Oklahoma Academic Standard 6. The student will analyze the origins of international alliances and efforts at containment of Communism following World War II.

Objective 6.3  Analyze the series of events and long term foreign and domestic consequences of the United States’ military involvement in Vietnam including the Domino Theory, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the Tet Offensive, the presidential election of 1968, university student protests led by the counterculture  movement, expanded television coverage of the war, the War Powers Resolution Act, and the 26th Amendment.

In a Nutshell

Fearful of other countries falling under the Communism rule but also hesitant to engage in direct warfare, presidents during the Vietnam era carefully watched global events. However, the Gulf of Tonkin incident prompted more direct engagement in Vietnam’s civil war. Students should understand how the increased troop involvement contributed to public unrest and protests at home, which pressured Congress to limit the president’s war powers. Students should also understand that an indirect effect of the Vietnam War was the lowering of the age to vote in response to young men being drafted without yet attaining the right to vote.

Teacher Action 

Student Action 

• Provide students with multiple opportunities to evaluate the usefulness of primary and secondary sources for inquiry regarding how mass media altered the public perspective toward military involvement in Southeast Asia.

• Assist students in developing questions about multiple arguments related to age requirements for voting.

• Analyze complex and interacting factors that influence multiple perspectives of the public and government during the Vietnam conflict. 

• Analyze the possible consequences, both intended and unintended on expansion of the powers of the Commander in Chief.

Key Concepts 

Misconceptions 

• hawks, doves

• Eugene McCarthy's appeal to young voters

• credibility gap

• televisions's effect on public opinion, "living room" war

• Kent State; national guard 

• Pentagon Papers

• "silent majority"

• Some students may underestimate the degree of schism within the American public regarding continued commitment to the Vietnam conflict. 

• Some students may not recognize the Constitutional crisis developing during this era, establishing clearer lines of authority regarding the use of combat troops. 

Instructional Resources