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Vietnam War PPT
- 1. © 2008 Teacher’s Brunch
- 2. Vietnam War • Longest in U.S. history • Lasted from 1959 -1975 • Cost the U.S. $200 billion • Nearly 58,000 Americans died
- 3. Vietnam Vitals • Rich in many natural resources • First conquered by China • France came in the 1500s for spices • Vietnam resisted Imperialism
- 4. Vietnam & WW2 • Conquered by Japan in WW2 • French were preoccupied in Europe • U.S. assisted Vietnam in fighting against Japanese • Vietnam becomes free at the war’s end
- 5. Ho Chi Minh • Brought independence to Vietnam • Once an ally to the United States • Preferred Communism to capitalism • Followers were called Viet Minh
- 6. Vietnam’s First Independence • Not recognized by U.S. • President Truman was concerned about growth of Communism • U.S. backed French return in 1946
- 7. Battle of Dien Bien Phu • Fought in Spring of 1954 • 50,000 Vietnamese surround 13,000 French • U.S. refuses to get involved • French surrender
- 8. Vietnam Divided • Communists feared U.S. involvement • Compromise was reached • 17th parallel divided north & south • Ho Chi Minh led Communist north • Diem led Anti-Communist south
- 9. Domino Theory • U.S. policy in Southeast Asia • Support countries resisting Communism • When one country falls, others will follow?
- 10. Ngo Dinh Diem • South Vietnam leader • Educated in the west • Governed from 1954-1960 • Viewed as a corrupt dictator
- 11. American Dilemma • Diem was an unpopular leader • Elections would result in a Communist victory • The Vietnam Domino would fall • JFK sends in 1,500 “Advisors”
- 12. General Taylor & Vietnam • 8,000 men needed to resist communist takeover now! • China might enter the war • Vietnam would become another Korea • Military increases from 1,500 to 16,000 Americans
- 13. Deaths of Two Leaders • Diem overthrown and murdered in Saigon on November 1, 1963 • Kennedy assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963
- 14. LBJ and Vietnam • Johnson took over presidency after JFK’s death • Johnson increased American involvement • Johnson wanted to save South Vietnam
- 15. Maddox Incident • American destroyer fired on by North Vietnamese • Communist PT Boat destroyed • Johnson orders strike on North Vietnam naval bases • Johnson’s popularity increases
- 16. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
- 17. War Escalates • Viet Cong continue to invade South • March on Ho Chi Minh trail • Viet Cong employ guerilla warfare, or hit and run, hide and seek tactics
- 18. Operation Rolling Thunder • U.S. bombing of Ho Chi Minh trail • Stop supply and troop movements • Inspired Communists to fight on
- 19. U.S. Troops in Vietnam • Jan. 1965 – 20,000 • Dec.1965 – 200,000 • Jan. 1968 – 540,000
- 20. Vietnam Battle Tactics • Disguised themselves as locals • Don’t face Americans on battlefield • Retreat to tunnels • 125 miles of tunnels in 1965 • Landmines and booby traps
- 21. Battle of Ia Drang Valley • First major engagement between U.S. and North Vietnamese • Largest and last major land battle • Called “The Valley of Death” • 247 Americans killed and 1,500 North Vietnamese
- 22. Lt. Colonel Hal Moore “I will leave no man behind… Dead or alive. We will all come home together.” (The Valley of Death, 1965)
- 23. Tunnel Rats • Small American soldiers • Crawled into tunnels to fight Viet Cong • Tunnels were booby trapped • Played a valuable role in the war
- 24. Tet Offensive • Launched during Vietnamese New Year • 100 South Vietnamese cities and towns attacked • Took Americans three months to get the upper hand
- 25. Battle of Hue • Major battle in Tet Offensive • 142 Marines and 384 South Vietnamese killed over 24 days • North Vietnamese losses were 8,000
- 26. Marine Private John Moore “I dove over a wall after crossing the street a couple of times. Cement chips and branches flew everywhere. It was so bad we couldn’t even pop up and fire.”
- 27. The Homefront 1968 • Americans divided over the war • Hawks supported the cause • Doves opposed the U.S. in Vietnam • Tet Offensive divided nation more
- 28. The Homefront continued • First draft since Korean War • Some protestors burned draft cards • 50,000 marched on Pentagon • 70,000 fled to Canada and other countries
- 29. Controversy Continues • LBJ does not seek re-election in 1968 • Vice President Humphrey opposes Johnson’s wartime policies • Candidate Nixon says he will end the war
- 30. Lyndon B. Johnson “I will not, I shall not, seek another term as your President.” (March 31, 1968)
- 31. General Westmoreland • Exaggerated death and casualty figures to garner support for war • “Life” magazine portrayed a different picture • More Hawks were becoming Doves • 1,000 U.S. soldiers were dying monthly
- 32. 1968 • MLK assassinated in April • Bobby Kennedy assassinated in June • Major riots in August at the Democratic National Convention
- 33. 1968 Election • Nixon runs against Humphrey and Wallace • His campaign slogan was “Peace with Honor” • 18 year olds could fight, but could not vote
- 34. Songs of Protest, Songs of Support • Bob Dylan Click here for a sample of “Blowin’ in the Wind” • The Kingston Trio Click here for a sample of “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”
- 35. Hanoi Jane • Jane Fonda visits North Vietnam • Meets with American POWs • Continued controversy
- 36. Songs of Protest, Songs of Support continued • Barry Sadler • Merle Haggard Click here for a sample of “The Ballad of the Green Berets” Click here for a sample of “Okie from Muskogee”
- 37. My Lai Massacre • March 16, 1968 • Led by Lt. Calley • 350 innocent Vietnamese women, children, and elderly were killed • The war had reached its lowest point
- 38. Vietnam Moratorium Day • October 15, 1969 • 1 million Americans protest the war • Single largest demonstration in U.S. history • College campuses divided
- 39. Kent State University • Demonstrations at Kent State University in 1970 • Ohio National Guard is called in • Four students are killed and ten wounded • Nixon calls demonstrators “Bums” Click here to play a sample from “Ohio”
- 40. War Ends? • Nixon turns war over to South Vietnamese • Policy is called Vietnamization • Henry Kissinger negotiates for U.S. • POWs released in 1973 Republican Senator John McCain
- 41. South Vietnam Collapses • Americans leave and Communists keep advancing on the South • President Ford wants to intervene, but Congress refuses • Saigon falls
- 42. Vietnam Finale • Longest “war” in U.S. history • Total price tag: $200 Billion
- 43. Statistics Continued • Military hardware left behind • 3.5 times more bombs dropped than WWII • Three million people killed and one million wounded
- 44. 30 Years Later • Trade embargo lifted in 1994 • President Clinton visited Vietnam in 2000 • Evidence of U.S. presence everywhere
- 45. Reasons for Getting Out • Guerilla warfare • Tunnels and booby traps • Morale at home
- 46. Vietnam Today • 30 years as one nation • “United” under Communism • Signs of progress
- 47. Ho Chi Minh’s Legacy • Ho died in 1969 • The George Washington of Vietnam • People visit his body daily in Hanoi
- 48. Vietnam Today • Most favored nation trading status with U.S. • Full diplomatic relations with the United States
- 49. Vietnam Vets • 87% of Americans hold great esteem for Vietnam Vets • Vietnam Vets have lowest unemployment rates of all Vets • Vietnam Vets adjusted to civilian life quite well
- 50. Vietnam in the Movies • Many famous, well-respected films • Often critical of government and war, in general • Most not exactly school-appropriate
- 51. Forrest Gump QuickTime™ and a YUV420 codec decompressor are needed to see this picture. Click the movie above to play the clip.
- 52. Apocalypse Now QuickTime™ and a YUV420 codec decompressor are needed to see this picture. Click the movie above to play the clip.
- 53. Full Metal Jacket QuickTime™ and a YUV420 codec decompressor are needed to see this picture. Click the movie above to play the clip.
- 54. Full Metal Jacket QuickTime™ and a YUV420 codec decompressor are needed to see this picture. Click the movie above to play the clip.
- 55. Good Morning, Vietnam QuickTime™ and a YUV420 codec decompressor are needed to see this picture. Click the movie above to play the clip.
- 56. Vietnam Veterans in Government • 13 veterans in the U.S. House of Reps. • 5 veterans in the U.S. Senate • Senators Kerry and McCain were war heroes • Both ran for the Presidency
- 57. Vietnam Memorial • Most-visited site in D.C. • 58,000 names on the wall • A tribute to those who served and who died
- 58. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder • Once called “shell shock” and “Post-Vietnam Syndrome” • New term and diagnosis in the 1980's • Severe psychological and emotional war-related trauma • 72,000 Vietnam Vets are being compensated
- 59. Agent Orange • Developed in the 1940's • Herbicide that controls plant growth • 6 million gallons dumped on Vietnam between 1963 and 1966
- 60. Agent Orange Continued • Chemical shipped in 55 gallon drums barrels were orange striped • Vets exposed to it have more health problems • Lawsuits total $180 million since the 1980's • Linked to severe birth defects
- 61. Lasting Legacy • New ways to look at war • Critical of government • Continued involvement with smaller countries • Veterans’ issues
- 62. Click here for affordable interactive whiteboards: http://www.teachersdiscovery.com/VboardAd/
Notes de l'éditeur
- In the 1960s and 70s, the United States waged war halfway around the world against a country smaller than the state of Wisconsin. The terrain was wet, hot, and packed with jungle. The native people were primitive, by American standards, wily and determined. The seeds of the Vietnam War were planted long before the first U.S. infantry landed. Together we’ll examine the roots of the conflict in Vietnam, the way the war was waged, and the lasting impact the war had on the countries and people involved.
- Vietnam is one of the most controversial chapters in American History. American involvement in this Southeast Asian nation lasted from 1959-1975, costing the United States $200 billion and close to 60,000 lives. Vietnam was the longest war in U.S. history and arguably America’s first defeat.
- Colonial powers have had an interest in Vietnam for 2,000 years. The Chinese wanted its rich rice fields and by the 1500s, Europeans were coming to Vietnam searching for spices and eventually opium. The Chinese, French, Japanese, and the United States tried to seek power and control in Vietnam and every nation failed in their effort to do so.
- Japan seized Vietnam from the French during WWII as the French concentrated their efforts on fighting Nazi Germany and defending their homeland. The United States supported Vietnam during the Second World War in fighting against the Japanese. Once Japan was defeated by the allied nations, Vietnam declared its independence. The French, however, were unwilling to give up their colonies, and waged what the Vietnamese call the First Indochina War.
- Vietnam’s leader was Ho Chi Minh. Ho spent his early life traveling and studying in France, Russia, and China. Ho turned to Communism in the 1920’s and desired that Vietnam become Communist once it became free, Ho’s revolutionaries known, as the Viet Minh, worked closely with American intelligence officers during WWII. The “Star-Spangled Banner” was played at Vietnam’s independence celebration in 1945, American planes filled the skies of Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh read a document similar to the American Declaration of Independence.
- Ho Chi Minh appealed to President Truman in 1945 to recognize the independence of Vietnam. The United States was becoming very concerned with the Communist presence of China and the USSR and their perceived aggressive goal of world domination. Truman did not welcome another Communist nation joining their ranks. The United States helped finance and supply the return of French soldiers to Vietnam in 1946. The French would fight Ho’s Viet Minh from 1946 to 1954.
- The final battle for the French against the Vietnamese took place in northwest Vietnam at Dien Bien Phu. 50,000 Viet Minh surrounded 13,000 French as the battle waged on for two months. The United States considered military assistance but had its own problems to deal with in nearby Korea. France surrendered to the Vietnamese on May 7, 1954.
- Ho Chi Minh assumed that all of Vietnam would become one nation after the French left in 1954. His allies, the Soviets and the Chinese, feared that America might become involved in a new conflict. Similar to Korea before it, Vietnam was divided at the 17th parallel line with the North remaining Communistic and the South Democratic. Ho became leader of the north with a capital at Hanoi and Ngo Dinh Diem lead the Anti-Communists in the South with their capital at Saigon.
- The United States, totally distrustful of Communist aggression worldwide, adhered to the Domino Theory when it came to U.S. policy in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. U.S. leaders, including President Eisenhower, believed that when one country fell to Communism, then other neighboring countries would soon follow, falling like dominos. The United States propped up the Diem Administration with military and economic aid, hoping to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam.
- Ngo Dinh Diem became the leader of South Vietnam. He was supported economically and militarily by the United States. Diem appeared more concerned with his own wealth and power than with his original promise to bring democracy to South Vietnam. Diem was a Vietnamese Catholic who had been educated in the west and was greatly admired by John F. Kennedy. Diem faced opposition from the Viet Cong, a term meaning “Vietnamese Communist.”
- The Geneva Accords required South Vietnam to hold elections by 1956. Both Diem and the United States recognized that if free elections were held, the National Liberation Front or Communists could win as much as 80 % of the popular vote. Diem therefore cancelled the elections. The Viet Cong, under Ho Chi Minh, continued to gain strength and popularity, especially in the rural villages. Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy continued to pump billions of dollars into the Diem regime to keep the Communists out. Kennedy sent 1,500 “advisors” to Vietnam in 1961. These advisors were often soldiers of the Special Forces, trained to weaken and fight the Communist supporters.
- General Maxwell Taylor was Kennedy’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Taylor was pessimistic about U.S. action in Vietnam. Taylor traveled to the region and his report to the Kennedy administration is outlined on the slide.
- Rebel forces led by generals in the South Vietnamese army surrounded the Presidential palace in Saigon in November 1963. Diem was overthrown and murdered in the back of an armored personnel carrier. Less than a month later, U.S. President Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas. Critical Thinking Question: How do you think the deaths of these men impacted the situation in Vietnam?
- Vice President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in on Air Force One shortly after JFK’s assassination. President Johnson was committed to winning in Vietnam by escalating U.S. involvement and defeating the Communists. Therefore, Vietnam is commonly referred to as “Mr. Johnson’s War.”
- In 1964, the American destroyer Maddox was fired upon by a Communist PT boat in the Gulf of Tonkin. A torpedo missed hitting the Maddox and the U.S. destroyed the boat. President Johnson ordered the bombing of North Vietnamese naval bases in retaliation for the torpedo attack. This gained President Johnson much support in the upcoming Presidential election.
- Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964. This controversial document gave the President unprecedented power to fight North Vietnam without a formal declaration of war. Only two members of Congress voted against this resolution.
- The North Vietnamese Army (NVA) continued to gain strength as Communist “Freedom Fighters” invaded South Vietnam on the Ho Chi Minh trail. The Viet Cong built a sophisticated system of tunnels and conducted a Guerilla War against U.S. and South Vietnam forces. This forced the United States to increase or escalate military involvement. Critical Thinking Question: How would you fight against a stronger enemy?
- The United States secretly bombed the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos in 1964. Early in 1965 the U.S. began Operation Rolling Thunder, the systematic bombing of North Vietnam, with the distinct purpose of preventing Communist troops and supplies from moving to the South. President Johnson also called for a major increase in American troops.
- This slide displays the increase of U.S. combat troops sent to South Vietnam and America’s policy of escalation.
- American soldiers quickly learned that this was a different type of war. The U.S. was prepared to fight a war similar to the Korean War, but Vietnam provided numerous challenging obstacles. The Viet Cong would infiltrate villages and dress like the people living there. American troops struggled with what the enemy looked like and where to find them. The enemy could be an elderly lady in a remote village that might shoot at Americans. The Viet Cong could also retreat to miles of caves and tunnels after coming out to fight the Americans. These tactics, and more, were difficult to overcome.
- The battle of Ia Drang Valley was the first major battle and last traditional battle between the Viet Cong and Americans. This battle took place between October 18 and November 24, 1965. During this battle, the 1st Cavalry Division, severely outnumbered, inflicted major casualties on the Viet Cong which caused North Vietnam to change their battle tactics for the duration of the war.
- Lt. Col. Hal Moore led the 1st Cavalry Division at Ia Drang Valley. He was the first man off the helicopter when the troops were brought in, and the last to leave the battlefield.
- The United States responded to tunnel retreats by the Viet Cong by sending smaller American soldiers into the tunnels to blow up or flush out the enemy. These soldiers became known as Tunnel Rats. Besides putting themselves in harm’s way with the Viet Cong, they also encountered rats, snakes, scorpions, and booby traps in the tunnels.
- By 1968, the United States was successful in destroying much of the tunnel system by dropping bombs on an area called the Iron Triangle. Unfortunately, by this time, the Viet Cong had gained militarily after launching the Tet Offensive in January of that year. The Tet Offensive was a Communist attack against 100 towns and cities in South Vietnam which caught the Americans completely off guard.
- The worst fighting during the Tet Offensive took place at the city of Hue. Many citizens in Hue had government connections in Saigon. The Communist forces murdered 2,000 civilians in that ancient city. The battle of Hue was fought for 24 days.
- Marine private John Moore was a member of Fox Trot Company, which was heavily involved at the battle of Hue.
- The Tet Offensive added fuel to the fire on the home front in 1968. The Vietnam War, already controversial, became the leading political issue, the talk of the nation. Those who supported the war were called Hawks, and those against, Doves. The nation was divided over the war.
- Greg Clevenger was a senior in high school in 1968. Greg attended Lansing Everett High School and like many young men at his age, Greg was a Hawk. Vietnam was so controversial that the 12th grade students were prohibited from discussing it in government class. The lottery draft was implemented on December 1, 1969. Greg was a freshman in college and received the college deferment status, the last group exempted from being drafted. Many of Greg’s friends, one year younger, were drafted even if they were in college. Some of Greg’s friends fled to Canada, some refused to fight and went to prison for two years, and some went to Vietnam and never came home. As we continue, we’ll see how Greg’s world changed as the war continued to impact American life.
- Beyond the classroom, students could be heard asking each other, “What’s your lottery number?”, “Are you a Hawk or a Dove?” and, sometimes half jokingly, “I’m going to Canada!” The war remains the most controversial national issue in Greg’s lifetime. Greg remembers President Johnson addressing the nation on a regular basis regarding Vietnam. President Johnson announced to the nation that he would not seek another term in office in the 1968 election.
- Greg remembers tuning into LBJ on television and listening to the American leader as he briefed the nation.
- Like many young men his age, Greg kept track of deaths and casualties from radio, television, and newspapers reports. It appeared from the numbers that the United States was “wiping out” the Viet Cong. These reports came from the leading commander in Vietnam, General Westmoreland. His fabricated figures painted a distorted picture on what was really happening in Vietnam. “Life” magazine, one of America’s most popular publications, printed another side to the story with graphic color photos of the horrors of war. Greg, like so many, would begin the transition from Hawk to Dove.
- 1968 could be the most turbulent year in United States history. President Johnson became a victim of his own war, Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis in April, and Bobby Kennedy, the front-runner for the presidency, was assassinated in Los Angeles in June. Even more turmoil occurred in Chicago in August of 1968 when major riots broke out at the Democratic National Convention.
- Greg Clevenger could not vote in the 1968 election. Eighteen-year-olds were fighting and dying in Vietnam, but would not be able to legally vote until the 1972 election. Nixon campaigned on the promise that he would get the U.S. out of Vietnam, and there would be “Peace with Honor.” Critical thinking question: Was it fair that the draft age was 18, but the voting age was 21?
- As the war and the public discussion about the war continued, the nation’s popular musical artists began voicing their opinions. Folk music experienced a significant resurgence as many singers and song writers began using their music as a form of protest against the war. Though certainly not alone, these two acts are pretty representative of popular music that protested the United States’ involvement in Vietnam.
- In 1972, American actress Jane Fonda traveled to North Vietnam. During her visit she met with American prisoners of war and spoke out against what she thought was U.S. aggression. During her trip she was photographed sitting inside a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun--a weapon that would have been used to shoot at American pilots. She was heavily criticized by supporters of the war and soldiers who said she was a traitor. They even asked for her to be arrested. Fonda has continued to be criticized for her visit and given the nickname “Hanoi Jane” by people who compare her to other enemy propagandists. Today, many celebrities continue the tradition of speaking out against policies they dislike, with varying degrees of success and backlash. Critical thinking question: Can you think of any politically active celebrities?
- Other musicians used their talent to express support for the U.S. government. These two examples highlight some common themes among songs that were distinctly pro-American: the bravery of American soldiers, and the ridiculousness of hippie counter-culture.
- A most disturbing event took place in Vietnam on March 16, 1968, at a small village called My Lai. Lt. William Calley was ordered to go to My Lai and find the Viet Cong. American soldiers, very battle weary by this time, opened fire on innocent women, children, and senior citizens, killing 350 civilians in a massacre that lasted several hours. Lt. Calley was later sentenced to 20 years “hard labor” for his role in the My Lai massacre, though he only served three and a half years of house arrest.
- Vietnam Moratorium Day took place on October 15, 1969. One million Americans participated in peace vigils, protest rallies, and anti-war demonstrations. This was the single largest demonstration in United States history. Greg remembers the demonstration at Spring Arbor College when the “Doves” gathered together to protest U.S. involvement in Vietnam. His college professors were divided and let their views be known to students.
- Kent State University in Ohio became the focus in 1970 when students once again demonstrated against U.S. interventions in Southeast Asia. The Governor of Ohio called in the National Guard to monitor the demonstration. Rocks were thrown when demonstrators were ordered to disperse; shots were fired killing four students and wounding ten. President Nixon had called the protestors “Bums.” The song that is playing is “Ohio,” by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. It is another protest song and was written directly in response to the shootings at Kent State.
- President Nixon continued with a plan to turn over the war to the South Vietnamese, called Vietnamization. National security advisor Henry Kissinger negotiated with the North Vietnamese for three years to bring the war to an end. Both China and the Soviet Union put pressure on North Vietnam to end the war, relations were improving between the three superpowers. After a final two-week bombing campaign against North Vietnam, a final settlement was signed on January 27, 1973. American prisoners of war were freed and the U.S. Soldiers were now coming home.
- North Vietnam still desired to take over South Vietnam. Even though South Vietnamese forces had been armed and trained by the United States, it was impossible for the South to ward off Communist advances. President Ford had taken over for President Nixon after Watergate, and in a last ditch effort, he asked Congress for emergency funds to keep South Vietnam from collapsing. Congress refused. On April 30, 1975, the government of the Republic of Vietnam surrendered to forces from North Vietnam. Saigon, South Vietnam’s capital, was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnam War was over.
- Vietnam remains the longest war in U.S. History, a war that was never officially declared by the United States. The estimated cost of the war was $200 Billion.
- Enough military hardware was left behind to supply the fifth largest army in the world. Three and a half times more bombs were dropped on the Viet Cong than the bombs dropped in WWII. Three to five million people were killed in the war, and up to fifteen million wounded.
- Greg Clevenger finally got to go to Vietnam, 30 years later. Flying into Ho Chi Minh City, which used to be called Saigon, the old presence of the U.S. military could be seen everywhere at Tan Son Nhat International Airport. President Clinton lifted the trade embargo against Vietnam in 1994 and full diplomatic relations were restored in 1995. This enabled Greg to travel to Vietnam with other educators.
- It was a surreal experience for Greg to visit the tunnels and booby trap displays which killed American soldiers and weakened American morale. During the American Revolutionary War, the British often commented, “Damn those Americans, they will not stand and fight!” The same came to be true for the Viet Cong. Breaking the morale at home was probably the biggest reason for the U.S. leaving Vietnam.
- Communist propaganda can be seen throughout Vietnam. They are proud of their unification under Communism and it appears that the country is progressing, and in fact, its economy is one of the fastest-growing in the world.
- Ho Chi Minh is the hero of Vietnam. There are signs of “Uncle Ho” throughout the nation. He is known as the George Washington of Vietnam.
- Greg Clevenger was welcomed into neighborhoods and business districts by Vietnamese. He was often the only Westerner in the place of business and remains most impressed by the gentleness, graciousness, and friendliness of the people of Vietnam. The United States as a nation seems to have a similar impression--U.S. relations with Vietnam are friendly and strong.
- When veterans returned in 1973, many faced harsh treatment and name-calling from U.S. citizens. Heroin could be purchased on the streets of Saigon for a nickel a bag and it t was rumored that soldiers were doing drugs due to the unpopularity of the cause. The My Lai massacre still plagued attitudes at home. As this slide shows, though, most Vietnam veterans thrived upon their return home.
- Since its beginning, the war in Vietnam sparked filmmakers’ imaginations. Many of the films they made about the war went on to become widely-recognized masterpieces. Often, but not exclusively, the films took a very critical stance against the war. We’ll look at some excerpts of some famous Vietnam movies, though admittedly, many of the films show war in all its brutal, vulgar reality. (note to teacher: the following clips can be considered school-appropriate for most classes)
- In this clip from Forrest Gump, Forrest and Bubba arrive in Vietnam for the first time. Notice the landscape, and the hard-eyed door gunner on the watch for enemies. The soundtrack features “Fortunate One” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The song is protesting the fact that sons of rich, influential men did not have to fight, but young men from poorer families were drafted.
- In this famous section of Apocalypse Now, Robert Duval plays Lt. Col Kilgore, cavalry battalion commander. He’s just ordered a napalm air strike. Listen for his famous “I love the smell of napalm in the morning” line, and watch at the end, when a shell lands close by. How is Kilgore’s reaction different from everyone else’s?
- The first half of Full Metal Jacket is devoted to showing the realities of boot camp. Here the new recruits sleep with their guns, a lesson about how important a weapon is to a soldier. The drill sergeant is played by R. Lee Ermey. He’s gone on to play similar characters in film and television.
- In this clip, taken from later in the film, the character Joker is being interviewed for a documentary. Critical Thinking Question: How is Joker’s response contradicted by the surrounding area?
- This clip is from Good Morning, Vietnam, starring Robin Williams as a radio host in the military. He uses humor to help soldiers cope with their stressful circumstances. Throughout the film, he confronts military censorship and disillusionment as he learns that in war, some rules must be followed and some rules are always broken.
- Vietnam Veterans continue to play vital leadership roles in American society. At the national level, there currently are 18 Vietnam Veterans serving in Congress, 13 in the House of Representatives and 5 in the United States Senate. Former veterans John McCain and John Kerry, both war heroes and United States Senators, have also run for the top office in the land.
- The Vietnam Memorial, dedicated in 1982, is one of the most visited sites in Washington, D.C. Often called “The Wall,” it stands a short distance from the Lincoln Memorial and lists the names of 58,000 Americans who died there…a lasting legacy for their sacrifice. People often leave flowers, teddy bears, photos, and other objects at the foot of the wall to honor their lost loved ones. Other people make charcoal etchings of the names embossed on the wall.
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is caused by severe emotional and psychological trauma related to a stressful, often dangerous experience, like serving in Vietnam. PTSD was not officially recognized until the 1980's. Before that time PTSD was referred to as shell shock or traumatic war neurosis. It was also called Post-Vietnam Syndrome. PTSD symptoms can include nightmares, anxiety, and in extreme cases, flashbacks. 72,000 Vietnam Veterans are receiving government compensation for PTSD.
- One of the most controversial side effects of the war involves Agent Orange, an herbicide developed during the 1940's by British and American scientists to help control the growth of broad-leaf plants. Six million gallons of Agent Orange were dropped by the U.S. military on Vietnam between 1963 and 1966. Spraying Agent Orange, and other similarly-named herbicides, helped destroy dense jungles which enabled the United States to better see the enemy hiding in the jungle. Agent Orange was shipped in 55 gallon orange-striped barrels and that is how it derived the name.
- Soldiers who were exposed to the chemical have had higher incidents of cancer and genetic affects. Vietnam veterans have sued the makers of Agent Orange and won a $180 million settlement in 1984. Agent Orange exposure has also been linked to severe birth defects in children of soldiers and children born in Vietnam, though some scientists, and the companies responsible for creating Agent orange, dispute that still.
- Vietnam’s impact is still felt today. We’ve come to expect the broadcast of wars and conflicts, a trend that began with Vietnam. Americans today are much more likely to feel distrustful of their government’s policies and abilities to wage war. What started with American involvement in Korea, and continued into the Vietnam conflict, established a policy of active presence in a series of smaller countries that continued through the 1980s and still exists today. The Vietnam War produced a massive number of wounded veterans, a group of people the country continues to struggle to account for, and even more who still bear the psychological traumas of the fighting. When the totals of what was lost and what was gained are finally added together, perhaps the question we’ve been asking--”Why War?”--remains difficult to answer.