The War Winds Down USII.20 Lesson #4

Class Objectives By the end of class, you will be able to… Define Vietnamization. Summarize the My Lai Massacre and Pentagon Papers. Differentiate “hawks” and “doves.” Explain American frustration with the Vietnam War and explain what happened at the Kent State protests. Explain what happened after peace was finally agreed upon. List the long term effects from the Vietnam War. Define the purpose of the War Powers Act.

Vietnamization Vietnamization was the plan to gradually reduce American troops and allow the South Vietnamese to do more of the fighting. Nixon asserted that this was not a form of surrender. He wanted to maintain a strong American presence through air raids to make sure the U.S. had power when bargaining with the North Vietnamese.

Massacre at My Lai In November 1969, Americans learned of a horrifying event that happened in the spring of 1968 in the small Vietnamese village of My Lai. Under the command of William Calley, American troops massacred over 200 old men, women, and children. Calley eventually went to prison for his role in the killings. While most American soldiers served honorably, this event tarnished the image of the soldiers fighting in Vietnam in the eyes of the public.

Hawks and Doves The country was divided by people who supported and opposed the Vietnam War. Hawks supported the morality of the war. Doves opposed the morality of the war. These terms are still used today to describe those who support/oppose wars in the U.S.

The Invasion of Cambodia In April 1970, Nixon announced that American forces attacked Cambodia to destroy Vietcong bases. This sparked many protests at colleges across the nation. At Kent State University, on May 4, 1970, Ohio National Guard soldiers, armed with tear gas and rifles, fired on demonstrators without an order to do so. Four students died and nine other were wounded. Two days later police killed two African Americans at Jackson State College in Mississippi over the same issues.

The Pentagon Papers In December 1970, Congress repealed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution because Nixon would not inform them of his actions in Vietnam (gave the president too much power). In 1971, the Pentagon Papers were leaked to the New York Times which said that during the Johnson presidency, many of his advisors privately questioned the war while publicly supporting it. The documents also detailed decisions that the president made without consulting Congress showing how Congress could be deceived. This confirmed that the government had not been honest with the American people.

The United States Pulls Out By 1971, 2/3 of Americans wanted out of Vietnam. On January 27, 1973, both sides agreed to end the war and restore peace in Vietnam. The United States promised to withdraw all troops, and both sides agreed to exchange prisoners of war. After 8 years (America’s longest war) the nation ended its direct involvement in Vietnam.

South Vietnam Falls The last American troops had barely pulled out when the North Vietnamese launched a full-scale war against the South. Nixon promised S. Vietnam that the U.S. would “respond with full force” if N. Vietnam violated the peace agreement. With Nixon resigning due to the Watergate Scandal, Gerald Ford asked for money to aid the South but Congress refused. On April 30, the North captured the Southern city of Saigon and renamed it Ho Chi Minh City.

The War’s Human Toll The United States paid over $170 billion in direct costs for this war. About 58,000 Americans died during the war. About 300,000 were injured. Between South and North Vietnam, about 1,000,000 soldiers died during the war. When American soldiers returned home many had a difficult time dealing with the psychological effects from the war (PTSD). Many wanted to forget the war, which lead to many people not recognizing the efforts and sacrifices made by the troops.

POW’s Many families were distraught over the classification of their family members as prisoners of war (POW’s) or missing in action (MIA). Many families thought that the government had not told the truth about these troops. In 1982, the nation dedicated the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., a large black stone wall with the names of all those who died during the war.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

The War’s Impact on the Nation In 1973, Congress passed the War Powers Act, which required the President to inform Congress of any commitment of troops within 48 hours and to withdraw them within 60 – 90 days unless Congress approved the troop commitment. Reestablished some limits on executive power The war led some Americans to adopt a return of isolationism. The war (and the Watergate scandal) increased Americans’ cynicism and distrust of the government.