1. The End of the Vietnam War
Why does America lose the Vietnam War?

2. My Lai Massacre
New York Times reports US soldiers massacred S. Vietnamese citizens in village of My Lai
While searching for VC rebels, Lt. William Calley orders troops to open fire on 100s of Vietnamese villagers
25 charged, only Calley is sent to prison
Discuss: Was it right that only Calley went to prison?

3. Vietnamization of the War
As war become more unpopular, Nixon and Ntl Security Advisor Henry Kissinger devise a plan known as Vietnamization
1) US will pull out combat troops and turn over ground fighting to ARVN, 2) will increase bombing w/ Operation Linebacker

4. US Invades Cambodia
1970: Nixon announces US has bombed & has invaded Cambodia to stop VC supply lines along Ho Chi Minh trail
1971: US secretly invades Laos
College students around the country burst into protests

5. More Violent Protests
1970: National Guard opens fire into a crowd at Kent State University 4 people killed
Happens again ten days later at Jackson State (Mississippi)
Hawks say its justified, Doves say its murder!
1972: Actress Jane Fonda travels to Hanoi, shows sympathy for Vietnamese causing conservative backlash

6. VQ1) Why did Ellsberg want to release the documents?
The Pentagon Papers
New York Times prints a secret Vietnam memo, that was leaked by Daniel Ellsberg
Memo showed LBJ was planning to continue the war until NV was beaten and govt knew US was not winning war
VQ1) Why did Ellsberg want to release the documents?
VQ2) What was the fear at NYT about releasing the docs?
VQ3) How did Nixon’s Admin react? What did Ellsberg do?

7. US, N. Vietnam & S. Vietnam sign Paris Peace Accords ending war
Fall of Saigon
1973: Trying to improve relations w/ Soviets & China and upset with ongoing leaks, Nixon sends Henry Kissinger to negotiate a treaty
US, N. Vietnam & S. Vietnam sign Paris Peace Accords ending war
Congress passes War Powers Act – limiting President’s ability to wage war without Congressional Approval
: N. Vietnam restarts war by invading S. Vietnam
President Ford asks Congress to help but Congress refuses.
April 1975: Saigon, S. Vietnamese capital falls. North & South Vietnam are unified. Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City
Discuss: Why did the US lose in Vietnam?