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The Vietnam War

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Fighting in Vietnam US: contain communism North Vietnam: reunify under Communism

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Domino Theory If one country in a region fell to Communism, the other ones would, too (like dominoes) Justify need for American intervention in world

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Vietnam People's Army (VPA) Role grows as war grows US advantage neutralized by VPA fighting b style and tactics Viet Cong / National Liberation Branch of VPA Guerilla and army units Many recruited in South Vietnam Propaganda North Vietnam: insurgency from South US/South Vietnam: tool of North

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Gulf of Tonkin The Incident August 2, 1964 USS Maddox fights 3 North Vietnamese torpedo boats Destroys 3 boats August 4, 196 NSA says Vietnam attacks Leads to Vietnam War 41 years later: US fired warning shots, then Vietnam attacked. The Resolution (August 10, 1964) US Response President Lyndon B. Johnson can use military w/out declaring war US rapidly expands involvement in war

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1967 October 1967 Opposition mostly college campuses Most support war Each day = more deaths October 21 1967 100,00 protestors at Lincoln Memorial 30,000 march at Pentagon Hundreds arrested. Martin Luther King Jr: Boosts anti-war movement High # of African American deaths Bad sending by government November 1967 US Troops cannot handle fighting tactics of Vietnam 500,000 American Troops 15,000+ killed 109,000+ wounded. $25 billion per year Americans more discouraged with war Draft system 40,000 a month More anti-war movement.

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Tet Offensive, 1968 Surprise attack launched by Viet Cong/NVA Wave of attacks (80,000 troops attack 100 towns) US/South lose control of towns Regroup, drive forces out Results Shows North can attack with big force South cannot defend (even with US aid) Started belief that US would lose (upsets Americans)

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Opposition to the War Kent State (May 1970) National Guard kills 4 students protesting war Pentagon Papers (Summer 1971) Confidential details about war

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Media Most publicized war 1000s watch on TV The Living Room War WWII: newspaper reports and radio Technology advanced: print to photography to video Vietnam: TV War to home Images stay with them Change public perception Vietnam Veterans Against the War Go on TV (in wheelchairs/crutches) Throw away medals/awards from war in protests

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New President Johnson does not seek reelection Richard Nixon elected Nixon wants Global cooperation, regardless of government

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Case-Church Amendment August 15, 1973 Ended US military involvement in Vietnam President needed approval from Congress for military activity Vietnamization End US involvement in war South Vietnam gradually takes over war Ending US Involvement

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Post US Presence 2 years of fighting April 1975: North Vietnam captured Saigon Ends war Unites Vietnam 58,220 US servicemen died

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USS Dixie Towards Pearl Harbor (Dec. 1941) Helped repair ships Provided tender facilities to Seventh Fleet in Vietnam Given Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Seventh Fleet Multiple operations against enemy Mine countermeasures after war Evacuated US citizens and refugees from South Vietnam and Cambodia after reunification of Vietnam 1980s: maintain security during Olympics/Asian Games

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