Reconsidering LBJ and Foreign Policy

The Making of a Stalemate The Vietnam War 1965-1967 LBJ’s search for advice - Eisenhower • WhiteHouseTapes.org Transcript + Audio Clip • WhiteHouseTapes.org Transcript + Audio Clip • WhiteHouseTapes.org Transcript + Audio Clip “Many Flags” campaign - Allied support • 1.) South Korea – largest contingent – 48,000(would lose 4407 men)-US financial support • 2.) Australia – 8000, lost 469 • 3.)New Zealand, 1000, lost 37 • 4.) Thailand – 12,000 troops, 351 lost • 5.) Philippines – medical and small number of forces in pacification • 6.) Nationalist China – covert operations The Stalemated War • 1.) Battles with the North Vietnamese – Americanization of the War - Ia Drang, November 1965WhiteHouseTapes.org Transcript + Audio Clip • 2.) Bombing Halt – December 1965-January 1966 -LBJ and Eisenhower on Bombing North Vietnam • White House Tapes • Miller Center • 3.) Westmoreland’s Strategy of Attrition – the body count – designed for limited war • 4.) Search and Destroy operations • Operation Masher/White Wing – January-March 1966 • Operation Attleboro – September-November 1966 American Force levels/casualties in Vietnam(K=killed W=wounded) • 1964 23,200 K 147 W 522 • 1965 190,000 K 1369 W 3308 • 1966 390,000 5008 16,526 • 1967 500,000 9377 32,370 • 1968 535,000 14,589 46,797 • 1969 475,000 9414 32,940 • 1970 334,000 4221 15,211 • 1971 140,000 1381 4767 • 1972 50,000 300 587 Soviet and Chinese Support for North Vietnam • 1.) Despite Sino-Soviet dispute and outbreak of Cultural Revolution in China, support continues • 2.) Soviet supply of anti-aircraft technology and supplies to the North – along with medical supplies, arms, tanks, planes, helicopters, artillery, and other military equipment. Soviet ships provided intelligence on B-52 raids – 3000 soldiers in North Vietnam (Soviet govt. concealed extent of support) • 3.) Chinese supply of anti-aircraft units and engineering battalions – 327,000 troops sent – more than 17,000 killed The Thieu-Ky government Problems of the South Vietnamese Government • 1.) Gradual stabilization – constitution, elections - ARVN responsibility for “pacification” • 2.) Creation of a Revolutionary Development program • 3.) Problems of corruption, poor training • 4.) Key problem of security – thousands kidnapped and killed by the Viet Cong • 5.) Refugee problem – 4 million • 6.) Social and Economic Impact of the American presence - Dependency Signs of Discontent – the Fulbright Hearings – Feb. 1966 George Kennan – the Realist Critique 1.) Vietnam not a vital national interest 2.) Domino theory – events in Indonesia; failed Communist coup of October 1965 – hundreds of thousands slaughtered (reference in Barack Obama’s autobiography) 3.) Victory not possible 4.) Misplaced priority – relations with Soviet Union more important The Debate at Home • 1.) Hawks – escalate the war • 2.) Doves • a.) Pacifists • b.) New Left • c.) Liberals Draft Card Burning Antiwar Demonstrations The Kennedy Challenge Kennedy as Rock Star YouTube - Bobby Kennedy - fearless Johnson – 1966 Political Problems • 1.) Image Problems – the Credibility Gap • 2.) Domestic Problems – Inner City Riots, the “White Backlash” • 3.) Midterm Election Losses in 1966 Public Opinion Polls – Was sending troops a mistake? NO • August 1965 61% • March 1966 59% • May 1966 49% • Sept. 1966 48% • Feb. 1967 52% • July 1967 48% • October 1967 44% • March 1968 40% • August 1968 35% The Drive for Peace Talks – mediators, Wilson, Kosygin 1967 – Origins of the Progress Offensive 1.) Increasing Discontent with the War 2.) Long Hot Summer – Riots in Detroit 3.) Inflation Fears 4.) LBJ calls for a 10 Percent surtax to pay for the war 5.) Public approval of Johnson’s handling of the war falls to 28 percent 6.) Martin Luther King’s opposition, March on the Pentagon October 1967, McCarthy Campaign, McNamara’s decision to resign (Events of Two days in October 1967) Martin Luther King’s Opposition Riverside Church speech, April 1967 YouTube - Martin Luther King Jr_Opposing The Vietnam War King’s opposition – also demonstrating a strong move to the Left, sign of the radicalization of the civil rights movement, the rise of black power Eugene McCarthy McCarthy’s Background 1.) Senator from Minnesota 2.) Johnson considered him as a possible running mate in 1964 3.) Digital Classroom Initiative : Template 4.) McCarthy announces candidacy -November 1967 – only 5 percent in the polls -"I am concerned that the Administration seems to have set no limit to the price it is willing to pay for a military victory." San Antonio formula 1.) Background – debate within the Administration – military urging a major escalation – McNamara arguing against it 2.) Speech - September 29, 1967, in San Antonio, Texas, Johnson offered to cease the bombing of North Vietnam if Ho Chi Minh would agree to begin serious negotiations for a peaceful settlement of the conflict, and if he would promise not to use the bombing halt as an opportunity to “increase” their infiltration of troops and supplies into South Vietnam. 3.) Transmitted through Henry Kissinger and contacts in France – (Willingness to include NLF in negotiations) Hanoi rejects it North Vietnamese Planning for Tet 1.) Maximum and Minimum objectives – maximum, another August Revolution – minimum – psychological advantage for negotiations, destabilize Saigon, wear down the Americans, force coalition government 2.) Strategy – main force units divert the Americans – Khe Sanh, Viet Cong hit the cities 3.) Oct. and Nov. 1967 – battles in the north and central highlands, Con Thien and Dak To 4.) Beginning of build-up around Khe Sanh Johnson’s Progress Offensive 1.) Johnson’s November press Conference 2.) Bringing Westmoreland home to report to Congress - “the end begins to come into view” “the light at the end of the tunnel” 3.) LBJ orders surveillance of the peace movement activities at home and abroad– Operation Chaos – dossiers on 7000 Americans – violation of CIA charter 4.) Objective signs of progress – enemy suffering high casualties, problems with recruiting, ARVN desertion rate dropping, even McNamara believed progress was being made 5.) PR campaign – “Committee for Peace and Freedom in Vietnam” – coordinated with the White House.

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