U.S History

30-2

U.S Involvement and escalation

Many people supported Lyndon Johnsons determination to contain communism in Vietnam. Soldiers were Sent to Southeast

Asia to stop a rebellion that was communism-inspired. Actually 24% did not agree with

Johnson. 61% did and 15% was not sure if the did or didn’t.

The decision to escalate

Soldiers opinions

61% agreed to the reason they should go

24% don’t agree

15% are not decided

• Chart

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

opinions

want to

don’t

not to

• Warriors in Vietnam

The troop buildup accelerates

By the end of 1965 the U.S government had sent more than 180,000 Americans to Vietnam.

General William Westmoreland in South Vietnam still requested more troops.

A war in the jungleThe whole united States entered the war in Vietnam believing there superior weaponry would lead it to victory. However the terrain and the enemy’s tactics soon turned the warSecretly in and out of the general population, the Vietcong destroyed the notion of a frontline by attacking U.S troops in both city and country side.

• Vietnam terrain

Pr test

Many people protested the war in Vietnam. These marches may even have over a thousand people in them.Many marched, used signs, and even sang songs.

• Symbol

Protest

A frustrating war of attrition

There strategy of beating the Vietcong was to destroy there moral through a war of attrition.However the Vietcong had no attention of quitting there fight.

The battle for hearts and mindsThe battle for hearts and minds

Another key strategy of the U.S was to Another key strategy of the U.S was to keep the Vietcong from winning the South keep the Vietcong from winning the South Vietnams rural population.Vietnams rural population.

To expose the hideouts of the Vietcing the To expose the hideouts of the Vietcing the U.S dropped Napalm and Agent OrangeU.S dropped Napalm and Agent Orange

U.S soldiers conducted search-and-destroy U.S soldiers conducted search-and-destroy missions.missions.

Vocabulary

• Napalm- a gasoline based bomb that set fire to the jungle.

• Agent Orange- a leaf killing toxic.

• Search and destroy- uprooting villagers with suspected ties to the Vietcong.

• Images of these three.

Sinking Moral

The frustration of guerrilla warfare, the brutal jungle conditions and the failure to make substantial headway against the enemy took a toll on the U.S troops fighting spirit.

Many dropped dead by the conditions and alcohol.

Luckily some were fighting courageously to take up the toll.

The early war at home

• Johnsons administration thought the war would end quickly.

• When it dragged on, public support began to waver and Johnsons domestic programs began to unravel.

1st- hopes were high of ending war

2nd- when it dragged on many lost hope.

3rd-many dropped dead and turned to alcohol.

4th-conditions were tough and many really suffered.

The great society suffers!

As the number of U.S troops in Vietnam continue to mount, the war became more costly. As a result, the nations economy began to suffer.The inflation rate, which remained at 2% percent through most of the early 1960s, nearly tripled by 1969.

• Johnson

The living room war

1) by 1967, a majority of Americans still supported the war.

2) However, cracks were beginning to show.3) The media, mainly television , helped

heighten the nations growing concern about the war.

4) Vietnam was Americas first ‘Living room war,’ in which footage of combat of combat appeared on the nightly news.

Diagram of events during this time period.

Johnson sent troops to Vietnam toContain communism

Inflation goes up because of cost and Focus on the war in Vietnam.

Many thought the war would end quickly.Then living room wars broke out/

Many troops die because of enemysJungle. Disease and some lose

Hope and turn to alcohol that willKill many.

When it didn’t many were to tired andWe finally left Vietnam with

A horrible loose.