QW 5-10-10:Do you think a Military Draft is a good thing? Why or Why not?

11th Grade History Project Reminder: in your paper, I don’t want a biography

about a person. I don’t want, “Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. He had six brothers and sisters.”

The point of your paper, which you will explain throughout your paper, is WHY IS YOUR TOPIC IMPORTANT TO US HISTORY.

At the end of the paper, you will explain how your song relates to your topic.

Your Presentation Needs to Answer the Following Questions:

1. Why/How did your person/event impact United States history?

2. How is your visual a representation of that event?3. How is your song connected to that event?

Vietnam: Vietnam: The EndThe End

Credibility GapWhen American troops first

entered the Vietnam War, many Americans supported the military effort.

As the war drag on, public support decreased.

Americans began to question the government and believed a credibility gap had developed, making it difficult to believe what the Johnson administration said about the war.

5 page in-class EssayUsing Notes from your handout you must

create a 5 page essay on the Vietnam WarMust cite your specific example Must use both sides of the argument for

being in the warTake a stand on your view of the war

DUE IN 25 mins!!!!!

Protests on the WarAs casualties mounted in

the war, public protest intensified and demanded the U.S. pull out of Vietnam

Although some American’s supported the war, it was the opponents of the conflict that gained the most attention

Protests on the WarPeople who protested the

war did so for different reasons

Some saw the conflict as a civil war the U.S. had no business being in

Others saw South Vietnam as a corrupt dictatorship

Teach-in’s: began in March of 1965 when a group of faculty members and students abandoned their classes to informally discuss the war and the reasons why we were there

Anger over the DraftYoung protestors focused

on what they saw as a unfair draft system

At the beginning of the war college students were able to defer military service until after graduation

Thus low-income families were more likely to send boys to war instead of college

Draft Lottery

Anger over the DraftThis meant minorities,

particularly African Americans made up a large number of the soldiers in Vietnam.

The high number of African Americans and poor Americans dying in the war angered African American leaders like Martin Luther King

King waited until 1967 to speak out against the war not wanting do distract from the Civil Rights Movement

Anger over the DraftAs the war escalated,

American officials increased the draft call, putting many college students at risk

An estimated 500,000 draftees refused to go.

Many burned their draft cards or simply did not report when called

Some fled to other countries, such as Canada, Sweden,

Other chose prison rather than fight

Protests of the War Demonstrators held public

rallies and marchesStudents for a Democratic

Society SDS, organized a march on Washington D.C. which drew over 20,000 participants

Two years later a rally at Washington’s Lincoln Memorial drew tens of thousands

Draftable but can’t Vote?Anger over the draft also

fueled discussions over the voting age.

Many draftees argued that if they were old enough to be drafted, they should be old enough to vote

In, 1971 the 26th Amendment would pass, giving all citizens age 18 and older the right to vote

Hawks and DovesBy 1968 the nation seemed to

be divided into two camps: those that opposed the war

and wanted out of Vietnam were known as Doves

Those who insisted we stay and fight were known as hawks

(in a poll done in mid-1967 68% of American’s favored continuing the war)

1968: The Pivotal YearThe year 1968 began with

a surprise attack by the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese army on numerous cities.

The simultaneous strikes, while ending in military defeat for the Communist guerillas, stunned the American public.

That same year Kennedy and MLK were assassinated

Tet OffensiveBoth sides agreed to a truce

to celebrate the New Year.Vietcong launched major

attacks on over 100 cities and 12 U.S. air bases that lasted 1 month

Militarily it was a defeat for the Vietcong. Psychologically defeat for the US

The credibility gap increased as the US continued to lose.

Turning Point in the 60sAfter the Tet

Offensive, support for the war decreases

Johnson tells the nation that he will not run for re-election

Nixon wins the election, promises to end War

Nixon in the White House

In 1969, Nixon announced the first U.S. In 1969, Nixon announced the first U.S. troop withdrawals from Vietnam. However, troop withdrawals from Vietnam. However, as Nixon pulled out the troops, he continued as Nixon pulled out the troops, he continued the war against North Vietnam, a policy that the war against North Vietnam, a policy that some critics would charge prolonged the war some critics would charge prolonged the war for several more years… for several more years…

NixonPeace talks but no agreement

who should rule VietnamVietnamization - Nixon’s plan

to end the warGradual withdrawal of US, S.

Vietnam would take on more combat roles

“Peace with Honor”-maintain US dignity during the withdrawal.

Nixon secretly ordered the bombing of Laos and Cambodia which held a number of Vietcong soldiers

Anti-War FeelingsIn 1969 Americans

learned of a 1968 event that further increased their feelings that this was a senseless war.

My Lai Massacre - US troops were ordered to find Vietcong in the village.

No Vietcong were found, troops shot 504 innocent people.

Questions:The My Lai Massacre

1. What difficulties did the US military face in Vietnam? 2. What two tactics used by the Vietcong seem to be most

effective against the US?3. What effect do these tactics have on the men of Charlie

Company?4. What are some injustices performed by the US military

on the Vietnamese people?5. Why was the occurrence at My Lai particularly bad?6. 2 paragraphs (five sentences each): Were the men of

Charlie Company justified for how they acted at My Lai? Are they criminals, or victims of bad circumstances? Explain.

PBS My Lai Massacre0:10:00 – 0:50:00

QW 5-15-10Do think that our current war in Iraq and Afghanistan has created a counter culture movement here in the U.S. against these wars?

Grade Level Project!!!I must have your song choice by 5-18, next

Tuesday or I will take 10 points off of your final score!!!

If you are doing a PowerPoint and even if you are not save all of your files in a new folder!

WHY? SO WHAT? If you do not an you import a song, but it is not in the folder, it will NOT play whenyou present, so just save EVERYTHING YOU IN

ONE PLACE

Nixon invades CambodiaNixon invades CambodiaCollege students protest and held the College students protest and held the

nations 1st general student strike.nations 1st general student strike.1.5 million students closed down 1,200 1.5 million students closed down 1,200

campusescampusesKent State-students protesting the war and Kent State-students protesting the war and

entrance into Cambodiaentrance into CambodiaGuard sent in and killed 4 studentsGuard sent in and killed 4 students

Pentagon Papers1970 Congress repealed the

Tonkin Gulf Resolution due to Nixon’s escalation of the war

Pentagon Papers- Secret documents about the war.Confirmed the gov. lied about

the war Showed plans to enter the

war even though Johnson promised he would not

Never a plan to end the war as long as the North persisted

America Leaves in 1973U.S. signed an “Agreement

on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam”

ConditionsU.S. to remove all troopsNorth could leave troops

already in South North Vietnam would resume

war No provision for POWs or MIAsFor America the war ends in

1973

Finally… a United VietnamTwo more years

of fighting continued.

North attacks and defeats the South. South’s capital of Saigon is renamed Ho Chi Minh City

ImpactVietnam unified under

Communism3 million Vietnamese

killed 58,000 Americans killed 300,000 wounded

$150 billions U.S. spend in funding the war

War changed attitudes about war

Draft was eliminated

Impact

War Powers Act - president informs Congress in 48 hours if sent into hostile areas without declaration of war

May not stay for more than 90 days unless Congress approves  

This gave president a lot of military power (perhaps more than they should have)

2,583 American POWs / MIAs still unaccounted for today.

Lessons for Future PresidentsWars must be of short

duration.Wars must yield few

American casualties.Restrict media access to

battlefields.Develop and maintain

Congressional and public support.

Set clear, winnable goals.Set deadline for troop

withdrawals.