Section 2Section 2

War War

Expands Expands

In In

VietnamVietnam

The assassination of Diem The assassination of Diem brought chaos to South brought chaos to South

VietnamVietnam They had some new They had some new

leaders, but none leaders, but none were very good.were very good.

And, the Viet Cong And, the Viet Cong kept active in South kept active in South Vietnam.Vietnam.

President Johnson President Johnson wanted to bomb North wanted to bomb North Vietnam, but didn’t Vietnam, but didn’t have permission from have permission from CongressCongress

Then, a U.S. ship was fired Then, a U.S. ship was fired upon in the Gulf of Tonkin. upon in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Johnson asked (and got) Johnson asked (and got) permission to use permission to use military force in North military force in North Vietnam.Vietnam.

This was called This was called the Gulf the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (7)of Tonkin Resolution (7)

In a policy calledIn a policy called escalation (8), escalation (8), President President Johnson sent 536,000 Johnson sent 536,000 American troops to American troops to Vietnam (there’s about Vietnam (there’s about 150,000 in Iraq in 150,000 in Iraq in 2008).2008).

Most Americans thought we would easily Most Americans thought we would easily defeat North Vietnam… but there were some defeat North Vietnam… but there were some

issuesissues

We didn’t want China to We didn’t want China to also become involved.also become involved.

Most U.S. soldiers were Most U.S. soldiers were young and young and inexperienced.inexperienced.

There wasn’t always an There wasn’t always an easy way to tell who easy way to tell who was on which side (The was on which side (The North Viet Cong look North Viet Cong look just like South just like South Vietnamese civilians)Vietnamese civilians)

And, the Viet Cong were great And, the Viet Cong were great fightersfighters

The relied heavily on The relied heavily on guerrilla warfare (13)guerrilla warfare (13)

They’d hide in They’d hide in underground tunnels, underground tunnels, attack quickly, and attack quickly, and disappear.disappear.

They used land They used land mines and booby mines and booby traps all over the traps all over the jungles.jungles.

And, for the Americans – just And, for the Americans – just being in Vietnam was toughbeing in Vietnam was tough

““It’s a jungle out It’s a jungle out there”there”

Swamps, rains, Swamps, rains, floods, and floods, and incredible heat.incredible heat.

And, the Viet Cong And, the Viet Cong were not going to were not going to give up (their give up (their country had been country had been invaded)invaded)

The U.S. army did do some things to The U.S. army did do some things to try and get rid of Viet Cong jungle try and get rid of Viet Cong jungle

hiding spotshiding spots The used The used Napalm (17)Napalm (17)

to that burns living to that burns living thingsthings

They used They used “Agent “Agent Orange (18)”Orange (18)” – which – which killed plants and killed plants and

destroyed junglesdestroyed jungles You may not want You may not want

to see the next 2 slidesto see the next 2 slides

Dioxin isn’t diluted by water and is chemically Dioxin isn’t diluted by water and is chemically stable so it doesn’t easily decompose. As a result, stable so it doesn’t easily decompose. As a result, it still exists in concentrated forms today, it still exists in concentrated forms today, infiltrating the ecosystems and food chains in many infiltrating the ecosystems and food chains in many parts of Vietnam. This is how the deadly chemical parts of Vietnam. This is how the deadly chemical continues to claim its new prey — people who live continues to claim its new prey — people who live off the land and water systems contaminated by it. off the land and water systems contaminated by it. And the dioxin in their blood gets passed on to And the dioxin in their blood gets passed on to their offspring, including through breast milk. their offspring, including through breast milk.

There are about 50 especially contaminated “hot There are about 50 especially contaminated “hot spots”, many of which were US military bases. spots”, many of which were US military bases. According to declassified US defense department According to declassified US defense department documents, on March 1, 1970, 7500 gallons of documents, on March 1, 1970, 7500 gallons of Agent Orange were spilled at Bien Hoa, home of a Agent Orange were spilled at Bien Hoa, home of a US base. Similar spills and dumping of aborted US base. Similar spills and dumping of aborted Agent Orange spray-runs were common. The US Agent Orange spray-runs were common. The US also sprayed Agent Purple (another chemical with also sprayed Agent Purple (another chemical with even higher dioxin levels), though in smaller even higher dioxin levels), though in smaller quantities. quantities.

American soldiers also were “a American soldiers also were “a little” out of control at times.little” out of control at times.

The would bomb, The would bomb, burn, and destroy burn, and destroy entire villages entire villages (there may be Viet (there may be Viet Cong hiding with the Cong hiding with the civilian villagers).civilian villagers).

This made many This made many Vietnamese hate Vietnamese hate more Americans more Americans

even more.even more.

By 1967 the war was getting By 1967 the war was getting pretty bad, and neither side was pretty bad, and neither side was

“winning”“winning”(even though American leaders said we (even though American leaders said we

were)were) But on Tet (the But on Tet (the Vietnamese New Year), Vietnamese New Year), the Viet Cong launched the Viet Cong launched a surprise attack on a surprise attack on South Vietnam and South Vietnam and American troops.American troops.

This was called: This was called:

the Tet Offensive the Tet Offensive (22)(22)

For many Americans, this was the photo that led to outright For many Americans, this was the photo that led to outright opposition to the Vietnam War. This Pulitzer Prize winning opposition to the Vietnam War. This Pulitzer Prize winning

photo shows the intelligence chief of the U.S.-backed South photo shows the intelligence chief of the U.S.-backed South Vietnam government assassinating a suspected Viet-Cong Vietnam government assassinating a suspected Viet-Cong

infiltrator.infiltrator.

In this attack, the Viet Cong lost in In this attack, the Viet Cong lost in terms of numbers and cities they terms of numbers and cities they

controlled, but…controlled, but… The attack made many The attack made many

Americans wonder if Americans wonder if everything we were trying everything we were trying to do was really worth it.to do was really worth it.

Many people considered Many people considered the war to be “un-the war to be “un-winnable” winnable”

President Johnson President Johnson eventually refused to eventually refused to send more soldiers.send more soldiers.

Johnson decided to not Johnson decided to not even run for a second even run for a second term as president.term as president.

As the war went on, it really destroyed As the war went on, it really destroyed the morale of the American soldiers.the morale of the American soldiers.

People asked why People asked why Americans were Americans were there fighting a there fighting a war the war the Vietnamese people Vietnamese people didn’t want to didn’t want to fight.fight.

(not the last slide)

And, in one of the worst acts And, in one of the worst acts (of many bad ones)(of many bad ones)

At My Lai, a U.S. At My Lai, a U.S. platoon rounded up platoon rounded up and shot between 175 and shot between 175 and 500 unarmed and 500 unarmed Vietnamese citizens Vietnamese citizens (mostly women, (mostly women, children, and old men).children, and old men).

A U.S. helicopter pilot A U.S. helicopter pilot rescued even more by rescued even more by threatening to fire on threatening to fire on the soldiers.the soldiers.

This is called the This is called the My My Lai Massacre (31)Lai Massacre (31)