The War Unfolds TEKS 8(A), 16(A) 5 Listen the 1960S and 1970S Were Decades of Deep Division and Turmoil in the United States

Home , Ngo Dinh Diem

1 Warm -up The antiwar movement won its broadest support in a series of dem onstrations nationwide in late 1969. The poster (left) uses a picture taken at a different peace march to deliver its message. The photograph (right) was taken at a demonstration in Des Moines, Iowa, in early 1970.

1. What common theme is expressed by the poster and the photograph?

2. What other images or slogans might be appropriate for antiwar posters?

2 The Vietnam War 1954 -1975 3 The Vietnam War 1954 -1975 4 The War Unfolds TEKS 8(A), 16(A) 5 Listen The 1960s and 1970s were decades of deep division and turmoil in the United States. Under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, the country became increasingly involved in trying to stop a Communist takeover in Vietnam. As the war continued to cost more and more lives an d money while achieving little apparent success, many Americans began to question their government’s rol e there. At the same time, a youthful counterculture arose that was critical of the traditional values of many Americans. 6 Listen American involvement in Vietnam grew out of the Cold War and fea rs that Southeast Asia would become dominated by Communist governments. United States’ foreign policy subscribed to the domino theory that if one nation fell to communism, its neighbors would follow. 7 Listen Following World War II, nationalists in Vietnam, then a French c olony, began a war of independence. When their forces, the Vietminh , drove the French from northern Vietnam, an international conference met in 1954 and through the Geneva Accords divided the nation at the 17th parallel into Communist North Vietnam, led by Ho Chi Minh , and anti - Communist South Vietnam, led by Ngo Dinh Diem. 8 Listen The legacy of the Vietnam War began when President Eisenhower se nt about 675 military advisers to aid South Vietnam in their struggle against North Vietnam. Presi dent Kennedy pledged support and sent more advisers. However, he became disillusioned with the Diem go vernment, and in 1963 U.S. military leaders helped organize a coup in South Vietnam. Despite the est ablishment of a new military government in South Vietnam, North Vietnamese forces, aided by t he Viet Cong , Communist guerrillas in the South, gained more territory and won over many South Viet namese who had no confidence in their new government. 9 Listen Communist advances alarmed President Lyndon Johnson. In 1964 he announced that North Vietnamese forces had attacked U.S. ships off the coast of North Vietnam. A lthough reports of an attack were sketchy, he persuaded Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution , giving him power to take whatever action he deemed necessary to prevent aggression agains t U.S. forces in Vietnam without an official declaration of war. Johnson had expanded presidential p ower and gained total control over U.S. involvement in Vietnam. 10 The War Unfolds Begin Taking Notes 1. What events led to the war between North Vietnam and South Vietn am?

1 2. What were the Vietnam policies of President Kennedy and Secretar y of Defense Robert McNamara? 3. How did President Johnson change the course of the war?

11 Background of the War According to President Eisenhower’s domino theory , if one Southeast Asian nation fell to communism, others would soon follow. Ho Chi Minh , a pro -Communist leader in Vietnam, led a group called the Vietminh against French control of his nation before, during, and after World War II. After the Vietminh successfully defeated the French in 1954, a p eace agreement called the Geneva Accords divided Vietnam into Communist North Vietnam and anti -Communist South Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh led North Vietnam, while Ngo Dinh Diem led South Vietnam. The United States began providing economic aid to the French in Vietnam in 1950. In 1960, President Eisenhower sent hundreds of military advisors to help South Vietnam’s struggle against the N orth. 12 Kennedy’s Vietnam Policy 1 Diem’s Downfall During the early 1960s, Ngo Dinh Diem’s policies lost him the support of his people. Realizing that the struggle against communism could not be won u nder Diem’s rule, President Kennedy told South Vietnamese milita ry leaders that the United States would not object to Diem’s overthrow. In November 1963, military leaders seized control of South Vietn am and assassinated Diem. 2 McNamara’s Role Robert McNamara, President Kennedy’s Secretary of Defense, was i nfluential in shaping American policy toward Vietnam. McNamara used his strong business background to cut costs while modernizing the armed forces. In the coming years, McNamara would push for direct American inv olvement in Vietnam. 13 President Johnson and Communist Advances Shortly after Diem’s assassination in November 1963, President K ennedy was assassinated, and Vice President Johnson assumed the presidency. In South Vietnam, the military leaders who had taken over the go vernment were unsuccessful and unpopular. As a result, Communist guerrillas in South Vietnam, k nown as the Viet Cong , made gains in both territory and loyalty. The Viet Cong’s political wing was known as the National Liberation Front . 14 Expanding Presidential Power 15 The Vietnam War 16 17 The War Unfolds —Assessment At the time of the Geneva Accords, who were the leaders of Vietn am? (A) Ngo Dinh Diem in North Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh in South Vietnam (B) Ho Chi Minh in North Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam (C) Ho Chi Minh in North Vietnam, the Viet Cong in South Vietnam (D) military leaders in North Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam

Which of the following did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution provide? (A) an example of the domino effect (B) a military coup in South Vietnam (C) an end to French occupation of Vietnam (D) increased presidential power for military action 18 The War Unfolds —Assessment At the time of the Geneva Accords, who were the leaders of Vietn am? (A) Ngo Dinh Diem in North Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh in South Vietnam (B) Ho Chi Minh in North Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam (C) Ho Chi Minh in North Vietnam, the Viet Cong in South Vietnam (D) military leaders in North Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem in South Vietnam

2 Make sure to title the quiz.

Complete the quiz.

QUIZ 20 Work Look over your notes from today. 1. Answer the 3 questions from today’s lecture. 2. In five sentences, write a brief summary of what we went over in class today. Use the highlighted key terms in your summary! Title the paper the same as the Lecture Notes. Make sure to put your Name , Date , and Period in the upper right hand corner of your page. Turn this in at the beginning of class tomorrow – put it in the hand -in/collection basket. Worth 25 out of 100 points for this week’s Daily grade.

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