Chapter 6- Johnsons war

• when did Johnson become president ?


  after Kennedy's assassination
• what did Johnson want/believe in ?

  • wanted to create a great society that was fair to everyone
  • believed in the domino theory
  • did not want to send combat troops to vietnam
  • knew ARVN were nostrong enough to fight vietcong
  • believed ho chi Minh would withdraw support if Vietcong were attcked
• describe the gulf of tonkin ?

  • the uss Maddox was a destroyer ship sent to support north attacks
  • sent out radar signals that were being targetted
  • 3 August 1964 - three North Vietnamese boats head to the Maddox, Maddox fires missiles, boats damaged and one sunk
  • 4 August - north Vietnam go to attack again, captain is unsure of attack and his men may of read signal wrong, Johnson attacks anyways
  • 7 August - us approval of resolution, gives johnson power to take any military aid to help the south
• what happened in the February of 1965 ?

  Vietcong attacked a US helicopter base
• how did the USA respond to this attack ?

  operation rolling thunder
• what was operation rolling thunder ?

  • a campaign of continuous bombing in the north targeting government buildings
  • aimed to reduce morale
  • meant to last 8 weeks but lasted 3 years
• how did Vietcong use geurilla tactics ?

  • retreat when enemy attack
  • raid enemy camps
  • small groups
  • no uniform
• how did Vietcong use the ho chi Minh trail ?

  • supply route through the jungle
  • if one part was destroyed new tracks opened up
  • impossible to destroy
• how did vietcong use the 'hanging on the belts' tactic ?

  • travel light
  • stay close to Americans
  • ambush
• why did vietcong use tunneling ?

  • harder to find
  • easier to ambush
• what traps did vietcong use ?

  • punji sticks - sharpened bamboo sticks in pits
  • bouncing Betty - mines exploding one metre from ground
• what was search and destroy ( USA ) ?

  • Search villages
  • burn villages if Vietcong are suspected
  • remove any Vietcong bases found
• how did th US use bombing as a tactic ?

  • mass bombing
  • over one million tonnes were dropped
  • cluster bombs
• how did the US use chemicals as a tactic ?

  • agent orange & napalm to destroy forests
  • agent orange causes cancer
  • napalm burns skin and bone
• how did the US use conscripting troops ?

  • US troops were called GI's
  • average age of 19
  • m-16 rifles
  • mainly killed civilians
• what are the impacts of US tactics ?

  • Ho chi Minh trail disrupted
  • few Vietcong were captured
  • USA became more unpopular
  • Vietcong support increased
• what happened on January 30th in 1968 ?

  • was a ceasefire for vietmanese holiday of Tet
  • ceasefire was broken
• describe the Tet offensive ?

  • wanted to inspire south to rise above their government
  • hoped USA would withdraw support
  • launching smaller attacks to ensure fewer US troops would arrive
• what was the USA's reaction to the Tet offensive ?

  • quickly regained control
  • used advanced tech and training
  • killed 10,000 fighters and 50,000 north
• what were the impacts of the Tet offensive ?

  • US lost artillery
  • war cost rose
  • US public lost hope in troops
  • caused anti war movements
• describe what happened at My Lai

  • US troops landed and started firing at any villagers who tried to escape
  • three Vietcong geurillas were spotted but the Charlie company could find no more
  • reports were given back
  • colonel barker reported 128 vietcong were killed
  • a pilot reported 100 civilians killed
  • Charlie company received praise
• why did the US go to My Lai ?

  rumours and reports of a Vietcong base near My Lai with 200 fighters
• what were the impacts of My Lai ?

  • US citizens were confused on aims of the war
  • mistrust
  • low morale
  • anti war movements
• what were the public opinions on US tactics ?

  • increased anti war feeling
• what were the public opinions on the role of the TV ?

  • fighting was broadcasted and filmed
  • worried US citizens
• what were the public opinions on the draft ?

  • men aged 18-24 were registered into draft
  • many refused to figth
  • they were called draft dodgers
• what were the public opinions on the war cost ?

  • by 1967 war was costing 30 billion per year
  • many soldiers became amputees, drug addicts and suffered psychologically
  • casualties had reached 15,000 killed and 110,000 wounded
• what were public opinions on civil rights ?

  • Martin Luther king spoke up about the war
  • too much money was spent on war not the "great society"
  • priorities were somewhere else