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Johnson and Vietnam Lesson #2 USII.20 Class Objectives By the end of class, you will be able to… Describe Lyndon Johnson’s policy toward communism and Vietnam. Define the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Explain the Vietcong’s guerilla tactics and how the U.S. tried to counteract them. Identify and describe the purpose of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Lyndon Johnson Johnson wanted to use caution in Vietnam however did not want South Vietnam to become a communist country. Johnson did not want to be viewed as soft on communism and lose the presidency in 1964. He escalated the conflict. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution On August 2, 1964, LBJ announced that North Vietnamese torpedo boats fired upon American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. He insisted that these attacks were unprovoked and immediately ordered American aircraft to attack North Vietnamese ships and naval facilities. The US ships were spying for the South Vietnamese Johnson then asked Congress to authorize the use of force. On August 7, 1964, the Senate and House passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, authorizing the president to “take all necessary measures to repel an armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression.” Class Assignment Read the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution on page 1079. Read Read Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution on page 192. Who has the power to declare war in the United States? Is the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution an official declaration of war? How has the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution impacted future U.S. armed conflicts (wars?)? You may discuss these questions with one partner, but each must hand in their own answers The United States Sends in Troops Shortly after the resolution passed, the Vietcong began to attack American bases in South Vietnam. In February of 1965, Johnson responded by air assaulting North Vietnam. Johnson poll numbers jumped from 41% to 60% after the air strikes. Rolling Thunder In March 1965, Johnson expanded American involvement by shifting his policy to a sustained bombing campaign against North Vietnam. The campaign was named Operation Rolling Thunder. American troops were now fighting alongside the South Vietnamese troops against the Vietcong. Frustrating War By the end of 1965, Johnson placed more than 180,000 combat troops fighting in Vietnam. In 1966 that number doubled. Lacking the firepower, the North Vietnamese used ambushes, booby traps, guerrilla attacks, and secret tunnels to hide from U.S. and South Vietnamese troops. Vietcong also blended into the regular population in the cities and countryside. American Response To counter these tactics, American forces went on “search and destroy” missions. They tried to find enemy troops, bomb their positions, destroy their supply lines, and force them out into open combat. U.S. “tunnel rat” – unlucky soldier whose task is to see if VC tunnels are currently in use American plans dropped napalm, a jellied gasoline that explodes on contact. They used Agent Orange, a chemical that strips leaves from trees and shrubs, turning farmland and forest into wasteland. Agent Orange led to many birth defects in Vietnamese babies and cancer in Vietnamese and U.S. soldiers Napalm Agent Orange U.S. “Tunnel Rats” Forrest Gump! A Determined Enemy United States underestimated the strength of the Vietcong and their stamina. Continuously dropping bombs did not kill the will of a starving people. North Vietnamese supplied the Vietcong with some troops, arms, advisors, and significant leadership. Ho Chi Minh Trail wound through Cambodia and Laos to go between North and South Vietnam. Johnson refused a full attack on the trail. Ho Chi Minh Trail Other Supply Lines The North Vietnamese received supplies from the Soviet Union and China. This is why Johnson refused to incite a full scale invasion of the North Vietnamese-didn’t want to incite war with these two countries By placing limits on the war, Johnson made it difficult to win. Between 1965-1967 over 220,000 Vietnamese died and by the end of 1966 U.S. casualties mounted to 6,700.