Student Name

AP US History
Period 2
Chapter 31: The Ordeal of Liberalism April 14, 2008
DQ #5: Discuss the factors that led President Johnson to expand America’s commitment in
Vietnam into a full-scale war. What were the conditions and constraints which made
Vietnam a “quagmire” for American forces and policies?
I. Factors for American Commitment

A. America’s role of Benefactor to South Vietnam---during Kennedy administration

• End of First Indochina War---French lost and surrendered at Dien Bien Phu (1953)

• at Geneva conference---the division of Vietnam at 17th parallel

¤ North (Vietnimh)—under Ho Chi Minh (communist)

¤ South---under Ngo Dinh Diem (pro-West, anti-communist)

• American stepped in to fill the vacuum French left behind--- CIA helped Diem gain authority and
power over South Vietnam

• poured military & economic aid into South Vietnam—by 1956---second largest recipient of American
military aid after Korea

• by 1960s, Diem lost support within his own military & gov’t [due to the efforts of National
Liberation Front –NLF (Vietminh cadres in south who were committed to overthrowing “puppet”
gov’t of Diem; reuniting nation)]

• Kennedy administration in response to televised broadcast of protesting Buddhist monks (burned

themselves opposing to Ngo’s enforcement of Catholicism as nat’l religion) supports rebel group to
topple Diem

• overthrow of Diem led to even more government corruption and instability in S. Vietnam

B. Pressure for American Intervention

• little disagreement between Congress & executive over American involvement in Vietnam ---
Congress, at one time, even endorsed it

C. Obligation to Resist Communism--- Containment Policy

• South Vietnam---anticommunist ally---in need of American aid---cannot let it fall to communism

(domino theory)

• LBJ saw Vietnam as a test of American willingness to fight communism aggression

• Gulf of Tonkin Resolution---after North Vietnamese gunboats fired at U.S. ships in the Gulf of
Tonkin, president pressured Congress to allow a military response by U.S.--> Congress gives consent
(debate of constitutionality---Congress did not declare war)

II. Vietnam---a “Quagmire”

A. Conditions at Vietnam

• Mounting Casualties---1961: 14 American soldiers died; 1966: >4000 soldiers died

• Attrition- strategy premised on the belief that U.S. could inflict enough damage on the enemy that
they will surrender
 • strategy failed b/c North Vietnamese was more committed to the battle (committed more soldiers)

• U.S. bombed Vietminh factories, railroads, etc. to destroy the country’s war-making capacity; also
bombed “Ho Chi Minh Trails” (infiltration routes where north sent in supplies and troop into south)

¤ result not as U.S. expected: Vietminh created underground network of shops & factories;
had increased aid from USSR & China

¤ continued bombing--- heighten anti-American feelings in Vietminh---people more eager

to fight

• “Pacification”- pacify regions of S. Vietnam affected by Viet Cong & win the “hearts and minds” of
people---failure (search-and-destroy tactics utilized by Amer. troops further alienated peasants)

B. Constraints at Home

• as war dragged on, futility of it grew apparent---response: “teach-ins” on university campus (high
opposition from univ. students, since they were ones drafted); rise of American Friends Service
Committee & Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom; opposition also from
popular folk musicians

• Opposing political figures: J. William Fulbright, George F. Kennan, General James Gavin,
Robert E. Kennedy, Robert McNamara

• war-induced inflation: rose 6% in 1969; impossibility of both “guns & butter”---Great Society
reforms faltered ($6 billion reduction of G.S. funding at expense of war tax)

• Credibility Gap-result of misinformation from military & civilian leaders + LBJ’s reluctance to speak
frankly

• Tet Offensive- Jan. 31st, 1968--- communist forces launched attack on Saigon (capital of S.V.)---
television broadcasted the brutality of Vietnamese struggle contributed even more to anti-war
sentiment in America

CONCLUSION: America’s previous commitment to the success and survival of South Vietnam during
Kennedy administration laid down the foundation of works for L.B. Johnson’s continued fight against
communist expansion. The public pressure for America to intervene on behalf of South Vietnam and
obligation to the containment policy drove America to preserve and aid South Vietnam. However, the
Johnson administration later met strong opposition, due to the prolonged Vietnam conflict and
America’s inability to immediately win.