Chapter 25

The Vietnam War; Lecture Notes

Section 1

I. Early American Involvement in Vietnam (pages 772–774)

A. Although little was known about ______________________ in the late 1940s and early 1950s,

American __________________________ felt Vietnam was _____________________________ in their

campaign to ____________________ the spread of ______________________________.

B. During the early 1900s, _______________________________ was _______________________ in

___________________________. As the Vietnamese sought _________________________________ or

_________________________ of the ______________________ colonial government, several

________________________ parties formed. One of the ___________________________ of the

______________________________ movement was __________________________________ who,

during his ________________________ to the ____________________________ Union, had become an

______________________________ of _______________________________.

C. In 1930 Ho Chi Minh helped ________________________ the ________________________________

_________________________________ Party and worked to ____________________________ the

_________________________. Ho Chi Minh was ______________________ to the Soviet

_________________________ and China. Upon his ______________________ to

___________________________ in 1941, _______________________ had ______________________

of the country. He _________________________ the ______________________________ group,

______________________________, which united ___________________________ and

_________________________________ to force Japan _______________________.

D. With the _____________________ victory over ____________________ in 1945, Ho Chi Minh and his

forces ___________________________ Vietnam an ___________________________ nation. France

sent in ________________________ to ______________________ its colonial

_______________________________. France ________________________ the

United_________________________ for ________________________. American officials were

______________________________ France _______________________________ Vietnam, but they

did __________________________ want Vietnam to be ___________________________________

either.

E. The United States, under the __________________________ and ___________________________

administrations, _______________________ the French _______________________ and their

campaign ________________________ the Vietminh. Eisenhower ___________________________ the

United States ________________________ in Vietnam with the ____________________________

theory—the _____________________ that if Vietnam ___________________ to

_____________________________, other ______________________ in Southeast _______________

would do the ______________________.

II. The Vietminh Drive Out the French (pages 774–775)

A. Despite ____________________ from the United States, the French

_____________________________ against the ____________________________. They

frequently used the _______________________ of __________________________, or

_____________________________ troops who usually ______________________ into

___________________________ population and are ____________________________ for

____________________________ armies to __________________________. They used ____________-

and-________________ and _______________________ tactics.

B. In 1954 the _______________________ commander _______________________ his forces to

_______________________ the _________________________________ town of

_______________________________________________. A ________________ Vietminh force

_______________________________ the town. The __________________________French were

_______________________________ to make ________________________ and

_________________________ from ____________________________.

C. ______________________________ to _________________ the conflict, called the

____________________________ _________________________, ___________________ Vietnam

along the_____________th parallel, with Ho Chi Minh and the __________________________

controlling _______________________ Vietnam and a _______________________________________

regime in _____________________ Vietnam. The _______________________ also recognized

____________________________ ______________________________.

D. In _______________elections were held to _________________ a __________________

government. The United States ____________________ in to _____________________________ the

____________________________ government in the ________________________ led by

_________________________________, a __________-Westerner and __________________-

Communist. The _______________________ between ______________________ and

______________________ Vietnam __________________________ with the ____________________

States ____________________ ____in the _______________________.

Section 2

I. American Involvement Deepens (pages 776–778)

A. After Ngo Dinh _______________ ________________________ to hold national

________________________, Ho Chi ___________________ and his followers

created a new ________________________ army known as the ________________________. Their

______________________________ was to ________________________ ________________________

and _______________________ Vietnam.

B. The United States ____________________________ to send ______________ to ________________

Vietnam. The _______________________________ power, however, continued to

__________________ because many ______________________________

____________________________ _______________________ government.

C. President ___________________________ continued the _________________________ policy of

________________________ for South Vietnam, __________________________ with

_______________ presidents that Southeast __________________ was

_________________________________ in the _________________________ against

________________________________.

D. The __________________________________ of _________________________ Vietnam’s President

Diem ____________________________ because his _____________________________ was

___________________________, he created _______________________________

__________________________, and he _____________________________ against

_____________________________, one of the country’s ________________ widely

_______________________ __________________________________. Diem was

____________________________ and later ___________________________. This further

____________________________ South Vietnam’s government, ______________________________

the United States to become more ___________________________________.

E. After Kennedy’s ________________________________, President Lyndon

_________________________ inherited the ______________________________ of Vietnam.

II. Johnson and Vietnam (pages 778–779)

A. At first, President Johnson was _________________________ regarding Vietnam, yet he was

__________________________ to _________________________ South Vietnam from becoming

___________________________________. Politically, ____________________________ needed to

keep South Vietnam from becoming ________________________________, or

______________________________ would use it _______________________________ them.

B. On August 2, 1964, President Johnson ______________________________ that ________________

Vietnamese ____________________________ boats _________________________ on

_________________ American ____________________________ in the Gulf of

_________________________. A similar ______________________ reportedly occurred _________

days later. The ___________________________ and the ________________________ passed the Gulf

of __________________________ Resolution on August 7, 1964, ___________________________ the

president to _____________________________ all _____________________________ measures

to __________________________ any armed ___________________________ on U.S.

____________________. Congress had _________________________ its _________________

________________________ to the ___________________________.

C. After the Gulf of Tonkin ________________________________ was _____________________, the

_________________________ began ________________________ bases where American

___________________ were _____________________________ in _______________________

Vietnam. After an _____________________ in February 1965, Johnson sent ____________________ to

______________________ in _____________________ Vietnam.

D. While the polls _____________________ that Johnson’s _________________________ rating had

____________________________, some _____________________________ in the White House

_______________________that if the United States became too __________________________, it

would be _______________________________ to get ______________________. In March 1965,

however, Johnson _________________________ American ____________________________,

and _____________________________ soldiers were _________________________

__________________________ the ___________________________ Vietnamese troops

___________________________ the _________________________________.

III. A Bloody Stalemate Emerges (pages 779–781)

A. By _______________ some _______________________ American ___________________ troops

were ________________________ in Vietnam, with the number ___________________________ by

1966. Many Americans __________________________they could ________________ in Vietnam.

B. To take Vietcong’s ________________________ places away, American _____________________

dropped ____________________________, a jellied _______________________________ that

___________________________ on contact, and ________________________

_______________________, a _____________________________ that ________________________

________________________ from trees and shrubs. ___________________________ and

__________________________________ were _______________________ into

_____________________________.

C. Americans ______________________________ the Vietcong’s ______________________,

___________________, and ____________________________.

D. Johnson __________________________ to ________________ a ________________ invasion of

North Vietnam, fearing _____________________ would get _________________________ in the war.

E. President Johnson also ______________________ to allow a full-scale _____________________ on

the Vietcong’s _______________________ line, known as the

_____________________________________________________________. This made

______________________ difficult.

F. As American ___________________________ _________________________, many American

_____________________________ began __________________________________ the

United States’s ______________________________ in the _________________________.

Section 3

I. A Growing Credibility Gap (pages 784–785)

A. When American troops ____________________ entered the Vietnam War, many Americans

_______________________ the _____________________________ effort.

B. As the ________________________ in Vietnam continued to __________________________ on,

_____________________________ support __________________________________. Americans

began to ____________________________ the government and believed a

______________________________ gap had developed, making it __________________________ to

______________________________ what the ____________________________ administration said

about the ________________________.

II. An Antiwar Movement Emerges (pages 785–787)

A. As the casualties _______________________________, Americans, especially

______________________________ students, began to _______________________________

_______________________________ the war.

B. In March 1965, ______________________ and ______________________________ at the University

of ______________________________ abandoned their ______________________________ and

formed a _____________________________ where they _______________________________

_______________________________________ __________________________ of the

__________________ and why they ________________________ it. This triggered

___________________________________ at many _____________________________ campuses.

C. Young _______________________________ focused their _____________________________ on

what they ________________________ was an ___________________________

___________________ system. While __________________________ students could

________________________ military _____________________________ until

_____________________________, those with _________________ income and

________________________ education were called to ________________________. As a result,

__________________________________, especially African Americans, were called to

__________________. Many ____________________________ _____________________________ to

____________________________. Others ________________________ to

_________________________ and other _______________________________.

D. By 1968 the ________________________________ seemed _______________________________

into ____________________ camps—the _________________________ and the

___________________________. The __________________________ wanted the United States to

________________________________________ from the ______________________, and the

________________________ felt the United States should _________________ and

__________________.

III. 1968: The Pivotal Year (pages 787–789)

A. On January 30, 1968, during _____________, the Vietnamese _______________ _____________, the

_________________________ and North Vietnamese launched a ____________________________

attack known as the _____________ ________________________. In the attack ___________________

fighters ________________ American _________________________ in ________________ Vietnam as

well as the South’s major ____________________ and provincial ________________________.

B. Militarily, the _______________ offensive was a _____________________ for

the____________________________, but it was a _________________________

________________________ that shocked _________________________. As a result, the

______________________ rating for the president _______________________.

C. Eugene _________________________ and Senator Robert __________________________ entered

the _________________ presidential race as “_____________________” candidates for the

_____________________________ nomination.

D. Johnson ________________________ from the presidential __________________, announcing his

decision in an ___________________________ to the nation on ___________________ 31, 1968.

E. In __________________ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was _____________________________. Two

months later, Robert _____________________________ was also ______________________________.

This ____________________________, coupled with a ___________________ between

__________________________ and ________________________ at the

______________________________ National Convention in Chicago in August, left the

_________________ in a state of _______________________.

F. The chaos ___________________________ the Republican __________________________

candidate, Richard _____________________________, and an ________________________________,

Governor George __________________________ of Alabama. Nixon

_____________________________ to regain order and __________________________ the

____________________________ in Vietnam.

G. Although Johnson ____________________________ to help the __________________________

campaign with a ____________________-__________________, Democratic presidential

____________________________ Hubert _______________________________ lost by more than

__________ electoral ________________________ as well as the ___________________________ vote

by a ________________________ margin. Richard _______________________ became

___________________________.

Section 4

I. Nixon Moves to End the War (pages 790–791)

A. President Nixon ______________________ Harvard professor Henry ________________________ to

be ________________________ assistant for national __________________________ affairs, giving him

___________________________ to find a way to _______________________ the war in Vietnam.

B. Kissinger used a ________________________ he called _____________________ to

_______________________ relations with the _______________________ Union and

_________________—the _________________________ of __________________ to North Vietnam.

He ______________________ up ___________________ talks again with ___________________

Vietnam. At the same time, ______________________ began ________________________________—

the _______________________ ____________________________ of American

_______________________ in Vietnam, allowing _______________________ Vietnam to

_____________________ more of the _________________________.

C. As __________________________ negotiations were underway, Nixon

_________________________ air _________________________ against North Vietnam to

_________________________ American _________________________.

II. Turmoil at Home Continues (pages 791–792)

A. The Vietnam War continued to _______________ up _________________________ and

___________________________ in the United States.

B. In ______________ Americans _______________________ of a _____________________ event that

further __________________________ their _____________________________ that this was a

____________________________ war. An American _______________________ under the

__________________________ of Lieutenant William ______________________ had

____________________________ more than _______________ unarmed ________________

Vietnamese _____________________________ in the hamlet of ______________________. Most of

the _______________________ were _________________ _________________,

____________________, and ______________________________.

C. In April _________________, Nixon announced that American ____________________ had

___________________________ ______________________________ to _______________________

________________________________ military bases. Americans __________________________ this as

an ______________________ of the war, and a wave of ____________________________ followed.

D. In __________________ Congress ___________________________ the Gulf of

________________________ Resolution that had ______________________ the

_________________________________ near _____________________________ power in

______________________________ the war.

E. In 1971 a former __________________________ Department worker, Daniel

_____________________, _______________________ what became known as the

_____________________________ Papers to the ______________________. The

______________________ document showed that many government ___________________________

had ________________________________ ________________________________ the war while

____________________________ ____________________________ it. The

___________________________ also showed how the ______________________ administrations

_________________________________ the ____________________________ about Vietnam.

III. The United States Pulls Out of Vietnam (pages 792–793)

A. By ________________ nearly _____________-___________________ of Americans

________________________ the Vietnam War to _____________________.

B. President Nixon __________________________ the __________________________ that North

Vietnam had to ___________________________ from _____________________ Vietnam before a

_______________________ treaty could be signed. A ________________________ before the

presidential election, Henry __________________________ announced that ___________________

was at hand. Nixon _____________ re-election in a ______________________.

C. __________________ negotiations __________________ down when ____________________

Vietnam’s president,_________________________________________________, refused any

__________________ that left North Vietnamese __________________________ in South Vietnam.

D. The United States began a ___________________________ campaign that eventually led to the

_________________________________ of peace _____________________. On January 27,

_______________, the sides _______________________ to ___________________ the war and

______________________ peace in _________________________. After ______________ years at

______________, the _________________________ in American history, the United States

_____________________________ its _____________________________ involvement in Vietnam.

E. In March __________________, the _______________________ Vietnamese army

____________________ a ___________-scale ________________________ of the South.

Thieu asked for United States __________________________. Nixon had _________________________

after the __________________________ scandal, and the _________________ president, Gerald

______________, asked Congress to _____________________ aid. Congress ___________________.

F. On April 30, the __________________________ Vietnamese captured ____________________,

_______________________ Vietnam under _______________________________________ rule, and

______________________________ Saigon, _____________________________________________.

IV. The Legacy of Vietnam (pages 793–794)

A. The Vietnam War had a _______________________ impact on the United States. The war had

_________________ over _____________ billion in __________________ costs and had resulted in

_______________________ deaths. Many soldiers who did _____________________ home faced

_________________________________ problems, and some ____________________________ were

left uncertain about ___________________ and ________________.

B. In 1973 Congress passed the War ____________________ Act to reestablish __________________

on _________________________ power. The act _______________________ the president to

____________________ Congress of any ________________________________ of

____________________ abroad within ___________ hours and to ___________________ them in

________ to ______________ days __________________ Congress ____________________________

the troop ____________________________.

C. The Vietnam War _____________________________ Americans’ _________________________

about their _____________________________ and made them __________________________ their

____________________________.

I Can Statements and Bellringers

Chapter 25; the Vietnam War

*Section 1: The United States Focuses on

Vietnam

Describe the nationalist motives of

Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh

Explain the origins of American

involvement in Vietnam in the 1950s.

*Section 2: Going to War in Vietnam.

Describe how President Johnson

deepened American involvement in

Vietnam.

Discuss how Vietcong and the North

Vietnamese were able to frustrate the

American military.

*Section 3: Vietnam Divides the Nation.

Analyze why support for the war began

to weaken.

Describe the motives of those in the

antiwar movement.

*Section 4: The War Winds Down.

Explain the events in Nixon’s first

administration that inspired more

antiwar protests.

Summarize the major lessons the

United States learned from the Vietnam

War experience.

Bellringer 1: __________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Bellringer 2:___________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Bellringer 3:___________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Bellringer 4:___________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Bellringer 5:___________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________