Name: ______________________________________ Period: ___________United States History and Government Date: ____________

Aim: What were the causes and consequences of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War?

Do Now: Analyze the political cartoon and answer the discussion questionsQuestions:1. What two wars is the cartoonist comparing in this political cartoon?

2. What similarities does the cartoonist point out about these two wars?

3. What is the main idea being expressed by this cartoonist?

4. Do you agree or disagree with the cartoonist’s main idea? Why or why not?

The Cold War Continues: The Vietnam War (1954-1975)Background: The Early Years of the Vietnam War:

Vietnam is a small country in ________________________________ Its history is one of foreign invaders and occupations. The Vietnamese are extremely _____________________ and have,

for centuries, fiercely _____________________ the invading forces.

Vietnam was controlled by the _______________ in the 1800s and the ____________ during World War II. After the Japanese surrendered in WWII, the French returned to

reclaim their territory. Instead, the Vietnamese ______________________ for their

independence under ____________________________ leader Ho Chi Minh. In 1954 (just after the Korean War ended)

12,000 French troops were surrounded by the North Vietnamese army and soon forced to surrender.

Vietnam was now ___________________________

Geneva Accords:The Geneva Accords of 1954 set a compromise by temporarily dividing Vietnam into two separate nations: North Vietnam was a Communist nation whose forces were led by

_________________. South Vietnam was non-communist and ruled by

__________________________.

Domino Theory: U.S. leaders feared that if South Vietnam fell to __________________, other nations would quickly follow.

Describe this cartoon in your own words.

Eisenhower and Kennedy:Ho Chi Minh formed a new guerrilla army including some South Vietnamese called the ____________________ US sent military ________________________ to train S Vietnam But the Vietcong were too powerful

Diem’s Reign of Terror: Corrupt administration Very ______________________ Discriminated against ______________________________

o One of the most popular religions in Vietnamo 9 people were killed by Diem’s police during religious protests

Vietnamese Generals __________________________ Diem with the support of the US

However unpopular Diem had been he was also a strongpolitical leader

o Without Diem South Vietnam collapseso US must get more _____________________________

Johnson:Johnson didn’t want a bigger war, but had to be strong against __________________________

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964): Johnson announced that North Vietnamese torpedo

boats _____________ U.S. ships in the Gulf of Tonkin, off the coast of North Vietnam.

This gave LBJ the reason he needed to act. He asked Congress to allow him to have

________________________ to do whatever it took to resolve this conflict and prevent further North Vietnamese aggression.

Changed the U.S. role in Vietnam from military advisors to active fighters.

The Vietnam War escalated (expanded) as Johnson ordered more ______________________________ and

continued repeated bombings North Vietnam and Vietcong-held areas of South Vietnam for __________________________. o 1965: 3,500 marines were sent to protect an American air base in S. Vietnam. o End of 1965: 184,000 U.S. combat troops in Vietnam. o 1968: 500,000 troops in Vietnam!

We fought two enemies: the North Vietnamese AND the Vietcong.

Difficult Warfare:US arrogantly believed that it would be an _____________________ to win Ambushes Booby traps Guerrilla tactics Vietcong blended in with civilians “a war where nothing is ever quite certain and nowhere is ever quite safe”

US Tactics: _______________________________ missions Find the enemy, bomb them, destroy the supply lines, and

force them out into the openo ______________________ - a jellylike substance that burst

into flames and stuck to people’s bodies. o _______________________- an herbicide was used to destroy

the jungle where the Vietcong were hiding. Dangerous ___________________________ on civilians and

soldiers including: Birth defects, Spinal Bifida, Cancers, and Skin disorders

Tet Offensive (1968): The Vietcong and North Vietnamese launched several attacks on every ___________________________ in South Vietnam, and broke into the U.S. embassy in Saigon, the South Vietnamese capital. While the U.S. was able to strike back and actually declare a military _________________

here, many Americans witnessed the graphic images on the TV news that shocked and sickened them.

The Tet Offensive marked the ________________________________________, showing that even with half a million troops, no part of S. Vietnam was safe and the war was far from over.

North Vietnam sent supplies to the Vietcong in the south through the ______________________

Some thought our government was not telling us everything happening in Vietnam and many lost _______________ in the government.

How do think Americans at home reacted to the war in Vietnam after the Tet Offensive?

America Divided About the Vietnam WarDraft protesters and Political Radicals: Many people felt that the Vietnam War was not a ________________________ cause and the

enemy posed no threat to the United States. College students ___________________ to the war adopted various protest strategies.

o Peaceful protestso Occupation of college buildingso Chanting defiant sloganso Setting draft cards on fireo Draft dodgers move to Canada

Hawks Doves

1. The war was to continue our fight to contain communism.

2. To prevent the domino theory from occurring in Southeast Asia.

3. This is the war that is defining the baby boom generation just like the previous generation fought in World War II and

1. We were sending young men (18, 19 years old) to fight South Vietnam’s war in a foreign land.

2. People saw their friends and loved ones coming home in body bags.

3. Too much money was spent on the war when it could have used on other problems in

Korea. the U.S. (ex. poverty).

Counterculture Anti-war protests fed a spirit of ___________________, particularly among young people. Many young people rejected _______________________ American values that had been

followed during their parents’ generation. Young people adopted new fashions and music.

Apply your knowledge - After watching the video – Answer the following questionWhy did Johnson not run for re-election in 1968?

Some 1960’s youth expressed themselves by turning their possessions into works