VIETNAM, CH 22 Section 4

1968 Tet Lunar New Year Truce War funerals Tet Offensive Vietcong launch attack on over 100 towns and 12 U.S. air bases Takes U.S. a month to regain control of towns 32,000 Vietcong die 3,000 U.S/ARVN die Shook American public

Election of 1968/Democratic Party Eugene McCarthy Senator Runs on anti-war platform Robert Kennedy At first, isn’t going to run After McCarthy holds his own in primary against Johnson, Bobby changes his mind Hubert Humphrey Johnson’s Vice-President

Tragedy April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King assassinated June 5, 1968 Robert Kennedy assassinated

Presidential Election August 28, 1968 Protesters converge in Chicago at Democratic National Convention Nixon wins Republican candidacy Nixon wins the Presidential Election in November

NIXON AND VIETNAM Section 5

Vietnamization Henry Kissinger National Security Advisor to Nixon “Body Count” Number of Vietcong dead Show that the U.S. was winning, (but we weren’t) Vietnamization “Peace with Honor” Gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops, 500,000 to 25,000 Vietnamese slowly take over August, 1969, first 25,000 troops head home Over the next three years, less than 25,000 remain by 1971

The WAR continues Nixon wanted to maintain U.S. dignity during withdrawal He secretly ordered bombing of Laos and Cambodia Vietcong strongholds Silent Majority – Nixon’s belief that the moderate, mainstream Americans supported war Even as troops coming home from Vietnam, Nixon announces invasion of Cambodia

My LAI Seymour Hersch New York Times reporter March 16, 1968 U.S. platoon under command of Lt. William Calley, Jr. ordered to “kill anything that breathed” Over 200 innocent women, children, elderly killed

Protests April 30, 1970 Nixon orders invasion of Cambodia College students protest Kent State University Protesters burn ROTC building National Guard fires on crowd 9 wounded, 4 killed Jackson State College 12 wounded, 2 killed 4c

Pentagon Papers Leaked to public 7,000 documents that laid out the plans of U.S. entering Vietnam War Showed mistakes made with Vietnam by Johnson administration Hurt Nixon administration Confirmed the growing belief that the American people couldn’t trust the government

1972 Election/Nixon wins March, North Vietnam launch massive attack on South Nixon responds with bombing campaign October, Kissinger secretly meeting with Le Duc Tho (N.V. negotiator) for last year, drops demand the North withdraw Last bombing on Hanoi and Haiphong, 100,000 bombs Moscow, Beijing, Congress say ENOUGH March 29, 1973 Last of U.S. troops come home

Legacy of Vietnam War Americans 58,000 killed 303,000 wounded Vietnamese Over 2 million killed North and South War Powers Act RESTRICT THE POWER OF THE PRESIDENT President must inform Congress within 48 hours of troop deployment 90 days or less  American foreign policy altered …pause, consider risks  People NO LONGER TRUST government