1. End of the Vietnam War
April 18, 2017

2. All communist troops out of South Vietnam POWs returned
Peace Talks
U.S. want:
All communist troops out of South Vietnam
POWs returned
North Vietnam want:
U.S. out of Vietnam
New gov’t in South Vietnam (with Vietcong members)
North Vietnam & South Vietnam refuse to budge
Vietnamization
U.S. gradually remove troops & replaced with S. Vietnamese troops
South Vietnam troops fight own battles
1970: sick of waiting for peace
Bomb Ho Chi Minh Trail (trail to supply Vietcong)
Attack North Vietnam & Vietcong
Violence at home
Kent State University
Students throw rocks/ bottles at Nat’l Guard
4 students shot dead
1968: Nixon president
Unpopular war
Americans want out of Vietnam

3. 1971: My Lai
U.S. looking for Vietcong
In past: many U.S. killed/ injured by Vietcong posing as civilians
U.S. shoot & kill unarmed civilians ( )
Some soldiers did NOT participate
1971: Pentagon Papers
U.S. involvement in Vietnam
Confirms: Gov’t uninformed/ lied to Congress
1971: 2/3 Americans want troops withdrawn
Even if Communists take over
Nixon: to win re-election in 1972 (need to exit war)
October 1972: U.S. & N. Vietnam PEACE
Cease fire
U.S. withdraw from S. Vietnam
POWs returned (550)
N. Vietnam to stay in S. Vietnam

4. November 1972: Nixon wins re-election
For U.S. – War Over
For Vietnam – NOT Over
Don’t obey cease-fire
1975: Vietnam unified (comm.)
Death Toll
U.S. – 58,000 (300,000 injured)
Vietnam – 2 million dead
Did Communism Spread???
Yes (but not as bad as thought)
Laos and Cambodia turn comm.
No appreciation to returning troops
No warmth/ No parades
Physical/ psychological issues
$$$ + Death Toll = Distrust Leaders
War Powers Act: President must consult Congress within 48 hours if send troops to foreign conflict
U.S. – No Foreign INVOLVEMENT
Don’t want another “Vietnam”