The American Presidency During the Vietnam War Era
Scavenger Hunt (20 pts)
Although political, economic, and social struggles plagued Vietnam long before the U.S. pledged to contain communism in that country or anywhere in the world for that matter, the Vietnam War Era spanned the administrations of five U.S. presidents. Complete the Scavenger Hunt below to learn who these presidents are and a few facts and events that occurred during their their administrations in the Vietnam War Era.
Click on the highlighted text to find the answers.
1. Name the five U.S. presidents who were in office during the Vietnam War Era from 1959 to 1975. (5 pts)
2. Approximately how many American military personnel died as a result of fighting in the Vietnam War during some or all of the five presidents' terms of office you listed in #1? (1 pt)
3. As the number of American casualties climbed higher and higher, the military draft system was modified to a “lottery draft system” in 1969. Under which American president was the lottery draft system put into place. Explain how the lottery draft system worked, and why you think the change was necessary. (3 pts)
4. Although geographically the U.S. is located on the opposite side of the world, which American president felt compelled to take control from the French, build the government of South Vietnam and its army in an effort to engage in combat against North Vietnam? This president succeeded President Harry S. Truman. (1 pt)
5. Name the U.S. president who in 1961 covertly sent 400 Green Beret soldiers specifically to train the South Vietnamese to fight a "counterinsurgency" type warfare against the Communist guerrillas present in South Vietnam. (1 pt)
6. The Vietnam War was probably the most controversial war the U.S. has ever entered. Frequent protest and anti-war demonstrations took place nearly every day across America. One such demonstration took place on October 21, 1967 when approximately 100,000 protesters had assembled near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Name the American president in office at the time, and the well-known protester who went on to write the events of that day in his book, The Armies of the Night. (2 pts)
7. Which American president said, "No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much. Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding been so tragic." (1 pt)
8. In January 1973, what official document was signed by the governments of Vietnam and the U.S.and intended to end the Vietnam War? Who was the U.S. president in office at the time? (2 pts)
9. Which article of the official document you named in Question 8 specifies the number of days allowed for the complete withdrawal of American and foreign personnel from Vietnam? How many days were specified in that article? (2 pts)
10. Which U.S. president was impeached for his participation in the “Watergate Scandal” in 1972, and which U.S. president just two years later pardoned him in 1974? (2 pts)
