vietnam war

• Origins of the Vietnam War:

  • The Vietnam War began in the late 1950s as a conflict between the communist government of North Vietnam and the non-communist government of South Vietnam, which was supported by the United States.
  • The U.S. became involved to prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia and to support the South Vietnamese government.
• War Powers Act:

  • Passed in 1973, the War Powers Act limits the President's ability to commit U.S. forces to armed conflict without the approval of Congress.
  • It was a response to the Vietnam War and aimed to prevent future prolonged military engagements without congressional oversight.
• Pentagon Papers:

  • The Pentagon Papers were a classified study of U.S. political-military involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1967.
  • They were leaked to the press in 1971 and revealed that the government had misled the public about the war's progress and the extent of U.S. involvement.
• Tet Offensive:

  • The Tet Offensive was a series of surprise attacks by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces against South Vietnam and U.S. troops during the Vietnamese New Year (Tet) in 1968.
  • While a military victory for the U.S., it was a turning point in public opinion as it showed that the war was far from over.
• Gulf of Tonkin:

  • The Gulf of Tonkin is a body of water off the coast of North Vietnam.
  • An alleged attack on U.S. ships in the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964 led to increased U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
• Gulf of Tonkin Resolution:

  • In response to the Gulf of Tonkin incident, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964.
  • It gave President Lyndon B. Johnson broad powers to escalate U.S. involvement in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.
• Vietnamization:

  • Vietnamization was a policy introduced by President Richard Nixon in 1969.
  • It involved the gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam and the transfer of responsibility for the war to the South Vietnamese government.
• Americans' feelings about the Vietnam War:

  • The Vietnam War was controversial and divisive in American society.
  • Many Americans opposed the war due to its high cost in lives and resources, while others supported it as a necessary fight against communism.
• Nixon's "silent majority":

  • Nixon's "silent majority" referred to the Americans who supported his policies, including the Vietnam War, but were not vocal about it.
  • Nixon used this term to appeal to those who were not actively protesting against the war.
• News coverage and media changes with the Vietnam War:

  • The Vietnam War was the first war to be extensively covered by television.
  • The graphic images and reports from the front lines had a significant impact on public opinion and shaped anti-war sentiment.
• Kent State Massacre:

  • The Kent State Massacre occurred in 1970 when Ohio National Guard troops fired on unarmed student protesters at Kent State University.
  • Four students were killed and nine others were injured, leading to nationwide protests against the Vietnam War.
• 26th amendment:

  • The 26th amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
  • It was a response to the Vietnam War, as young adults argued that if they were old enough to fight in the war, they should be able to vote.
• Credibility gap:

  • The credibility gap refers to the public distrust of the government's official statements and actions during the Vietnam War.
  • The release of the Pentagon Papers and conflicting information about the war contributed to this lack of trust.
• tet failed to achieve its goals but it did show that the united states could not win the war quickly or easily
• in january 1968, communist forces launched surprise attacks on south vietnamese cities including saigon
• the tet offensive was the largest military operation by north vietnamese forces during the vietnam war
• nixon announced his new policy known as "vietnamization" which involved gradually withdrawing american combat troops while increasing the role of south vietnamese soldiers
• the tet offensive led to increased american casualties and further eroded public support for the war
• the kent state shootings occurred when national guard troops opened fire on anti-war protesters at kent state university in ohio, killing four students
• the paris peace accords officially ended the vietnam war in january 1973
• the my lai massacre was an incident where u.s. Soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed civilians in a village in vietnam
• the nixon administration continued bombing raids against cambodia despite protests from congress and the media
• the paris peace accords were signed in january 1973, ending direct american involvement in the vietnam war