in Vietnam:– US Soldiers– Vietnamese civilians

• Explain why the initial military action resulted in a stalemate.

• Describe the Tet Offensive of 1968. Explain how and why it proved to be a turning point in the Vietnam War.

• Choose a position either for (hawk) or against (dove) the war. Write a brief letter to the editor from that position.