End of Vietnam War

Nixon’s Actions  Nixon’s Silent Majority:  “So tonight, to you, the great silent majority of my fellow Americans, I ask for your support. I pledged in my campaign for the Presidency to end the war in a way that we could win the peace.”

Nixon’s Actions  Bombing of Cambodia:  April 30, 1970, President Nixon stuns Americans by announcing a huge offensive of US and South Vietnamese troops into Cambodia  He said it was "...not for the purpose of expanding the war into Cambodia but for the purpose of ending the war in Vietnam and winning the just peace we desire."

 Nixon announces Vietnamization: –U.S. will hand over responsibility for the war to the South Vietnamese – troops will slowly come home Nixon’s Actions

 1973: Peace agreement – US agrees to pull out troops  March ‘73: Last American troops left South Vietnam  1975: North Vietnam defeats South Vietnam

Formerly Saigon A United Vietnam

The Costs 1.3,400,000 Vietnamese killed 2.58,000 Americans killed; 300,000 wounded 3.Under-funding of Great Society programs

The Impact  26 th amendment  Voting age  War Powers Act  President needs Congress’s approval after 60 days

Vietnam Syndrome  A political concept, not a medical syndrome  The idea that, after Vietnam, Americans will no longer support ongoing wars that don’t directly relate to American interests

Predict…  What lessons did America learn from Vietnam?

Vietnam Syndrome Lessons Lessons politicians have taken from Vietnam: 1.Set clear, winnable goals. 2.Wars must be of short duration. 3.Wars must have few American casualties. 4.Limit media access to battlefields. 5.Maintain public support. 6.Set deadline for troop withdrawals.

Escalation

Pentagon Papers 1971  What were they?  What did they show?  What were the arguments of each side?  What is prior restraint?  What was the Supreme Court’s decision & its reasoning?