1. Section 5: The End of the War and Its Legacy
Richard Nixon tells Americans he will restore law and order - > get the U.S. out of Vietnam
1968 – Nixon wins

2. Vietnamization
Henry Kissinger (National Security Advisor) and Nixon’s plan for gradual withdraw of U.S. troops
500,000 – 25,000 American troops in Vietnam ( )

3. Peace with Honor
Maintain U.S. pride and keep South Vietnamese govt. intact while removing American troops
Nixon secretly orders bombs to be dropped on Vietcong shelters in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia

4. Troubles on American Soil
Americans read about the My Lai Massacre
1970 – Nixon tells America we have invaded Cambodia
1st general student strike in our history -> 1.5 million students close down 1,200 colleges
“Hardhats” continue to support the govt.

5. Pentagon Papers
7,000-page document reveals govt. had plans to send American troops to Vietnam when Pres. Johnson promised he would not

6. America’s Longest War Ends
Kissinger negotiates with North Vietnam
U.S. drops 100,000 bombs on Northern cities
1973 – last American troops leave Vietnam
South Vietnam surrenders to the North in 1975

7. Legacy of Vietnam 58,000 Americans die 2 million Vietnamese die
Southeast Asia is unstable
No victory parades for veterans
500,000 of 3.3 million soldiers develop post-traumatic stress disorder -> leads to depression, drugs, suicide

8. Legacy of Vietnam 1.5 million people flee Communist Vietnam
Khmer Rouge (Cambodia’s Communist leadership) kills 1 million - anyone with education or foreign ties

9. Legacy of Vietnam Hawks believe U.S. could have won
Doves believe it would have remained a stalemate
Draft is abolished
Congress passes War Powers Act
Pres. must inform Congress within 48 hours of sending forces into hostile area without a declaration of war
Americans become suspicious of govt.