Vietnam War Turning Point
Background:
The Vietnam War was a long and costly war that involved communist North Vietnam forces known as the Vietcong and Southern Vietnam with the help of U.S. forces. The unpopular war costed 58,000 American lives and a communist controlled Vietnam.
Truman’s Presidency (1945-1953)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
During Kennedy's time as president he dispatched 16,000 advisors and soldiers to Vietnam in attempt to stop communist in north Vietnam. Then later on president Kennedy was killed in dallas and Lyndon Johnson took his place as president.
Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)
Taking over Kennedy’s vacant position was not an easy task. LBJ was fully committed to finish what other presidents had started. Johnson knew he needed Congress approval, and he used the “attacks” on American ships taking place on August 2nd and 4th to his advantage. Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution that gave Johnson’s administration an escalation of military to Vietnam. Johnson initiated Operation Rolling Thunder and deployed ground troops to Vietnam. About ⅓ …show more content…
Both U.S. and South Vietnamese forces payed dearly. The Tet Offensive was the turning point of the war because after it, the people at home started being heavily against the involvement in the war. Although there was already some obvious interest of the war by the media, the Tet Offensive changed the perspective of the war. The media started leaving out important details and instead they focused on only showing civilians getting killed on camera. This negative reputation of the American government was not good. The support was increasingly becoming low. Johnson retired and decided not to run in the upcoming election due to the war itself: ''I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your
The Vietnam War was a long and costly war that involved communist North Vietnam forces known as the Vietcong and Southern Vietnam with the help of U.S. forces. The unpopular war costed 58,000 American lives and a communist controlled Vietnam.
Truman’s Presidency (1945-1953)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
During Kennedy's time as president he dispatched 16,000 advisors and soldiers to Vietnam in attempt to stop communist in north Vietnam. Then later on president Kennedy was killed in dallas and Lyndon Johnson took his place as president.
Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)
Taking over Kennedy’s vacant position was not an easy task. LBJ was fully committed to finish what other presidents had started. Johnson knew he needed Congress approval, and he used the “attacks” on American ships taking place on August 2nd and 4th to his advantage. Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution that gave Johnson’s administration an escalation of military to Vietnam. Johnson initiated Operation Rolling Thunder and deployed ground troops to Vietnam. About ⅓ …show more content…
Both U.S. and South Vietnamese forces payed dearly. The Tet Offensive was the turning point of the war because after it, the people at home started being heavily against the involvement in the war. Although there was already some obvious interest of the war by the media, the Tet Offensive changed the perspective of the war. The media started leaving out important details and instead they focused on only showing civilians getting killed on camera. This negative reputation of the American government was not good. The support was increasingly becoming low. Johnson retired and decided not to run in the upcoming election due to the war itself: ''I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your