US Involvement in US Involvement in Vietnam GrowsVietnam Grows

US HistoryUS History20.220.2

The Ground War 1965-1968

The Ground War 1965-1968

z No territorial goalsNo territorial goalsz Body counts on TV every night Body counts on TV every night

(first (first “living room” war“living room” war))

z Viet Cong supplies over the Viet Cong supplies over the Ho Chi Minh TrailHo Chi Minh Trail

The Air War1965-1968

The Air War1965-1968

z 1965: Sustained bombing of North 1965: Sustained bombing of North VietnamVietnam

z Operation Rolling Thunder Operation Rolling Thunder (March 2, (March 2, 1965)1965)

z 1966-68: Ongoing bombing of Hanoi 1966-68: Ongoing bombing of Hanoi nonstop for 3 years! Esp. targets the nonstop for 3 years! Esp. targets the Ho Chi Minh TrailHo Chi Minh Trail..

z Downed Pilots: P.O.W.sDowned Pilots: P.O.W.sz Carpet Bombing – Carpet Bombing – napalmnapalm

Weapons

Napalm-Jellified Gasused previously but used a great deal in Vietnam

Agent Orange- Defoliantused to kill jungle so Viet Cong could not hide. Found to causecancer and birth defects

The Air War:A Napalm Attack

The Air War:A Napalm Attack

Defoliation

Dense jungle needed to be cleared so NVA/VC could not hide.– Agent Orange– Napalm

The Ground War1965-1968

The Ground War1965-1968

z General WestmorelandGeneral Westmoreland, late 1967:

We can see theWe can see the“light at the end of the tunnel.”“light at the end of the tunnel.”

STRATEGY IN THE NAM

Search and Destroy Missions– Drive the enemy from hideouts– Then call in air strikes– Vietcong and NVA would later return to the

villages

Pacification(win the heart and mind)– Calm people in the countryside– Villagers relocated, village often destroyed

Who Is the Enemy?

Who Is the Enemy?

z VietcongVietcong: Farmers by day; guerillas at Farmers by day; guerillas at

night.night. Very patient people willing to Very patient people willing to

accept many casualties.accept many casualties. The US grossly The US grossly

underestimated their resolve underestimated their resolve and their resourcefulness.and their resourcefulness.

The guerilla wins if he does not The guerilla wins if he does not lose, the conventional army loses lose, the conventional army loses if it does not win.if it does not win. -- Mao Mao ZedongZedong

Who Is the Enemy?

Who Is the Enemy?

Facing Challenges

Faced Ambush Couldn’t tell Vietcong from

Civilians– Some peasants turned into Vietcong

Booby Traps– Punji stakes

Death Everywhere

Bouncing Betty Mines

American Morale Begins

to Dip

American Morale Begins

to Dipz Disproportionate Disproportionate representation of poor people representation of poor people and minorities.and minorities.

z Severe racial problems.Severe racial problems.z Major drugMajor drug

problems.problems.z Officers in combatOfficers in combat

6 mo.; in rear 6 mo.; in rear 6 mo. Enlisted 6 mo. Enlisted men in combat for 12 mo.men in combat for 12 mo.

US ForcesMobilize

2.5 million American Serve in the war

Military draft– 25% excused for health reasons– 30% get deferments (college)– 1969 attempt to reform system (lottery)– 3% escape the draft

Noncombatpositions

Administration, communication, engineering, medical care, and transportation

Still in danger/could get killed

Women– 10,000 served in noncombat

positions(ex. Nurses)– 20,000-45,0000 work in

civilian capacities (ex. Relief agencies/ Red Cross)

Public OpinionShifts

Media coverage – “Living Room War”– People see the horror of war– Nightly body counts (INFLATED???)– Reporters question the war

“Doves” – opposed to the war “Hawks” – support the goals of

the war