The War Winds Down

Nixon Moves to End the War Henry Kissinger: special assistant for nat’l. affairs/U.S. diplomat LINKAGE – improve relations with USSR and China to persuade them to cut back aid to N. Vietnam Negotiations with N. Vietnam carried on over 4 years! Cease-fire? How ‘bout returning U.S. prisoners? Can S. Vietnam remain democratic? -Henry Kissinger U.S. Negotiator Nice try, but I don’t think so. - Le Duc Tho N. Vietnamese Negotiator

Nixon Moves to End the War VIETNAMIZATION: the gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops while S. Vietnam assumed more of the fighting - Nixon increased airstrikes on N. Vietnam to ensure bargaining power as the war came to a close Let’s remove 25,000 troops from Vietnam…but remember, this is NOT surrender!

Massacre at My Lai Spring, 1968  An American platoon massacred 200+ unarmed South Vietnamese civilians in the hamlet of My Lai Most were women, old men, and children  The commander who ordered the attack went to prison… …for 3 ½ years.  Americans at home were FURIOUS!

How Did This Happen?

Other War Images Reaching Home

Kent State University – May 4, – Nixon announces strikes in Cambodia (widening the war) College students across the U.S. hold peaceful protests Tragedy at Kent State University, Ohio

The Final Straw  Nixon failed to tell Congress about the invasion into Cambodia =  Gulf of Tonkin Resolution repealed  1971 PENTAGON PAPERS leaked: revealed that many members of the previous Johnson administration disapproved of the war… revealed many of the lies told to Congress and the American public MY BACK!

The U.S. Pulls Out of Vietnam  Nixon vows to end the war – 1972 wins re-election!  January 27, 1973 – peace treaty is signed to “end the war”, exchange all prisoners, and for the U.S. to remove all troops  Just as the last U.S. troops were being removed in 1975, N. Vietnamese launched a full scale attack on the South  All of Vietnam was united under Communism - Saigon now called “ Ho Chi Minh City ”

Vietnam’s Legacy Cost to the U.S.Cost to Vietnam - $170+ billion - Over 1,000,000 deaths - 58,000+ deaths - 300,000+ wounded - Deep psychological scarring - Deep mistrust of the U.S. gov’t WAR POWERS ACT: The President MUST inform Congress of troop commitment within 48 hrs.

HOT POTATO REVIEW

HOT POTATO RULES Hawks should form a circle. Doves should form their own circle. EVERYONE should have a notecard and a pen/pencil Pass the ball around your group’s circle clockwise. When the music stops, whoever is holding the ball must answer a question about the Vietnam War Era. (no student may be chosen twice consecutively…the ball will pass to his/her left) If one team gets it wrong, the other team gets a point. If both teams get it wrong, the turn is over and we start again. If both teams get it right, you duel for the point!

HOT POTATO QUESTION #1 Nixon promoted the idea of Vietnamization. What is Vietnamization.

HOT POTATO QUESTION #2 Extended meetings or classes to discuss social or political issues of Vietnam were called _________.

HOT POTATO QUESTION #3 At which university did military police fire on students? How many students died as a result?

HOT POTATO QUESTION #4 What is the difference between “Doves” and “Hawks”? Initially, which group was seen as unpatriotic and why?

HOT POTATO QUESTION #5 Who was the U.S. diplomat/special assistant to foreign affairs? What was his strategy called that aimed to improve relations with USSR and China to persuade them to cut back aid to N. Vietnam?

HOT POTATO QUESTION #6 Which Democratic candidate for the 1968 election was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan? Who won the election of 1968?

HOT POTATO QUESTION #7 Jellied gasoline that explodes on impact is called _____. _______ is a chemical that strips foliage, leaving farmlands/forests as wasteland.

HOT POTATO QUESTION #8 The U.S. military strategy in Vietnam was _______. This means defeating enemy sources by slowly wearing them down.

HOT POTATO QUESTION #9 The turning point of the war was when thousands of U.S. troops and S. Vietnamese were slaughtered on the Vietnamese New Year. This battle is known as the ____________.

HOT POTATO QUESTION #10 What did the War Powers Act do?

HOT POTATO QUESTION #11 _____________ was the event in the Spring of 1968 that resulted in an American platoon slaughtering 200+ unarmed South Vietnamese civilians in a hamlet village