1. Chapter 22 Section 5 Notes The End of the War

2. Nixon Tries To End the War (Jan. & Feb. 1969)
Authorizes peace talks with the North after inauguration
U.S. Wants N. Vietnam to leave South
S. Vietnam’s Govt. would stay in power
Led by Nguyen Van Thieu
N. Vietnam wants U.S. troops out of the South
S. Vietnam’s Govt. would no longer exist
Vietcong would control the country, unite it with the North
Neither side willing to compromise… War Continues

3. Vietnamization (mid 1969 – 1972 election)
Nixon’s policy during his 1st term
Gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam
Takes 3 yrs (from 540,000 to 25,000)
Train S. Vietnamese to fight their own war
Goal = “Peace with Honor”
Don’t look too bad when you leave
Still fight NVA and VC during this time
Bomb areas in the North
Try to stop supplies from getting to VC in South
Wants peace
But one that U.S. and S. Vietnam likes
Left: A U.S. Soldier showing new S. Vietnamese military recruits how to use a weapon.
Right: Sec. of Defense Laird showing how many troops have come home since Vietnamization started

4. Public Opinion towards War lowers For Several Reasons
Invading Cambodia
My Lai Massacre
Pentagon Papers
The Kent St. Shootings

5. The My Lai Massacre
Occurred in Mar. 1968, public finds out in Nov. 1969
Report in Cleveland Paper
Reprinted in New York Times
U.S. soldiers purposefully killed over 200
S. Vietnamese civilians
Most were women and kids
Only the head was put in prison
All others were “following orders”
People in U.S. outraged

6. Invading Cambodia and Laos (begins April 30th 1970)
Countries west of S. Vietnam
Nixon did this without asking Congress
Goes on TV and announces it to U.S.
Why?
Containment (communism spreading there)
Try to destroy Ho Chi Minh Trail
Troops and supplies coming from North
VC going across border to hide
Major reaction on college campuses
1.5 million students protest
“Why get other countries involved?”
Seems opposite of Vietnamization

7. Kent State Shootings May 4th, 1970
College in Ohio had students protesting
Gets out of control
Army building burned down 2 days earlier
National Guard sent out to restore order
Protesters throw stuff at them
Guardsmen fire into the crowd
4 protesters killed, 9 wounded
Most media supportive of students

9. More Protests Most Anti – Govt. and Anti – War
Some support the military and govt.
referred to as hardhats
Blue collar people sick of anti – war
The 2 groups clash at rallies

10. Pentagon Papers (June 1971)
Secret Documents leaked to NY Times and Wash. Post
Had info about early U.S. involvement in Vietnam
Showed that govt. had no intention of ending the war
Unless N. Vietnam caved in to U.S. demands
The Govt. tried to stop these from being published
Sup. Court case NY Times vs. U.S.
All happens in about 3 weeks… very rare (explain)

12. 1972 – Peace Talks Get Close **** NOTICE THE TIMING****
N. Vietnam start large attack (Mar. 1972)
U.S. counters
large aerial bombing runs
In North and South
One mistake near Saigon
Famous photo taken (right)
Result = Stalemate again
Peace Talks bring a tentative deal (Oct. 1972)
U.S. agrees to get all troops out
N. Vietnam doesn’t need to get all troops out
**** NOTICE THE TIMING****
Right before U.S. Presidential Election
Eventually falls through… WHY?
S. Vietnam’s Govt. doesn’t agree
Refuses to sign peace documents
War continues

13. Christmas Bombings (1972)
100,000 bombs dropped by U.S. over 11 days on N. Vietnam’s largest cities
Ordered by Nixon
Tried to get a more favorable peace
No surrender from N. Vietnamese or VC
Countries around the world thought this was bad
Bottom line: Didn’t work

14. Final Peace Treaty (Jan. 1973)
Same agreement as before Christmas Bombings
Tentative Armistice
Occurs in Paris
S. Vietnam still doesn’t like it
U.S. doesn’t really care anymore… wants out
All ground troops out by March

15. What happens in Vietnam after U.S. Leaves?
N. Vietnam breaks armistice
starts fighting with S. Vietnam
South asks us for help (troops + supplies)
We don’t send troops, way less supplies
War between N. and S. lasts 2 yrs
North Wins
S. Capital City of Saigon Falls
U.S. personnel flee Embassy
Help some S. Vietnamese escape
Renamed Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam Becomes All Communist
All Businesses Nationalized
400,000 S. Vietnamese imprisoned
1.5 Million attempt to flee the country
Many die

17. What Happens in Cambodia when U.S. Leaves?
Civil War
Communist Group (Khmer Rouge) gains power
Led by Pol Pot
Killed 1 million people
Anyone with an education or foreign ties

18. War Powers Act (1973) Passed by Congress to limit power of President
Response to LBJ (Tonkin Gulf) and Nixon (Cambodia)
Not allowed to send troops anywhere without notifying Congress within 48 hrs.
If Congress doesn’t approve it, troops must be recalled within 90 days
Debate still exists whether this is really followed

19. Final Results of Vietnam
Over 58,000 U.S. soldiers die
Wall in Wash. DC honoring them
Around 200,000 U.S. wounded
8 million tons of U.S. bombs dropped
4 times more than in all of WWII
Over 2 million Vietnamese die
Over 5.5 million Vietnamese wounded

20. Aftermath for Returning U.S. Soldiers
Media and general public look down on them
No “heroes welcome” like in WWII
Many develop disorders after the war
Headaches
Nightmares
Memory Lapses
Abuse Drugs
High Suicide rates
High Homeless rates

21. Aftermath for U.S. Society
Many find it difficult to trust govt. anymore
Many become apathetic (don’t care) about govt.