Vietnam War

GULF OF TONKIN INCIDENT

Incident between North Vietnamese Boats and U.S. destroyers (a type of warship) that became a gateway to the Vietnam war.

USS MADDOX

First U.S. destroyer to be attacked by North Vietnamese Torpedo boats

ROBERT MCNAMARA

Secretary of defense under the Johnson Administration; helped craft and guide the U.S. policy in Vietnam. He wanted to fight communism but later resigned because he said it was a “senseless war”

GULF OF TONKIN RESOLUTION

Was requested by President Johnson, and it was given to him. Congressional authorization for LBJ to use force against Vietnam without having to ask for Congressional permission.

ELECTION OF 1964

Barry Goldwater argued that government should be removed from most areas of American life, while running against LBJ in the election. Lyndon B. Johnson called for America to become a “Great Society”. LBJ won with a landslide.

VIEWS ON VIETNAM:

LYNDON JOHNSON

Received broad military power in Vietnam through the Tonkin Gulf Resolution. Privately wanted to stay out of Vietnam but sent soldiers because he wanted to stop the spread of communism.

BARRY GOLDWATER

He was a strong anti

WHY DID JOHNSON WIN?

He was popularly associated with JFK, he portrayed Goldwater as an extremist, and he proposed the “Great Society” and other social programs

GREAT SOCIETY

LBJ’s version of the Democratic reform program. In 1965, Congress passed many Great Society measures, including Medicare, civil rights legislation, and federal aid to education.

MEDICARE

Federal program of health insurance for people of 65 years and older.

MEDICAID

Healthcare payment program sponsored by federal and state government

TERMS AND PEOPLE:

HO CHI MINH

Lead the Indochinese communist party and fought the French, Japanese, and U.S. forces for the independence of Vietnam

LYNDON JOHNSON

Winner of the 1964 presidential election and broad military power in Vietnam.

VIETCONG

Attacked the Diem government and assassinated thousands of SouthVietnam government officials. Used guerilla warfare tactics. Remained defiant because they saw it as a battle for survival.

GUERILLAS

A form of irregular warfare in which a small group of combatants use military tactics including ambushes, raids, traps, and hit

DOMINO THEORY

The thought that if Vietnam fell to communism, then the rest of Southeast Asia would also fall.

GULF OF TONKIN RESOLUTION

(Passed August 7, 1964) A joint resolution of the U.S. Congress in direct response to a minor naval engagement (The Gulf of Tonkin Incident). It is of historical significance because it gave Lyndon B. Johnson authorization, without a formal declaration of war by Congress, for the use of military force in Southeast Asia.

JUNGLE WARFARE

Warfare in jungles, forests, and similar landscapes

DRAFT

Used the Selective Service to draft 1.8 million men into the Vietnam war.

TET OFFENSIVE

A coordinated set of attacks by the north vietnamese army on the U.S. and the south of vietnam. Tet is the Vietnamese word for their lunar new year

RICHARD NIXON

37th president of the United States 1969

DEEPER INTO VIETNAM:

WHY WAS JOHNSON URGED TO ESCALATE THE WAR?

There was a lot of internal pressure from the U.S. and the Gulf of Tonkin incident pushed him to escalate.

WHO WAS PUSHING THIS? WHAT WERE MCNAMARA’S VIEWS?

Mcnamera was pushing for involvement but later regretted his decision.

HOW DID JOHNSON RESPOND?

He initially wanted to seek the middle ground but it eventually escalated and was forced to join the war

SEARCH AND DESTROY

A military tactic where you put military troops onto enemy territory to search for and destroy targets

HO CHI MINH TRAIL

A route used by north vietnam used to infiltrate and supply troops into south vietnam during the vietnam war.

NVA

The North Vietnamese Army

VIETCONG

A communist group that fought against south vietnam and the U.S. during the vietnam war.

VOICES OF DISSENT

Opinions that disagree with the prevailing idea or authority

COLD WARRIORS

People who were involved in the cold war

WHY DID ANTI WAR ACTIVITY INTENSIFY IN 66 AND 67?

Increasing civilian casualties and the impact of the draft on young Americans.

WHAT ROLE DID SELECTIVE SERVICE PLAY IN ANTI WAR ACTIVISM?

Antiwar activists viewed the draft as immoral and the only means for the government to continue the war with fresh soldiers, but the draft instead continued to intensify the antiwar cause.

NEW LEFT/COMMUNITY ACTIVISM

A decentralized political movement in the Western World, emerging from the counterculture of the 1960s. It focused on social issues beyond economic concerns. It advocated for democracy, civil rights, and university reforms. It was different from the Old Left because it emphasized social justice issues beyond economic goals.

STUDENTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

(Emerged in the 1960s) A student activist organization that took off during the Vietnam War, advocated for radical social change

FREE SPEECH MOVEMENT

(Led by Mario Savio) Protested on behalf of students rights. Spread to colleges throughout the country discussing unpopular faculty tenure decisions, dress codes, dormitory regulations, and appearances by Johnson administration officials. Held at U.C. Berkley

REVIVED FEMINISM. WHY? WHAT CHANGES?

The second wave of the feminist movement. Wanted women to have equal jobs and pay as men and eradication of gender rights.

COUNTER CULTURE:

WHO

American youth

WHAT WAS IT?

Opposed the culture and ideals of middle class America (consumerism and traditional values)

WHY DID IT TAKE PLACE?

Dissatisfaction with American society, Vietnam War, and a desire for alternative lifestyles and values

MUSIC OF THE SIXTIES:

WHO

The Beatles, Pete Best, Rolling Stones, etc.

HOW DID IT CHANGE?

Got louder, used more instruments, was faster.

1968

YEAR OF THE GUN

THE TET OFFENSIVE

The Tet offensive was a major offensive for the vietnamese, there was a ceasefire during the new year but the north vietnamese broke the it and coordinated series attacks on more than 100 cities and outposts in South Vietnam

JOHNSON DOES NOT RUN

He declared that he was limiting bombing of North Vietnam to the area below the 20th parallel and called negotiations to end the war and announced that he wouldn't be running for reelection which is also because of his growing unpopularity due to the Vietnam War

RED SPRING

Refers to the Eastern Offensive, a major military campaign by North Vietnam against South Vietnam and the United States in 1972

VIETNAMIZATION: A plan made by nixon to slowly remove american troops out of Vietnam and shift the responsibilities and combat to south vietnam.

VIOLENCE IN POLITICS:

DR. KING

Was assassinated, people acted violently against him

BOBBY KENNEDY

(Robert F. Kennedy) Former Attorney General, and democratic candidate for President until he was killed in 1968

DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION

On this day in 1968, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, tens of thousands of Vietnam War protesters battle police in the streets, while the Democratic Party falls apart over an internal disagreement concerning its stance on Vietnam. Over the course of 24 hours, the predominant American line of thought on the Cold War with the Soviet Union was shattered.

After one year in vietnam: December 31st 1965

U.S Troops in Vietnam 184, 300

Killed in action to date 1,363

Wounded in action to date 7,645

After two years in vietnam: December 31st 1966

U.S Troops in vietnam: 385,300

Killed in action to date: 6,644

Wounded in action to date: 37,738

After three years in Vietnam: December 31, 1967

U.S. Troops in Vietnam: 485,600

Killed in action: 16,021

Wounded in action to date: 99762

After four years in Vietnam: December 31, 1967

U.S. Troops in Vietnam: 536,00

Killed in action: 30,160

Wounded in action to date: 192,850

After five years in Vietnam: December 31, 1969

U.S. Troops in Vietnam: 475,200

Killed in action: 40,024

Wounded in action to date: 262,796