Inside the Vault: Eisenhower's Views on Vietnam with Professor Michael Birkner

On October 6, 2022, our curators discussed documents pertaining to Dwight D. Eisenhower’s views on Vietnam in 1967 and 1968. They were joined by Professor Michael J. Birkner of Gettysburg College, who described Eisenhower’s evolving perspective and influence on US foreign policy in the years after his presidency. USE THE TIMESTAMPS BELOW TO JUMP TO THE TOPICS YOU WANT TO VIEW 4:23–5:08: Today’s documents 5:09–12:20: What Dwight D. Eisenhower thought of Vietnam during his presidency 12:22–21:20: Relationship between Lyndon B. Johnson and Eisenhower 21:40–23:38: Eisenhower at Gettysburg 23:39–27:14: General William Westmoreland and Eisenhower 27:15–31:19: “A Balance Sheet on Bombing” 31:20–43:28: Precision bombing 43:55–45:44: “Negotiations: Hopes and Realities” 45:45–47:02: Tet Offensive 47:03–48:24: Johnson’s reaction to the Tet Offensive 48:25–57:16: “Negotiations: Hopes and Realities” ABOUT THE GILDER LEHRMAN COLLECTION Take a deep dive into America's story with a subscription to the Gilder Lehrman Collection! Unlock thousands of digitized primary sources for just $25/month or $100/year. Subscribe: https://gilderlehrman.org/collection. ABOUT INSIDE THE VAULT "Inside the Vault: Highlights from the Gilder Lehrman Collection" is a Zoom presentation where we discuss historical documents from the Gilder Lehrman Collection with historians, teachers, and friends of the Institute. Join our curators on the first Thursday of the month and learn the fascinating stories behind our documents. This event is for teachers, students, and their families—and everyone with an interest in history! To register for the upcoming program, visit https://gilderlehrman.org/insidethevault. #americanhistory #americanrevolution #museumcollections #archives #archivesofinstagram #primarysources #historyeducation