Johnson And Vietnam Flashcards
What happened in the Tonkin Gulf in Aug 1964
Believed the ships the Maddox (based on radio interpretations) and the Turner Joy were fired on by the NV
LBJ made this public
BUT: serious doubts as to whether an attack actually took place
1) sailors on the turner joy were nervous
2) genuine doubts begin to emerge about what was seen- was it a torpedo or something else
What was the Tonkin Gulf resolution
Previously created- not in response to the incident
Enabled the president to wage war
Congress passed the resolution believing American lives were at risk
Not properly debated- senate was 2/5 empty. Passed 88-2
Which two events encouraged Johnson to escalate the war in the spring of 1965
The Brinks hotel bombing Dec 1964
Attack at pleiku airbase feb 165 led to 8 deaths
What were the fours reasons for Johnson escalating the war in 1965
Saigon government
Working group recommends
Rolling thunder
Protection for US airbases
Explain the issues with Saigons government
Change of leader- 5 between 1964-67
Us ambassadors Cabot-Lodge and Maxwell Taylor supported escalation (military focused)
Increasing violence in SV at us forces-brinks hotel bombing (dec 1964)
-pleiku airbase (feb 1965)
Explain what the working group recommended
Domino theory is true
Independent SV is crucial to us credibility
Saigon is weak and needs escalation to survive
Heavy bombing will force the north to negotiate
Explain rolling thunder
Code name for the heavy bombing of Vietnam(north and south)
Plan is for an eight week bombardment but lasted 3 weeks
67% of Americans supported
Seen as clinical and modern
Alienated the sv
Dangerous for pilots/crews who were shot down- not treated as POWs under the Geneva convention as US hadn’t declared war
Explain the protection of US airbases
March 1965 3,500 marines arrive at Danang on the coast
April 18000troops
May 1965 congress voted $ 700 ml for Vietnam house 408-7 senate 88-3
Who were Johnson’s main advisers
Robert McNamara- SOD
Dean Rusk- SOS
What happened in 1965 in Saigon
Dr Quat resigned (civilian) and was replaced by Ky+Thieu (military)- referred to “ absolutely the bottom of the barrel”
How much of SV did the VC control in 1965
75%
What was the approval rating of the VC in 1965
70%
VC troops increased in July 1965 from what to what
75000-125000
What happened at Ia Drang
The US realised they could use attrition to defeat the VC after arriving and being overwhelmed by VC. Defeat was prevented by operation flaming dart- all aircraft are diverted and drop their bombing on Ia Drang and the US learn they could kill large number of VC
How many US forces were in Vietnam in July 1965
75000
How many US troops were in Vietnam by 1968
535000-conscription- drafted for 365 days
What three part strategy did the Americans have in order t win in Vietnam
Bombing
Attrition
Search and destroy
What were the six reasons US forces failed to win hearts and minds
Lack of understanding
Guerrilla warfare
High tech war
Corruption in SV
Saigon regime
ARVN
Explain how lack of understanding meant the US didn’t win hearts and minds
Vietnam was a culture shock for American soldiers
Failed to understand why communism was so popular
Communists were also ruthless - Hitue in 1968 3000 civilians were killed by the communists
Explain how Guerrilla warfare meant the US didn’t win hearts and minds
Guerrilla warfare hide in a civilian population- made it difficult to identify the VC. This meant that every civilian was a threat.
Offensive language-“Gook/Dink”
Poor treatment of civilians
Mylai massacre- 347 killed
Explain how high tech war meant that the US weren’t able to win hearts and minds
Naplam was used- dangerous civilians were often hit
Agent orange 1962+ - stripped leaves from the jungle in attempt to find the Ho Chi Minh trail - cancer, destroyed crops
Cluster bombs- 1 bomb containing 350-600 baby bombs
Explain why corruption in SV meant US weren’t able to win hearts and minds
1/3 of population were forced to move to the cities
Rise in crime- begging/orphans/sex work/ drugs
Dollar distorted the economy- a waiter in the US could earn more than a Vietnamese doctors
Explain why the Saigon regime meant the US weren’t able to win hearts and minds
No history of democracy in Vietnam
Strongly nationalistic- right wing
Extensive corruption in government and military
Thieu ruled with just 37% of the electorate- fixed elections
Explain how the ARVN meant the US weren’t able to win hearts and minds
Seen as cowards “search and avoid”
Military appointments based on politics, not skill and ability
Religious divide- catholics preferred
Corruption and low pay BUT fought bravely when cornered
How did the determination of the VC mean the US lost
VC withstood horrific conditions,limited food/water, illnesses(skin conditions/malaria), little clothing, basic weapons(turned US coke cans into grenades and bombs)
ALSO ruthless- murdered a Vietnamese women who married a GI
How did the Ho Chi Minh trail mean the US lost
Linked NV and SV through Cambodia and loas
10% died on the trail
Americans struggled to hit it- 0.23% of bombs hit the trail
50,000 women employed to repair trail
Soldiers and supplies were moved down the trail
How did the Battle of Ia Drang mean the US lost
Nov 1965- Thanksgiving
34 day battle between US and PAVN (N Vietnam regular army) and VC ( guerrilla fighters)
PAVN lost 3000 soldiers- US lost 300
Attrition BUT VC control battle and the removal of bodies- made attrition less effective
How did ingenuity mean the US lost
Cu Chi tunnels.- 100 mile tunnel network under Saigon that the VC occupied
Allowed them to launch surprise attacks and move troops and supplies around
Adapted US weapons- mines were placed in the tops of trees to bring down helicopters
What percentage of casualties were caused by booby traps
11% deaths
17% wounds
In attacks how often did the VC fire first
85%
How much were VC causality figures padded by the US
30%
How did the Grunts mean US lost
Young age- average 19- draft age in WWII was 26
Fearful of traps - Punjabi sticks/ bouncing Betty’s
Physical conditions- heat, humidity, jungle
Difficult to identity friend or foe- different experience to WWII
How did disunity mean the US lost
Different branches- marines/army
Officers and soldiers serve 5 months- can stunt change+ needed to prove themselves-“fragging”- between 1967-71 were 730 officers that were fragged(killed by US soldiers)
Racial tension- 13% of population were black BUT 28% of troops- low morale
How did comfortable war mean the US lost
Lots of organised entertainment
Organised facilities : 159 basketball courts, 40 ice cream parlours
Sent thanksgiving dinners to soldiers fighting at Ia Drang
Drug use- surveys showed 58% admitted to using heroin
- by 1971, 5000 soldiers are hospitals with wounds and 20,529 hospitalised for drug use
Involvement of people like Ky in the drug trade
How did strategy mean the Us lost
Weakness in search and destroy
CIA 1967, out of 2 mil operations in Vietnam- 1% resulted in contact with the enemy
6 Vietnamese (south) civilians were killed for every one VC soldier
Operation Cedar falls 3 villages destroyed. 10 VC suspects were identified and the VC returned within days
VC were able to decide whether they engaged with US
US loud and easy to see if defeatable
When was the Tet offensive
Feb 1968
What was the Tet offensive
Uprisings in 120 locations by VC
Especially in Saigon US embassy was attacked and the ambassador fled in his PJs
Took 3 weeks to crush the uprising- no popular support
Extreme violence- Hue opponents to the communists were murdered
What were the military consequences of Tet
VC suffer huge losses- 70% causality rate
North was shocked that the south didn’t support with a popular rebellion
US military was shaken but recovered quickly- 4000 causalities
What were the psychological consequences of Tet
Many Americans stunned when Westmoreland announced in 1967 that the crossover point had been reached
“Credibility gap” people cannot trust their government
Public opinion turned against the war
Walter Conkite “ most trusted man in America” news anchor states tat the US was “mired in stalemate”- peace was the only option
What was the political consequences of Tet
Approval rating 46% after Tet 36%
March 1968 “wise man” tell Johnson that the war is unwinnable - LBJ decides not to run for re-election
- Bobby Kennedy was a favourite before assassination
Westmoreland(general) is replaced by Creighton Abrams
McNamara resigned and left office in Fe and was replaced by Clark Clifford
When did McNamara resign
1967
Attended senate hearing that looked at extending the bombing
Stated his disagreement and that the US was killing 1000 civilians a week
Later resigned
What happened at the 1965 Washington protest
50,000 attended
Norman Morrison set himself alight outside McNamaras office
Polls show 75% support for war
How did anti-war effect 1966
LBJ faced chants “LBJ, LBJ, how many kids have you killed today”
Fulbright committee investigates the war
Democrats defeated at mid-terms
What happened in 1968 for anti-war
LBJ announced peace talks
Aug 1968 DNC in Chicago- 70,000 protestors, extreme violence, 668 arrested
