The Vietnam War and how Americans saw it

Grade 11 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Cards A to D. Card A, President Richard M. Nixon, television address, November 3, 1969 (primary source; Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Nov. 10, 1969), to ask the public for support for his plan to end the war: "And so tonight—to you, the great silent majority of my fellow Americans—I ask for your support. I pledged in my campaign for the Presidency to end the war in a way that we could win the peace. I have initiated a plan of action which will enable me to keep that pledge. The more support I can have from the American people, the sooner that pledge can be redeemed; for the more divided we are at home, the less likely the enemy is to negotiate at Paris." Card B, the Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam, Chapter II, Article 5, January 27, 1973 (primary source; Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Jan. 29, 1973), to set the terms for ending the war: "Within sixty days of the signing of this Agreement, there will be a total withdrawal from South Vietnam of troops, military advisers, and military personnel, including technical military personnel and military personnel associated with the pacification program, … of the United States and those of the other foreign countries mentioned in Article 3(a)." Card C, a summary in our words, written today: The Paris agreement was signed on January 27, 1973. American prisoners of war came home and U.S. troops withdrew from South Vietnam. The two Vietnamese parties did not keep to the terms, and their war went on until April 30, 1975. Card D, a summary in our words, written today: On April 30, 1975, North Vietnamese tanks reached the Presidential Palace in Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam. That effectively ended the war. On the same day President Gerald Ford reported to Congress on the evacuation of U.S. citizens and others from South Vietnam.

2. 1.

   Card A is Nixon's address of November 3, 1969, asking for support. A student says it explains why the 1973 agreement (card B) was reached. What do the cards support, Ari asks?

   • Card A shows the terms of 1973, since he spoke of a plan to end the war and win the peace
   • Card A is a neutral report on the talks, so it can be used to test his claim about them
   • Card A explains the agreement, since the terms in card B came after his plea for support
   • Card A gives his claim and card B the terms, but neither shows the claim caused them
3. 2.

   A student says Article 5 (card B) shows the fighting ended in 1973. What does card C add, Bo asks?

   • Article 5 was not carried out, since card C shows the war went on to 1975
   • Card C is stronger evidence of what was agreed, since it comes later and sees the results
   • Article 5 required a U.S. withdrawal, but card C says the Vietnamese parties' war went on to 1975
   • Article 5 ended the war in 1973, since a total withdrawal of foreign forces leaves no one to fight
4. 3.

   For which question is card D, a summary written today, better evidence than Nixon's address in card A, and what is its limit, Esme asks?

   • What Ford thought of the war's end, since card D says he reported to Congress that day
   • Why the war ended, since card D says the events of that day effectively ended it
   • What Nixon planned in 1969, since a summary written today is checked and he was an interested speaker
   • What happened on April 30, 1975; it cannot show what leaders then expected

5. Use this

   Cards E to I. Card E, the War Powers Resolution, section 2(a), November 7, 1973 (primary source; Public Law 93-148; 87 Stat. 555), to state the purpose of the law: "It is the purpose of this joint resolution to fulfill the intent of the framers of the Constitution [the nation's basic law] of the United States and insure that the collective judgment of both the Congress and the President will apply to the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, and to the continued use of such forces in hostilities or in such situations." Card F, a summary in our words, written today: In October 1973 President Nixon vetoed the War Powers Resolution, calling it unconstitutional and dangerous. On November 7, 1973, Congress overrode the veto and the resolution became law. It says the president must report to Congress within 48 hours after sending U.S. forces into hostilities, and that Congress then has 60 days to decide whether to approve it. Card G, a summary in our words, written today: Presidents Johnson and Nixon later treated the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution as their legal authority for war policy. An air campaign against North Vietnam, Operation Rolling Thunder, began on February 13, 1965, and Johnson sent the first regular ground combat troops. Congress repealed the resolution in January 1971. Card H, a summary in our words, written today: A law signed on November 26, 1969, let the president replace the old draft order with a random drawing of birth dates. The first drawing was held on December 1, 1969. The new system cut the time when a man was most likely to be called from as many as seven years to one year. Card I, a summary in our words, written today: The 26th Amendment says neither the federal government nor any state may block or limit voting by citizens 18 or older because of their age. Congress passed it on March 23, 1971, and the states completed ratification on July 1, 1971. In a statement on ratification, President Nixon said some 11 million young people were now to be fully included in the electoral process.

6. 4.

   Card G says presidents relied on the 1964 resolution; card E states the purpose of the 1973 law. A student calls the reliance its cause. What do the cards support, Jun asks?

   • The law was written to take war powers from the president, since card E says it fulfills the framers' intent
   • The law passed because the war had become unpopular, since Congress overrode a veto
   • The reliance was the single cause, since card G is the one background the cards give
   • Card E states a purpose and card G gives background, but neither says the reliance was the cause
7. 5.

   A student says the draft lottery of 1969 (card H) caused the 26th Amendment of 1971 (card I). What do the two cards show, Kira asks?

   • They show the lottery was a first step toward giving 18-year-olds the vote
   • They show the lottery caused it, since it came first and the amendment followed within two years
   • They show the order of events, but neither card links the lottery to the amendment
   • They show the vote at 18 was the reply to drafting men that young, since both cards mention young men
8. 6.

   Under card F, a president sends forces into hostilities on June 10 and reports to Congress on June 11. When does Congress's 60-day period end, Milo asks?

   • August 10, because the 60 days run from the report
   • August 9, because the 60 days run from the day the forces were sent
   • June 12, because Congress must decide within the same 48 hours
   • August 11, because the period is two months from the report

9. Use this

   Cards J and K. Card J, a table, "Was it a mistake to send troops to fight in Vietnam?" Gallup, percent (columns: poll date, mistake, not a mistake, no opinion): August 27 to September 1, 1965: 24, 61, 15. March 3 to 8, 1966: 25, 59, 16. October 6 to 11, 1967: 46, 44, 10. August 7 to 12, 1968: 53, 35, 12. January 8 to 11, 1971: 59, 31, 10. January 12 to 15, 1973: 60, 29, 11. Gallup polls are reproduced in a Gallup Vault article of May 24, 2016. Card K, a table, deaths of U.S. military personnel in the Vietnam War, by year of the incident (National Archives; record counts, not official statistics): 1964, 216; 1965, 1,928; 1966, 6,350; 1967, 11,363.

10. 7.

    A majority means more than half of all answers. In card J, from which poll can Noah first say a majority called sending troops a mistake?

    • August 7 to 12, 1968, with 53 for mistake and 35 for not a mistake
    • January 12 to 15, 1973, since mistake led by 31 points there, its widest lead in the table
    • March 3 to 8, 1966, since the 59 for not a mistake was then a majority
    • October 6 to 11, 1967, since mistake led not a mistake by 46 to 44

11. Use this

    Cards E to I. Card E, the War Powers Resolution, section 2(a), November 7, 1973 (primary source; Public Law 93-148; 87 Stat. 555), to state the purpose of the law: "It is the purpose of this joint resolution to fulfill the intent of the framers of the Constitution [the nation's basic law] of the United States and insure that the collective judgment of both the Congress and the President will apply to the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, and to the continued use of such forces in hostilities or in such situations." Card F, a summary in our words, written today: In October 1973 President Nixon vetoed the War Powers Resolution, calling it unconstitutional and dangerous. On November 7, 1973, Congress overrode the veto and the resolution became law. It says the president must report to Congress within 48 hours after sending U.S. forces into hostilities, and that Congress then has 60 days to decide whether to approve it. Card G, a summary in our words, written today: Presidents Johnson and Nixon later treated the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution as their legal authority for war policy. An air campaign against North Vietnam, Operation Rolling Thunder, began on February 13, 1965, and Johnson sent the first regular ground combat troops. Congress repealed the resolution in January 1971. Card H, a summary in our words, written today: A law signed on November 26, 1969, let the president replace the old draft order with a random drawing of birth dates. The first drawing was held on December 1, 1969. The new system cut the time when a man was most likely to be called from as many as seven years to one year. Card I, a summary in our words, written today: The 26th Amendment says neither the federal government nor any state may block or limit voting by citizens 18 or older because of their age. Congress passed it on March 23, 1971, and the states completed ratification on July 1, 1971. In a statement on ratification, President Nixon said some 11 million young people were now to be fully included in the electoral process.

12. 8.

    A state asks citizens aged 18 to 20 to pass a test that older voters do not take. Under card I, is that allowed, Pia asks?

    • Yes, because the state does not block the vote; a test is a lesser step than a ban
    • Yes, because the amendment covers federal elections and leaves state rules alone
    • No, because it limits voting by citizens 18 or older because of their age
    • No, but just for men who could be called by the draft, since the vote was tied to it

13. Use this

    Cards J and K. Card J, a table, "Was it a mistake to send troops to fight in Vietnam?" Gallup, percent (columns: poll date, mistake, not a mistake, no opinion): August 27 to September 1, 1965: 24, 61, 15. March 3 to 8, 1966: 25, 59, 16. October 6 to 11, 1967: 46, 44, 10. August 7 to 12, 1968: 53, 35, 12. January 8 to 11, 1971: 59, 31, 10. January 12 to 15, 1973: 60, 29, 11. Gallup polls are reproduced in a Gallup Vault article of May 24, 2016. Card K, a table, deaths of U.S. military personnel in the Vietnam War, by year of the incident (National Archives; record counts, not official statistics): 1964, 216; 1965, 1,928; 1966, 6,350; 1967, 11,363.

14. 9.

    Card J shows the mistake answer going from 24 in 1965 to 60 in 1973. What does the table allow and not allow, Ren asks?

    • That Americans turned against the troops, since 60 percent called sending them a mistake
    • That individual people changed their minds between 1965 and 1973
    • A shift on one question over time, but not the reasons or which people changed
    • That opinion moved steadily year by year from 1965 to 1973

15. Use this

    Cards E to I. Card E, the War Powers Resolution, section 2(a), November 7, 1973 (primary source; Public Law 93-148; 87 Stat. 555), to state the purpose of the law: "It is the purpose of this joint resolution to fulfill the intent of the framers of the Constitution [the nation's basic law] of the United States and insure that the collective judgment of both the Congress and the President will apply to the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, and to the continued use of such forces in hostilities or in such situations." Card F, a summary in our words, written today: In October 1973 President Nixon vetoed the War Powers Resolution, calling it unconstitutional and dangerous. On November 7, 1973, Congress overrode the veto and the resolution became law. It says the president must report to Congress within 48 hours after sending U.S. forces into hostilities, and that Congress then has 60 days to decide whether to approve it. Card G, a summary in our words, written today: Presidents Johnson and Nixon later treated the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution as their legal authority for war policy. An air campaign against North Vietnam, Operation Rolling Thunder, began on February 13, 1965, and Johnson sent the first regular ground combat troops. Congress repealed the resolution in January 1971. Card H, a summary in our words, written today: A law signed on November 26, 1969, let the president replace the old draft order with a random drawing of birth dates. The first drawing was held on December 1, 1969. The new system cut the time when a man was most likely to be called from as many as seven years to one year. Card I, a summary in our words, written today: The 26th Amendment says neither the federal government nor any state may block or limit voting by citizens 18 or older because of their age. Congress passed it on March 23, 1971, and the states completed ratification on July 1, 1971. In a statement on ratification, President Nixon said some 11 million young people were now to be fully included in the electoral process.

16. 10.

    Card I quotes Nixon on 'some 11 million young people' now included in the electoral process. What does the card give and not give, Zee asks?

    • That the amendment was Nixon's own plan, since the statement is his
    • Nixon's figure, but not how it was counted or how many of them voted
    • A precise count of newly eligible young people, since a president reported it
    • That about 11 million young people voted once the amendment took effect