Escalating the WarEscalating the War

Mr. BachMr. Bach

Hudson High SchoolHudson High School

United States HistoryUnited States History

Operation Rolling Operation Rolling ThunderThunder

• Bombing of Bombing of North Vietnam North Vietnam and the “Ho Chi and the “Ho Chi Minh Trail”Minh Trail”

DefoliationDefoliation

• Dense jungle Dense jungle needed to be needed to be cleared so cleared so NVA/VC could NVA/VC could not hide.not hide.– Agent OrangeAgent Orange– NapalmNapalm

Napalm AttackNapalm Attack

U.S. Troop Deployments U.S. Troop Deployments to ‘Namto ‘Nam

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

1961 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968

U.S. Troops

General William Westmoreland

Ground MissionGround Mission

• Army and Army and Marines went Marines went on “Search on “Search and Destroy” and Destroy” Missions.Missions.

• Encountered Encountered booby traps booby traps and an enemy and an enemy they couldn’t they couldn’t see.see.

Death EverywhereDeath Everywhere

Punji Stick Pits

Bouncing Betty Mines

The DraftThe Draft• Poor Poor

Americans Americans (and blacks) (and blacks) disproportionadisproportionally served in lly served in Vietnam.Vietnam.

• Draft Draft ExemptionsExemptions

Muhammad Ali refuses to fight

The Draft Lottery

Instituted in 1969 for fairness

Dodging the DraftDodging the Draft

The Living Room WarThe Living Room War

• Because of TV, Because of TV, Americans Americans experience the experience the horrors of war horrors of war every day for every day for the first time.the first time.

The Impact of the Living The Impact of the Living Room WarRoom War

A suspected VC Captain executed by South Vietnamese Police Chief Nguyen Ngoc Loan in

1968

1968 – The Tet 1968 – The Tet OffensiveOffensive

• NVA and VC launch NVA and VC launch a simultaneous a simultaneous surprise attack on surprise attack on 100 cities and 100 cities and bases.bases.

• Take every city, but Take every city, but are beaten back are beaten back the Americansthe Americans

• CasualtiesCasualties– 45,000 NVA and VC45,000 NVA and VC– 2,300 ARVN2,300 ARVN– 1,100 US1,100 US

A Victory becomes a A Victory becomes a LossLoss

““If I’ve lost Cronkite I’ve lost middle If I’ve lost Cronkite I’ve lost middle America.” - LBJAmerica.” - LBJ

““Hey, Hey, LBJ – How Many Hey, Hey, LBJ – How Many Kids did you Kill Today?”Kids did you Kill Today?”

A Ruined PresidencyA Ruined Presidency