Digital History>eXplorations

Public Opinion and the Vietnam War

Drawing on the following charts and graphs, construct an explanation for changing American views toward the Vietnam War.

You may wish to use timelines for the Vietnam War for reference: (External Links)

• From PBS:Timeline of the Vietnam War
  http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/timeline
• Vietnam Online
  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/vietnam/time/index.html

SUPPORT FOR THE WAR AS MEASURED BY "NO" RESPONSES TO THE MISTAKE QUESTION ASKED:

"In view of developments since we entered the fighting in Vietnam, do you think the U.S. made a mistake sending troops to fight in Vietnam?" (Gallup)

DATE	PERCENT WHO SAID NO
August 1965	61
March 1966	59
May 1966	49
September 1966	48
November 1966	51
February 1967	52
May 1967	50
July 1967	48
October 1967	44
December 1967	46
February 1968	42
March 1968	41
April 1968	40
August 1968	35
October 1968	37
February 1969	39
October 1969	32
January 1970	33
April 1970	34
May 1970	36
January 1971	31
May 1971	28

 

Indicator Pre-TET Post-TET Change

Source: The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion 1935–1971, by George H. Gallup

See http://faculty.smu.edu/dsimon/Change-Viet2.html for more charts.