Changes

Democratic President Jimmy Carter agreed with the Soviet Union to reduce "arms" further by signing "SALT-II" in 1979.  This time conservatives were successful in defeating it in the U.S. Senate (because the treaty was better for the Soviet Union than the U.S.), and it was never ratified to become law.

Democratic President Jimmy Carter agreed with the Soviet Union to reduce "arms" further by signing "SALT-II" in 1979.  This time conservatives were successful in defeating it in the U.S. Senate (because the treaty was better for the Soviet Union than the U.S.), and it was never ratified to become law.

The Cold War lasted until the early 1990s, when communism was overthrown in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.  But communism continues to this day in China (the world's most populated country), Cuba, Venezuela (with oil, one of the most powerful countries in South America), and North Korea.  Some view communism as being good in theory, but bad in practice as it requires suppressing freedom of speech, religion, the press, and even education in order to survive.  But others view communism as evil in theory, as it imposes material equality on all with complete disregard for God's different gifts and purposes for different people.

The Cold War lasted until the early 1990s, when communism was overthrown in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.  But communism continues to this day in China (the world's most populated country), Cuba, Venezuela (with oil, one of the most powerful countries in South America), Vietnam and North Korea.  Some view communism as being good in theory, but bad in practice as it requires suppressing freedom of speech, religion, the press, and even education in order to survive.  But others view communism as evil in theory, as it imposes material equality on all with complete disregard for God's different gifts and purposes for different people.

'''Debate:  What is your view of communism, and the American response to it?'''

'''Debate:  What is your view of communism, and the American response to it?'''

But Johnson's own arrogance, manipulation and intimidating tactics became his undoing.  In the fall of 1964, Johnson was up for reelection and, like many presidents before him, he became paranoid about the possibility of defeat.  The Republican Party nominated the conservative Barry Goldwater, and he was delivering tough, uncompromising speeches against Johnson.  Johnson, who was completely self-centered, watched public opinion polls closely.

But Johnson's own arrogance, manipulation and intimidating tactics became his undoing.  In the fall of 1964, Johnson was up for reelection and, like many presidents before him, he became paranoid about the possibility of defeat.  The Republican Party nominated the conservative Barry Goldwater, and he was delivering tough, uncompromising speeches against Johnson.  Johnson, who was completely self-centered, watched public opinion polls closely.

Johnson then sparked and exaggerated a conflict in Vietnam in order to increase public support for his leadership.  The popularity of a president always increases when America is attacked.  The problem was the facts:  the American destroyer USS Maddox attacked three North Vietnamese P-4 torpedo boats before they could attack us.  Days later a completely false report of an attack on the Maddox by the North Vietnamese was publicized.  Johnson presented this false information to Congress in order to obtain passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which granted Johnson the power to assist South Vietnam against communist aggression.  Based on the Truman Doctrine, this was not a declaration of war, but Johnson used it to support injecting the United States into the Vietnam War and to win reelection in 1964 in a landslide.

Johnson then sparked and exaggerated a conflict in Vietnam in order to increase public support for his leadership.  The popularity of a president always increases when America is attacked.  The problem was the facts:  the American destroyer USS Maddox attacked three North Vietnamese P-4 torpedo boats before they could attack us.  Days later a completely false report of an attack on the Maddox by the North Vietnamese was publicized.  Johnson presented this false information to Congress in order to obtain passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which granted Johnson the power to assist South Vietnam against communist aggression.  This was not a declaration of war, but Johnson used it to support injecting the United States into the Vietnam War and to win reelection in 1964 in a landslide.

Vietnam is a huge country:  81 million people, more than North and South Korea combined.  Vietnam is also a jungle.  The communists had planted land mines everywhere.  A substantial percentage of our casualties in the Vietnam War were from stepping on land mines.  Between 1964 and 1975, when our last troops left, 58,000 American soldiers lost their lives and hundreds of thousands were severely injured.  Unlike today, the mandatory draft was used to compel these young men to fight in this war.

Vietnam is a huge country:  81 million people, more than North and South Korea combined.  Vietnam is also a jungle.  The communists had planted land mines everywhere.  A substantial percentage of our casualties in the Vietnam War were from stepping on land mines.  Between 1964 and 1975, when our last troops left, 58,000 American soldiers lost their lives and hundreds of thousands were severely injured.  Unlike today, the mandatory draft was used to compel these young men to fight in this war.

The United States entered the war on the side of South Vietnam against the communist North Vietnamese, who were backed by China and the Soviet Union.  America won every battle we fought.  But in the jungle warfare, we were not any closer to winning the war after years of struggle.

The United States entered this war on the side of South Vietnam against the communist North Vietnamese, who were backed by China and the Soviet Union.  America won every battle we fought.  But in the jungle warfare, we were not any closer to winning the war after years of struggle.

President Johnson mishandled everything about the war.  He became obsessed with bombing North Vietnam, but wouldn’t let our generals win the war completely.  Instead, LBJ insisted on ordering some bombing raids here and there without doing what was necessary to win the war.  Later politicians swore that we should never repeat the mistake of Vietnam, which means we should never enter a war unless we are committed to doing what is necessary to win it.  Later Presidents also avoided Johnson’s mistake of dictating detailed military strategy from the White House.

President Johnson mishandled everything about the war.  He became obsessed with bombing North Vietnam, but would not let our generals win the war completely.  Instead, LBJ insisted on ordering some bombing raids here and there without doing what was necessary to win the war.  Later politicians swore that we should never repeat the mistake of Vietnam, which means we should never enter a war unless we are committed to doing what is necessary to win it.  Later Presidents also avoided Johnson’s mistake of dictating detailed military strategy from the White House.

We did not run the war any better under President Richard Nixon, who was the next president after Johnson.  We would win a battle and then our leaders, particularly Nixon's adviser Henry Kissinger, would call for a "cease-fire" to discuss settlement.  But the communists had no intention of settling, and they would just use the cease-fires to obtain replacement of all their ammunition and supplies from China and the Soviet Union.  Some of our military leaders could have done better also.  Many of our planes were shot down early in the war, including the one carrying John McCain, and it took years before we improved and better protected our pilots.  We did not anticipate or sweep the territory for land mines as well as we do today, although the jungle in Vietnam made that more difficult than in a desert.

We did not run the war any better under President Richard Nixon, who was the next president after Johnson.  We would win a battle and then our leaders, particularly Nixon's top adviser and future Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, would call for a "cease-fire" to discuss settlement.  But the communists had no intention of settling, and they would just use the cease-fires to obtain replacement of all their ammunition and supplies from China and the Soviet Union.  Some of our military leaders could have done better also.  Many of our planes were shot down early in the war, including the one carrying John McCain, and it took years before we improved and better protected our pilots.  We did not anticipate or sweep the territory for land mines as well as we do today, although the jungle in Vietnam made that more difficult than in a desert.

The war, and particularly the draft, became hugely unpopular.  Americans, particularly students, began protesting the war.  They caused disruption at colleges.  The protests became bigger and bigger.  At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968, hippies caused massive riots that were brutally suppressed by the tough Chicago Democratic Mayor Richard Daley, which was a political disaster for the Democratic Party.  The "Chicago Seven," the hippie ringleaders of the riots, were convicted for disrupting the convention but their convictions were overturned on appeal.  Democrats had hoped to nominate Robert Kennedy, the brother of the late President John Kennedy, but Robert Kennedy was assassinated in June by a disgruntled immigrant from the Middle East (Jordan).  The Democrats then nominated Vice President Hubert Humphrey instead.  (President Johnson himself had pulled out of the race after the first primary in New Hampshire, when he fared poorly due to unhappiness in his own Party about the war.)

The war, and particularly the draft, became hugely unpopular.  Americans, particularly students, began protesting the war.  They caused disruption at colleges.  The protests became bigger and bigger.  At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968, hippies caused massive riots that were brutally suppressed by the tough Chicago Democratic Mayor Richard Daley, which was a political disaster for the Democratic Party.  The "Chicago Seven," the hippie ringleaders of the riots, were convicted for disrupting the convention but their convictions were overturned on appeal.  Democrats had hoped to nominate Robert Kennedy, the brother of the late President John Kennedy, but Robert Kennedy was assassinated in June by a disgruntled immigrant from the Middle East (Jordan).  The Democrats then nominated Vice President Hubert Humphrey instead.  (President Johnson himself had pulled out of the race after the first primary in New Hampshire, when he fared poorly due to unhappiness within his own Party about the war.)

The United States began looking for ways to get out of the war.  When we finally pulled out completely in 1973, the South Vietnamese clung to the wheels or landing gear of the last airplanes and helicopters, begging to leave with us.  North Vietnam eventually conquered South Vietnam after we left (Saigon fell to the communists in 1975), and created the new communist country of Vietnam that exists to this day.

The United States began looking for ways to get out of the war.  When we finally pulled out completely in 1973, the South Vietnamese clung to the wheels or landing gear of the last airplanes and helicopters, begging to leave with us.  North Vietnam eventually conquered South Vietnam after we left (Saigon fell to the communists in 1975), and created the new communist country of Vietnam that exists to this day.