Vietnam War

Essential Question: How did the US become involved in the Vietnam

conflict? How did the American people respond?
 A Nation Divided

● Selective Service Act / Draft

○ Ages 18-26
○ College/Medical Deferment
○ “Working Class” War
○ Big Wednesday Draft
● New Left
○ Youth movement of the 1960’s
○ Free Speech Movement
● Doves ( against the war)
● Hawks (for the war)
 1968 ( The Year to Remember)
● Tet Offensive
○ Tet - Vietnamese New Year- Cease Fire for 7 Days to celebrate
○ Surprise attack by Vietcong and North Vietnamese on South Vietnam
○ Tet Offensive
○ Lasted about a month before South Viet. & US gain control
● Changed public opinion tremendously
○ “Sinkhole” we put in more-they match it!
● 1968 Election
○ Johnson (D) announces he will not re-run
○ Richard Nixon (R) wins election
○ Nixon promises to end Vietnam War
 End of Vietnam War
● Anti War Protests spread throughout college
campuses
○ Kent State University Massacre- National Guard fired on
unarmed college students protesting Vietnam War
● Pentagon Papers
○ 7,000 page document written by McNamara showing
Johnson’s plan to invade Vietnam and lack of planning to
end the war. Leaked to public. Challenged 1st
amendment in Supreme Court
● March 29, 1973 War - war ends for U.S.
● April 30, 1975- Fall of Saigon- North Vietnamese
gain control of the South
 Vietnam War Aftermath
● War Powers Act
○ President must inform Congress within 48 hours of
sending forces in a “hostile” area without declaration
of war
○ Cannot spend more than 90 days there without
“declaration of war”