Chapters 11 & 12 Study Guide Annie Daley

Contemporary US History
12-11-14

Date Item Significance

A network of roads and paths linking North and South Vietnam used by the North
Ho Chi Minh Vietnamese soldiers and the Vietcong. Also ran through Laos and Cambodia.
*
Trail Traveled by foot or by bicycle (easier to sneak while walking or biking than while
driving).
General of North Vietnam worked with Ho Chi Minh to escalate the military effort
* Vo Nguyen Giap to unify North and South Vietnam under Hanoi rule led by the Vietnamese
Communist Party. Oversaw the expansion of the army during the war.

Henry Cabot US ambassador in Saigon alerted LBJ to increase North Vietnamese attempts to
*
Lodge mobilize the military against US military presence.

The theory that, if one country (in this case, Vietnam, or, specifically, South
Vietnam) fell to Communism, other small southeast Asian countries such as Laos
* Domino Theory and Cambodia would fall, and other small countries would start to fall and the
Communists would have a stronghold in Asia they could use to spread around the
world.

The military arm of South Vietnam's communist-let National Liberation Front.

* Vietcong Joined North Vietnamese forces against the US and the South Vietnam government.
Quintessential Vietnamese villain ("if he's dead and he's Asian, he's VC")

In 1962, leftist candidate Juan Bosch was elected president in the first free election
since 1924, but right wing military coup shortly overthrew him. Supporters of Bosch
Dominican rebelled against the new military dictatorship, at which point LBJ, fearing a repeat of
1965
Republic Cuba, sent in 30,000 marines and army troops to squash the uprising. In 1966, a
candidate accepted by Washington beat Bosch in a second election. LBJ promised
not to sit still and allow Communism into the Western Hemisphere.
 Chapters 11 & 12 Study Guide Annie Daley
Contemporary US History
12-11-14

Gave the president the authority to respond as he saw fit to any future aggression.
LBJ chose a Resolution over a formal declaration of war because he feared the latter
would draw the Soviets or China into the war. Suspicious background. US destroyer
Maddox was attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats on the night of August 1-
Gulf of Tonkin
Aug-64 * 2, 1964 as it conducted espionage in the Gulf of Tonkin of North Vietnam. Maddox
Resolution
drove off the torpedo boats and, on LBJ orders, continued spying, joined by
destroyer Turner Joy. Two nights later, the two destroyers reported another attack,
but there was no evidence of this attack. But LBJ used this incident as an opportunity
to request the Resolution, which was the legal basis for the war.

Large scale bombing campaign against North Vietnam. Johnson cited recent VC
Operation
02/24/65 * attacks on US military instillation, including the one at Pleiku that killed 9
Rolling Thunder
Americans.

Feb-65 * Pleiku Attack on a military installation that killed 9 Americans.

US military commander in Vietnam, kept asking LBJ for huge numbers of troops, of
General William
which LBJ would give some but not all. Had resisted the first strategy of defensive
* C.
duty. His idea of the "kill ratio" was that as long as more NV and VC forces were
Westmoreland
dying than US soldiers, US was winning.

Search and
Missions whose goals were to find and kill NV and VC forces. Hence came the name
* Destroy
"search and destroy."
Missions

A major battle in la Drang Valley in Pleiku Province. The US Seventh Cavalry

Ia Drang Valley (General Cluster's cavalry at the disastrous Little Big Horn) against a much larger
Nov-65 *
Battle North Vietnamese force. 240 Americans died, but the 3,000 dead North Vietnamese
soldiers suggested a favorable "kill ratio."

A glue-like flaming explosive made of jellied petroleum and phosphate that adheres
* Napalm to skin. Throughout the war, US dropped approximately 400 million pounds of
napalm.

A chemical defoliant used by the US to deny North Vietnam the concealment in the
* Agent Orange jungle (ironic because as LBJ's wife was preaching beautification at home, he was
destroying nature in North Vietnam.
 Chapters 11 & 12 Study Guide Annie Daley
Contemporary US History
12-11-14

After yet another coup in South Vietnam, 35 year old Ky became premiere. Despite
LBJ's support, his regime never won popular support. When the SV government
* Nguyen Cao Ky
adopted a constitution, US shifted support to Ky's sidekick, General Nguyen Van
Thieu, and Ky settled for vice presidency.

Nguyen Van US support shifted from Nguyen Cao Ky to him and, in very fish election
*
Thieu circumstances, he was elected president.

The US army measured their success by how many North Vietnamese and Vietcong
* Body Counts
soldiers they killed, and the US army had to maintain weekly body counts.

Term coined by Senator J. William Fulbright when Johnson's administration

wouldn't give him a direct answer regarding a question about the war. Later, various
* Credibility Gap things such as exaggerated body counts would confirm the public's suspicion that
there was a sizeable gap between what they were being told and what was
happening.

Hawks were people in favor of the war. They believed that North Vietnam's
Hawks and aggression necessitated it. Doves were against the war, believing it to be a civil
*
Doves problem in Vietnam that the US had no business in and resenting the money spent on
Vietnam and not domestic affairs.

An informal group of senior counselors to LBJ, led by Dean Acheson. In 1966, they
* The Wise Men warned Johnson about dissolving support for the war, but advised him to continue on
course with the war.

Senator from Arkansas, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, early critic
J. William
* of Vietnam War. Held special hearings on the war. The hearings helped solidify
Fulbright
antiwar feelings.

Army coup overthrew left-leaning president Suharto, an event that discredited the
1966 Indonesia Coup
domino theory.
 Chapters 11 & 12 Study Guide Annie Daley
Contemporary US History
12-11-14

The anti-war movement began with a teach-in at the University of Michigan, spread
to other schools. Marches with thousands of protesters. Very intense movement, but
its base was initially limited to test-ban veterans and civil rights leaders from liberal,
affluent, political families, often liberal art majors at elite schools. Politically and
religiously conservative people avoided the cause, as did students majoring in
science, engineering, or in a professional school or Greek life. Political writers
Mar-65 * 'The Movement'
joined, as did singer-songwriters such as Bob Dylan. LBJ blamed an unpatriotic
press for undercutting support for the war and glorifying the protesters. Media had
the same effect as in the civil rights movement; graphic images, stories of US
brutality and casualties killed a lot of support for the war. Like civil rights protesters,
antiwar protesters were very theatrical, making for good TV. Many conservatives
saw the movement as a representation of society sinking into chaos.

Began at University of Michigan after Johnson announced the bombing war against
* Teach-Ins North Vietnam. Teach ins were all night lectures and discussions about the war. The
ideas soon spread to other schools.

A Black Muslim prizefighter who lost his heavyweight crown for refusing to register
* Muhammad Ali
for the draft.
If the government was paying for the war, the same money couldn't be used to help
the country. Many people--especially black civil rights leaders (MLK)--disliked the
'Guns or Butter'
war because it took money from the Great Society programs that were helping
people.

Six month long battle. US used heavy air bombing, dropping the equivalent of 5
* Khe Sanh
Hiroshima bombs. Actually a diversion for the Tet Offensive.
 Chapters 11 & 12 Study Guide Annie Daley
Contemporary US History
12-11-14

Normally there was an informal cease-fire during Tet, the Vietnamese New Year.
This year, however, North Vietnam attacked. Khe Sanh had been a diversion to
distract the US. Sympathizers in the cities joined the attack against the US. NLF held
Hué for almost a month, executing in cold blood as many as 3,000 officers who
identified with he Saigon regime. US officials used this as proof that a Communist
victory in Vietnam would mean a bloodbath. US bombed and shelled Hué to ruins.
Jan-68 * Tet Offensive Under the CIA's Phoenix Program and Provincial Reconnaissance Unit, US and
South Vietnamese assassination teams killed some 60,000 South Vietnam opponents
of the Saigon regime, many of who had revealed their loyalty during Tet. Militarily,
it was a US victory, but the sheer brutality turned even more people against the War.
Shortly after, first Eugene McCarthy, then Robert Kennedy and Herbert Humphrey
announced their candidacy for the Democratic Party nomination, challenging siting
president LBJ, who soon withdrew from the race.

On a search and destroy mission, Second Lieutenant William L. Calley, Jr. and his
platoon entered the village of My Lai. They found no Vietcong, but were under
pressure to maintain the weekly "body count" so they systematically shot more than
three hundred villagers--woman, children, and old men--and raped women, mutilated
03/16/68 * My Lai
the bodies, slaughtered domestic animals, and burned the village. US helicopter
pilot, Hugh Thompson, noticed and landed, heroically trying to stop the massacre,
risking his life to do so. The story broke in 199. It may have been extreme, but it was
not the only instance of the killing, rape, and torture of civilians.

Black militants and the local SDS joined to protest Columbia's ROTC program,
campus recruitment by the military and Dow Chemical, and Columbia's plan to tear
1968 Columbia Sit-In down housing in Harlem to build a gym. Two mass sit-ins led to 800 arrests. For
almost a week, protesters occupied 5 campus buildings, including the president's
office.

Became Secretary of Defense in 1968 (had previously designed Harry Truman's

Clark Clifford
1948 election strategy). Urged LBJ to scale back the war.
 Chapters 11 & 12 Study Guide Annie Daley
Contemporary US History
12-11-14

After the Tet offensive, he announced his candidacy for Democratic nomination
against siting president LBJ. Won in the New Hampshire primary, unprecedented.
Eugene
* Robert Kennedy and Herbert Humphrey then announced candidacy. He and RFK
McCarthy
competed through primaries while Humphrey worked through back room caucuses.
After RFK's assassination, McCarthy lost the nomination to Humphrey

Eugene McCarthy won hugely against sitting president LBJ, an unprecedented

New Hampshire
03/12/68 victory that led to RFK and Herbert Humphrey entering the race for Democratic
Primary
nomination.

Brother of JFK and Ted Kennedy. Had been attorney general and championed civil
rights, then was a US senator. Ran for Democratic presidential nomination against
Herbert Humphrey and Eugene McCarthy, but was assassinated after winning the
* Robert Kennedy
California primary against McCarthy. Waited until McCarthy announced candidacy
to run so he wouldn't be the one to split the party but the one to claim he could
reunite it.

After the Tet Offensive, as his political support was crumbling, LBJ made a televised
LBJ Withdraws
address in which he announced a partial bombing halt, called for negotiations, and
03/31/68 * from Presidential
surprised even his advisors by briefly announcing he would not seek reelection. He
Race
planed to dedicate his remaining time in office to achieving peace.

Vice President to LBJ, announced candidacy shortly after Robert Kennedy. He won
Hubert
* democratic nomination through backroom caucuses (had been in politics for a long
Humphrey
time, had a strong base).

Alabama governor, announced candidacy n a third party ticket, the American

Independent Party. He had "stood in the schoolhouse door" in 1963 to oppose
* George Wallace integration, and he appealed to southern and working class whites resentful of black
activists, campus demonstrators, and hippies. Denounced antiwar protesters as
"pointy-headed intellectuals." His running mate was Curtis Lemay.

Assassination of
Killed on a Memphis motel balcony by white ex-convict James Earl Ray as the angry
04/04/68 * Martin Luther
mood Wallace catered to surged. Brought on a fresh wave of inner city violence.
King, Jr.
White ex-convict killed MLK. Had been very involved with volunteering for
James Earl Ray
Wallace's campaign.

The California primary was a big hurdle between RFK and Eugene McCarthy and
Assassination of
06/06/68 the Democratic nomination, and Robert Kennedy won. At a victory party, he was
Robert Kennedy
assassinated by a Palestinian angered by RFK's pro-Israel stand.
 Chapters 11 & 12 Study Guide Annie Daley
Contemporary US History
12-11-14

California The big competition between RFK and McCarthy, RFK won and was assassinated at
06/05/68
Primary a victory party.

Vice President Herbert Humphrey won a first ballot nomination. Outside the hall,
Democratic 5000 antiwar activists assembled (along with publicity seekers). That night helmeted
1968 Convention in Chicago police walked into the crowd, clubbing at people. TV images brought the
Chicago brutality to the rest of the country, reinforcing the idea that society had gone mad.
Republican candidate Richard Nixon benefited from the chaos.

Prague Spring. Alexander Dubček was elected First Secretary of the Communist
Party of Czechoslovakia an attempted to reform the country, still under Soviet
control. He wanted to loosen limitations on media, speech, and travel, as well as
decentralize authority. He oversaw the splitting of the country into Slovakia and the
Czechoslovakia
Aug-68 Czech Republic. The changes did not go over well with the Soviet Union, which then
Crisis
invaded, prompting those opposing the invasion to protest in a number of nonviolent
ways and were arrested and punished. Dubček was removed from his position and a
period of "normalization" was begun, in which a number of Dubček's reforms were
undone.

Nixon's 'Secret Nixon promised he had a plan to end the war in Vietnam, but he wouldn't reveal it so
Peace Plan' as not to tip off the enemy.
'Law and Order' Nixon's code for cracking down on protesters and militants.
Spiro Agnew Nixon's running mate, governor of Maryland.

US was represented by W. Averell Harriman, and Hanoi sent a high official.

President Thieu of South Vietnam boycotted the talks, which deadlocked.
Eventually, demands and concessions were made on both sides. North Vietnam
Paris Peace agreed to sop sending North Vietnamese units south and shelling South Vietnamese
*
Talks cities; in return, Johnson announced a bombing halt. However, in the presidential
campaign's final weeks, Nixon's campaign manager, John Mitchell, discouraged
Thieu from accepting a peace agreement until after the election to undermine
Humphrey's chances.
 Chapters 11 & 12 Study Guide Annie Daley
Contemporary US History
12-11-14

Nixon's national security adviser. Agreed with Nixon's plan that the cabinet would
handle domestic affairs to leave Nixon free to focus on global issues. In 1957 he had
advocated the deployment of intercontinental ballistic missiles and tactical nuclear
weapons to advance US strategic interests. A very different person from Nixon, but
* Henry Kissinger
they shared a tastes for strategic thinking and were similar in the way that they were
both secretive and both distrusted their staff. When the New York Times reported the
secret Cambodian bombing, Kissinger had the FBI wiretap his own staff. The
wiretaps quickly expanded to journalists and White House aides.

Army of the
US trained army Nixon turned the fighting over to in order to reduce US casualties
Republic of
and protest. The army still relied on US weapons, air support, communications, and
Vietnam
vehicles. The practice of Nixon's "peace with honor."
(ARVN)
Nixon's plan to secure a favorable outcome from the war while getting US troops
'Vietnamization'
* out, which meant turning over the fighting to the US trained Army of the Republic of
of the War
Vietnam.

Secret Bombing During a major North Vietnamese offensive, Nixon ordered the secret bombing of
of Cambodia North Vietnamese bases and supply trails in neighboring Cambodia.
When the New York Times reported the secret Cambodian bombing, Kissinger had
FBI Wiretaps on
the FBI wiretap his own national security advisor staff. The wiretaps quickly
NSA Staff
expanded to journalists and White House aides.
A music festival in New York, where 400,000 young adults gathered for rock music,
Woodstock
Aug-69 hallucinogens, and good feeling. Several musicians protested the Vietnam War in
Festival
their songs.

There was such a huge population of teenagers and young adults compared to the
Generation Gap elder adults that there was a definite difference in culture. Music differences, dating
differences, fashion differences all contributed to tension.

'Fragging' Attacks on officers by their own men in the army.

 Chapters 11 & 12 Study Guide Annie Daley
Contemporary US History
12-11-14

Joint US-South Vietnam ground attack on North Vietnam bases in Cambodia. Nixon
and Kissinger had to aims: to increase pressure on North Vietnam to settle the war
on US terms and to support Cambodia's pro-Western ruler, a right-wing military
Cambodian officer who had recently overthrown the neutralist Prince Norodom Sihanoik. In
04/30/70 *
Incursion announcing the invasion, Nixon insisted that if the effort failed in Vietnam, the US
would become a "pitiful, helpless giant" respected by no one. He also warned of
home-front radicals undermining the US just as "small nations all over the world find
themselves under attack from within and without."

At Kent State University in Ohio, radicals had recently burned down a building. The
governor ordered the Ohio National Guard to Kent (seeking his party's senate
Kent State and
nomination). The guardsmen--civilians pulled to service--raked a crowd of students
May-70 Jackson State
with rifle fire, killing four and injuring nine. Ten days later, responding to campus
Killings
protests at Jackson State College in Mississippi, state troopers sprayed a dormitory
with gunfire, killing two women and injuring nine.

• US would keep all its treaty commitments

• US would shield any ally or nation whose survival the US deemed vital to US
security from a nuclear threat
* • Us would give military and economic assistance when requested along the lines of
Nixon Doctrine
+ a treaty commitment. However, the threatened nation had to take the lead in
providing the soldiers for its defense
Nixon wanted to ease relations with the Soviet Union and China and wanted "peace
with honor" in Vietnam.
Repeal of the
Rescinded by Congress in a largely symbolic action amidst the fervor of the antiwar
Gulf of Tonkin
cause in the wake of the Cambodian invasion.
Resolution

Nixon's "middle America" that he appealed to in campaigning and in office. The

group that didn't protest and so didn't really use their voice. Middle class, often white
America, forgotten America. Often older, upset at wealthy people protesting the war
* 'Silent Majority'
their people were dying for. Found their voice when a hundred thousand New
Yorkers, mostly construction workers and longshoreman staged a prowar march,
waving flags and singing "God Bless America."
 Chapters 11 & 12 Study Guide Annie Daley
Contemporary US History
12-11-14

Romantic activists who were one of two groups to emerge from the SDS collapse
(the other was the Progressive Labor Party). Several hundred went underground to
"bring the war home" to America and to insight the revolution they felt was
Weathermen and
imminent. Organized the "Days of Rage" in Chicago, breaking windows and
Weather
battering parked cars. Responsible for bombings across the nation, targeting symbols
Underground
of militarism capitalism. Believed an NLF victory would hasten revolution in the US
and end US imperialism worldwide. Agreed with Nixon that a loss in Vietnam would
destroy US credibility around the world.

Before leaving office, Secretary of Defense McNamara had instructed his aides to
compile files from the Pentagon on the history of the planning and prosecution of the
war. In March 1971, one of those aides, Daniel Ellsberg, having become an antiwar
* Pentagon Papers activist gave the documents to the New York Times. Nixon tried to stop the
publication, but the Supreme Court upheld the Times's claim to First Amendment
protection. The publication intensified Nixon and Kissinger's obsession with press
leaks.

A team of former FBI and CIA operatives, assembled on Nixon's orders to trace
Plumbers leaks using wiretaps and other means. They broke into Daniel Ellsberg's
psychiatrist's office, looking for evidence to discredit Ellsberg.

Mining
On December 18, Nixon resumed bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong, and further
1972 Haiphong
mined Haiphong harbor.
Harbor

In October, Hanoi agreed to a cease-fire and accepted Thieu's regime as one of two
"administrative entities" in South Vietnam (the other was the PRG). Negotiations
'Peace is at
10/22/72 * went on to determine South Vietnam's political future. Kissinger was eager for a deal
Hand'
before the 1972 presidential election so quickly initialed a draft agreement and
proclaimed "peace is at hand."

Twelve days of around-the-clock raids, in which 36,000 tons of bombs fell on Hanoi
'Christmas
1972 * and Haiphong after Nixon renewed bombing on December 18. Stirred the antiwar
Bombing'
movement back to life.
Vietnam Cease
Thieu had denounced the accord Kissinger had initialed, so Nixon ordered the
01/27/73 * Fire Signed in
Christmas bombings, after which both parties signed a nearly identical agreement.
Paris
 Chapters 11 & 12 Study Guide Annie Daley
Contemporary US History
12-11-14

Passed by Congress over Nixon's veto. Requires the president to notify Congress "in
every possible instance" before sending troops into combat, or into situations where
Nov-73 War Powers Act
combat seems to be in the future. These troops must be withdrawn within sixty days
unless Congress approves further deployment.