Chapter 22:Chapter 22:The Vietnam War The Vietnam War

YearsYears

Section 3:Section 3:A Nation DividedA Nation Divided

CCalifornia alifornia AAcademic cademic SStandardstandards:: 11.9.4, 11.10.4, 11.10.7, 11.9.4, 11.10.4, 11.10.7, & 11.11.2& 11.11.2

11.9 Students analyze U.S. foreign policy since World 11.9 Students analyze U.S. foreign policy since World War II. War II.

.4.4 List the effects of foreign policy on domestic policies and List the effects of foreign policy on domestic policies and vice versa (e.g., protests during the war in Vietnam, the vice versa (e.g., protests during the war in Vietnam, the "nuclear freeze" movement)."nuclear freeze" movement). 11.10 Students analyze the development of federal civil 11.10 Students analyze the development of federal civil

rights and voting rights. rights and voting rights. .4.4 Examine the roles of civil rights advocates (e.g., A. Philip Examine the roles of civil rights advocates (e.g., A. Philip

Randolph, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcom X, Thurgood Randolph, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcom X, Thurgood Marshall, JamesMarshall, James Farmer, Rosa Parks), including the Farmer, Rosa Parks), including the significance of Martin Luther King, Jr. 's "Letter from significance of Martin Luther King, Jr. 's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and "I Have a Dream"Birmingham Jail" and "I Have a Dream" speech. speech.

.7.7 Analyze the women's rights movement from the era of Analyze the women's rights movement from the era of Elizabeth Stanton and Susan Anthony and the passage of the Elizabeth Stanton and Susan Anthony and the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the movement launched in the Nineteenth Amendment to the movement launched in the 1960s, including differing perspectives on the roles of women. 1960s, including differing perspectives on the roles of women. 11.11 Students analyze the major social problems and 11.11 Students analyze the major social problems and

domestic policy issues in contemporary American domestic policy issues in contemporary American society. society.

.2.2 Discuss the significant domestic policy speeches of Discuss the significant domestic policy speeches of Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton (e.g., with regard to education, civil rights, Bush, and Clinton (e.g., with regard to education, civil rights, economic policy, environmental policy). economic policy, environmental policy).

Objectives:Objectives:Following lecture and Following lecture and reading of this section, reading of this section, students will be able to:students will be able to:

1.1.Explain the draft policies Explain the draft policies that made the Vietnam War that made the Vietnam War a working-class war.a working-class war.

2.2.Trace the roots of Trace the roots of opposition to the war.opposition to the war.

3.3.Describe the antiwar Describe the antiwar movement.movement.

Overview:Overview:Controversy over the Controversy over the escalation of the Vietnam escalation of the Vietnam War divided the nation War divided the nation into supporters and into supporters and opponents of the conflict.opponents of the conflict.

Despite nationwide Despite nationwide campus protests, in 1967 campus protests, in 1967 most Americans remained most Americans remained committed to the war.committed to the war.

A Working-Class A Working-Class WarWar

Draft policies favored young Draft policies favored young men from privileged men from privileged backgrounds.backgrounds.

Those who attended college or Those who attended college or could get medical deferments did could get medical deferments did not have to go. Many college not have to go. Many college students at the time were white students at the time were white and relatively well-off.and relatively well-off.

80% of American soldiers in 80% of American soldiers in Vietnam are minorities and Vietnam are minorities and lower-class whites.lower-class whites.

African Americans make up African Americans make up a high percentage of U.S. a high percentage of U.S. ground combat troops.ground combat troops.

During the first several During the first several years of the war blacks years of the war blacks accounted for more than accounted for more than 20% of combat deaths20% of combat deaths but but only represented only represented 10% of 10% of the U.S. population.the U.S. population.

In 1967 Martin Luther King In 1967 Martin Luther King Jr. lashed out calling it a Jr. lashed out calling it a “cruel irony” that American “cruel irony” that American blacks are dying for a country blacks are dying for a country that still regarded them as that still regarded them as second-class citizens.second-class citizens.

Racial tensions were high and Racial tensions were high and in 1967 and 1969 race riots in 1967 and 1969 race riots broke out between U.S. broke out between U.S. soldiers leading to another soldiers leading to another factor of low morale. factor of low morale.

Most American women Most American women in Vietnam serve as in Vietnam serve as military nurses or military nurses or volunteersvolunteers, because they , because they were not allowed to were not allowed to serve in combat roles.serve in combat roles.The Roots of OppositionThe Roots of Opposition

What about today’s What about today’s society needs to be society needs to be changed?changed?

Students of the 1960s were Students of the 1960s were more socially and politically more socially and politically active and an atmosphere of active and an atmosphere of protest existed in the country.protest existed in the country.

The New Left movement, The New Left movement, including such activist groups including such activist groups as Students for Democratic as Students for Democratic Society (SDS) and the Free Society (SDS) and the Free Speech Movement (FSM), Speech Movement (FSM), pushes for social and political pushes for social and political change demanding sweeping change demanding sweeping changes in American society.changes in American society.

The SDS called for a The SDS called for a restoration of participatory restoration of participatory democracy and greater democracy and greater individual freedom from the individual freedom from the government and big business government and big business which had taken over which had taken over America.America.

The FSM, led by Mario Savio a The FSM, led by Mario Savio a student at UC Berkeley, student at UC Berkeley, focused its criticism on the focused its criticism on the “machine,” the nation’s “machine,” the nation’s faceless and powerful business faceless and powerful business and government institutions.and government institutions.

The SDS and FSM tactics The SDS and FSM tactics spread to college campuses spread to college campuses nationwide.nationwide.

College students begin joining College students begin joining together to protest the together to protest the Vietnam War.Vietnam War.

The Protest The Protest Movement Movement EmergesEmerges

Campus protests mount as Campus protests mount as more college students more college students become eligible for the become eligible for the draft when Johnson draft when Johnson changes college deferments changes college deferments to students only in “good to students only in “good academic standing.”academic standing.”

The SDS calls for civil The SDS calls for civil disobedience and counsels disobedience and counsels students to flee for Canada students to flee for Canada or Sweden.or Sweden.

Those who opposed the Those who opposed the war did so for different war did so for different reasons: 1) it was a civil reasons: 1) it was a civil war we had no part in 2) war we had no part in 2) U.S. should not police the U.S. should not police the world 3) Vietnam was world 3) Vietnam was taking our attention away taking our attention away from other matters in the from other matters in the Middle East and Europe.Middle East and Europe.

More young Americans More young Americans resist the draft.resist the draft.

Some spend time in jail, 4,000 Some spend time in jail, 4,000 of the nearly of the nearly 200,000200,000 that that were were accused of draft offenses.accused of draft offenses.

10,000 draftees were suspected 10,000 draftees were suspected to have gone to Canada.to have gone to Canada.

In 1967, 75,000 protesters In 1967, 75,000 protesters march on the pentagon, which march on the pentagon, which was considered “the center of was considered “the center of the war machine.”the war machine.”

The American public became deeply The American public became deeply divided into opponents of the war divided into opponents of the war (doves) and supporters of the war (doves) and supporters of the war (hawks).(hawks).

In 1967, 20,000 pro-war In 1967, 20,000 pro-war marchers marched in marchers marched in Manhattan, and a poll at the Manhattan, and a poll at the same time showed that 2/3 of same time showed that 2/3 of Americans still felt the war Americans still felt the war was justified.was justified.

Only 10% approvedOnly 10% approved of the of the administration’s present administration’s present level level of commitment in Vietnam.of commitment in Vietnam.

50% felt that increased 50% felt that increased attacks would help to win the attacks would help to win the war.war.

In 1967 a poll showed that In 1967 a poll showed that 70% of Americans felt the 70% of Americans felt the war protests were “acts of war protests were “acts of disloyalty.”disloyalty.”

Read a personal Voice on Read a personal Voice on page 740page 740

““America-Love it or leave America-Love it or leave it”it” became a became a popular popular slogan among supporters slogan among supporters ofof the the U.S. war effort.U.S. war effort.

Johnson continued his policy Johnson continued his policy of slow escalation which did of slow escalation which did not seem to make anyone not seem to make anyone happy, the doves wanted happy, the doves wanted him to pull troops out him to pull troops out immediately and the hawks immediately and the hawks wanted the effort stepped wanted the effort stepped up quickly and forcefullyup quickly and forcefully

Johnson saw the protesters Johnson saw the protesters as misguided and as misguided and misinformed.misinformed.

By the end of 1967 the By the end of 1967 the stalemate began to stalemate began to create tension with the create tension with the administration, Defense administration, Defense Secretary Robert Secretary Robert McNamara resigned, McNamara resigned, and in 1968 the war and and in 1968 the war and Johnson’s presidency Johnson’s presidency would take a dramatic would take a dramatic turn for the worst.turn for the worst.