Unit7 notes2
- 1. Unit 7- The Vietnam War
- 3. I. General William Westmoreland- Leader of the US troops in Vietnam A. Argued that Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) could not defeat the Vietcong Vietcong got supplies from China and USSR B. He was fighting a “war of attrition”- exhaust the enemy with many casualties
- 4. II. Fighting in the Jungle A. No territorial goals, just “search and destroy” missions- uproot civilians, kill livestock, burn villages- causes resentment B. “Body counts” on TV every night to persuade Americans that Vietcong would surrender
- 5. C. Vietcong used guerilla warfare- small groups of citizens that ambush and hit-and-run tactics This hurt US troop morale D. Vietcong lived secretly in the population and could hide quickly E. They built a series of elaborate underground tunnels to travel and evade airstrikes
- 6. III. The Air War A. Carpet Bombing- US planes continuously drop bombs on Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh Trail Napalm- A gasoline bomb that sets the jungle on fire
- 7. B. Agent Orange- Leaf-killing toxic chemical was sprayed by US to kill vegetation (food source) and foliage (cover)
- 8. IV. The War at Home A. Cost of war went up as more troops were deployed Higher taxes, inflation, and unemployment Funding for LBJ’s Great Society domestic programs went down
- 9. B. Living Room War- The war was on every night on television in the US Credibility gap- LJB and gov’t said that US was winning the war, the news said differently Many stopped favoring the war