Nixon & Vietmnamization President Nixon won in 1968. He had a promise to get US troops out of Vietnam 3. Vietnamization: The idea being that S. Vietnamese troops would take over for US troops and do the fighting.

Army sent troops into My Lai because it was thought to be hiding Vietcong (South Vietnamese Communists) ii. Everyone was Vietnamese – soldiers could not tell who was friendly or not iii. Soldiers were instructed to destroy the village iv. Villagers were lined up and executed My Lai Massacre

My Lai Massacre v. Many of the dead were Women, children and the elderly vi. Some were tortured or raped. vii. Lt. Calley, killed hundreds of people, with Calley himself opening fire on a bunch of the villagers he forced to gather in a ditch. viii. Sources say anywhere from between 347 and 504 people died

Effects of My Lai US Government tried to hide it. ii. Most US Soldiers were responsible and honorable, exceptions like this turned the US Public against US Soldiers iii. It was violation of human rights policy iv. It increased anti-war protests

Nixon in Cambodia 1. In 1970 Nixon decided to invade Cambodia. ii. This led to Kent State Protest ii. Congress repealing the “Gulf of Tonkin” Resolution. (Remember that gave president near absolute power to conduct war)

Kent State 1. College Students at Kent State protested the war expanding into Cambodia 2. Ohio National Guard was called to break up the protest and ended up shooting/killing 4 students.

Fall of South Vietnam 1. Two years after US troops left (1975) North Vietnam invades the South 2. US refuses to help again 3. North Vietnam Wins and Vietnam becomes Communist Country US evacuating last US personal out of South Vietnam after it “Loses” and falls to North

Vietnam Legacy #1 COST $170 Billion in Direct Cost ii. 50,000 US Troops killed and 300,000 US Troops injured iii. 1,000,000+ Vietnamese Soldiers + Countless Civilians Died Vietnam Memorial dedicate 1982 (10 years later)

Vietnam Legacy #2 (POW) For some Americans the war remained unresolved ii. Some US Troops were either POW (Prisoner of War) MIA (Missing in Action)

Vietnam Legacy #3 “Cold War” i. Many Americans viewed Vietnam as a defeat. ii. They began to question ideas of containment

Vietnam Legacy #4 Skeptism of Gov't i. Congress passed War Powers Act to limit the President’s ability to go to war ii. Things like My Lai Massacre, Watergate, and Pentagon papers made the US public more skeptical of Government Those born after this era tend to not trust the government