The War on TV Body counts on TV every night First living room
war
Slide 4
Goals of the War No clear cut territorial goals Save S. Vietnam
What is victory? US public confused and fatigued
Slide 5
Americanizing the War Before Gulf of Tonkin, US troops served
mostly as trainers and advisors 2,500,000 will eventually serve
Average age of US soldiers: 23.1 years old US troops now fighting a
well supplied and well motivated Vietcong
Slide 6
The First Problem: Who are we fighting? Vietcong: Farmers
during the day; guerilla soldiers are night Patient, willingly to
take many causalities The guerilla wins if he does not lose, the
conventional army loses if it does not win. Mao Zedong Peasants
(not involved) are willing to hide those who are fighting
Slide 7
Second Problem: How do you fight an invisible enemy? Constant
threat of booby traps Punji stakes Land mines (bouncing betties)
Tunnel systems
Slide 8
Third Issue: What do you do with the Ho Chi Minh Trail? Runs
through Laos and Cambodiatwo places not currently involved in the
fighting
Slide 9
Fourth Problem: How do you win an emotional war with people who
dont want you there?
Slide 10
US Strategies to Win Pummel the North with continuous bombing
Agent Orange attacks to destroy the VC hiding places
Slide 11
Evolving Strategy Search and Destroy Drive out the enemy from
villages then call in air strikes It becomes necessary to destroy
the town to save it. unidentified American soldier Pacification
Effort to win the hearts and minds of the peasants Villagers
relocated then villages often destroyed
Slide 12
Defoliation Prevent VC and NVA from natural cover in jungles
Napalm Sticky, jellied gas that covered large areas in flame Hard
to extinguish Agent Orange Chemical defoliant Exposed the enemy and
cut food supply to the VC
Slide 13
Agent Orange Possible linked to long term disorders suffered by
US troops long after the Vietnam War
Slide 14
Pleiku and Operation Rolling Thunder VC attack US airbase near
17 th parallel in Feb. 1965 Johnson orders massive bombing of the
North to stop supply lines to VC
Slide 15
Escalation of the War Sec of Defense Robert McNamara and Gen.
William Westmoreland plan the war Claimed to see the light at the
end of the tunnel by 1967 1968: 536,000 troops in Vietnam 1973:
6,000,000 tons of bombs dropped on enemies
Slide 16
Women in Vietnam 10,000 served in noncombat positions
20,000-45,000 work in civilian capacities Relief agencies Red Cross
Sharon Lane Lt. who was killed by shrapnel after the 312 th
Evacuation Hospital was hit by rockets Awarded the Vietnamese
Gallantry Cross with Palm and the Bronze Star for Heroism
Slide 17
Hos Strategy in the Vietnam War Attack the way a tiger attacks
an elephant If the tiger sits still, it will be crushed But the
elephant cannot catch it if it keeps movingso bite and move Bleed
the elephant to death Fight only when victory is assured, no large
scale battles
Slide 18
Slide 19
The Elephant Slowly Bleeds US never loses a battle but cant win
the war Slow bleeding and constant uncertainty in theater
frustrates soldiers VC accepted all losses in order to win
Slide 20
Vietnam Becomes a Quagmire S. Vietnam govt seen as corrupt and
ineffective Countryside feels neglected, sides with VC and North
Stalemate develops
Slide 21
Political Missteps War was micromanaged from Washington to
limit the scope North was never invaded Didnt want it to look like
war for territory and draw in Soviets
Slide 22
Morale Suffers Disproportionate representation of poor people
and minorities Major drug problems of enlisted me Officers in
combat for 6 months, in rear for 6 months Enlisted men stayed in
combat for a year 25% excused for heath reasons 30% get deferments
(college) 1969 attempt to reform (lottery) 3% escape the draft
(Canada) Confusion and Anger
Slide 23
Split in US Unity In 1967, Hawks vs. Doves in US and Congress
Hawks see Domino Theory and Containment Doves see a civil war, not
the Cold War 1967 Sen. Fulbright, a Dove, holds public hearings on
the war Conducted between 1967-1971 Under our system Congress, and
especially the Senate, shares responsibility with the President for
making our Nations foreign policy[Vietnam] started and continues as
a Presidential war in which the Congress, since the fraudulent Gulf
of Tonkin episode, has not played a significant role...