Johnson + Vietnam 1963-69 Flashcards
Vietnam background
French colony occupied by Japan WW2. Anti-Japanese resistance under Ho Chi Min. Once free, split into increasingly communist Vietminh under Ho Chi Min + West style South under Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngo Dinh Diem
Rich catholic (Vietnam was poor Buddhist). Accused of corruption, torture + répression. Fraud elections
Viet Cong origin
Diem refused unity elections -, North attacks South. “Vietnamese commies” => Vietcong. South Vietnamese army weaker. Vietcong more popular
How did Ho Chi Min see war
National liberation - non communist
Diem’s response to Vietcong
“Safe village” concentration camps” Pro-Catholic, anti-Buddhist policies - Self flagellation monk protest. US came to see Diem as an obstacle + let him get overthrown in a coup
Vietnam + Domino theory
Vietnam becomes communist => Laos, Cambodia etc. US sent bills in aid to make it less appealing but it went to corruption.
Who escalated + who was more peaceful - US presidents
Kennedy was more peaceful, Johnson escalated to direct conflict
Gulf of Tonkin
2nd Aug 1964 USS madox open fired on “believed threat” Viet boat. Next night fired on Schrödinger’s attack. Johnson used this as an excuse to to escalate
When did open conflict begin
Feb 1965 Vietcong attack kills 9 at Camp Holloway
Reasons for US involvment
Long term French ally
Domino theory
Gulf of Tonkin excuse
Pride - peasant farmers
Re election - 1964 election
American credibility - Truman doctrine promises
US Tactics
Search + destroy (guerrilla) - death of innocents converted neutrals to Vietcong
Chemical weapons - napalm burns
Agent Organge to clear forests - caused birth defects
Operation rolling thunder - BOMB
Search + destroy quote
“If they weren’t Vietcong before we got there, they sure as hell were by the time we left”
Operation Rolling thunder - quote
“We-re going to bomb them back to the stone age”
Vietcong tactics
Attacked in small groups - hid underground
Booby traps
Ho Chi Minh Trail
Respectful to villagers - support
Killed supporters of US
Vietcong booby traps
Poisoned bamboo sticks + landmines
Ho Chi Minh Trail
Underground tunnels to supply fighters from Laos + Cambodia
Hearts and minds campaign
Aimed to get US support from South by building schools + roads. Some success but the damage was done - especially rural
My Lai Massacre - Solders’ mental state
Desensitised + blamed the Viets for friends deaths
Body count policy - kill incentive
High levels of drug addiction
My Lai massacre - the massacre
16th March 1968 on a search&destroy mission, a US platoon massacred My Lai town. After 2 hours of torture, rape + murder, 500 unarmed innocents killed
My Lai Massacre - the reveal
1 year later, Life magazine published photos of the dismembered bodies, torture + drowning victims. Clearest evidence so far of it all going wrong. Cue dissolusionment w death tolls + no end in site
Tet Offenside
Vietcong + Vietminh army launched surprise attack on the south - 100 targets including US embassy + several radio stations were captured. US + South took back control
Tet Offensive - public response
US gov labelled it a victory, but people saw it on TV + believed war couldn’t be won. Didn’t trust the gov’s lies - “Credibility gap”
Anti-war movement - the media
1st televised war, no hiding from the truth with images of My Lai and kids with napalm burns showcased daily.
The draft
Many opposed the draft they didn’t want to fight, black majority drafted who didn’t have rights + pay not to die - pay for college or doctor’s note
