1. The Election of 1968: 1.LBJ decided not to seek re-election. 2.He is replaced by RFK, or Bobby Kennedy, JFK’s brother. 3.RFK is assassinated by a Jordanian Immigrant, Sirhan Sirhan. 4.The Republicans nominate Richard Nixon. Nixon wins after there were riots outside the democratic national convention in Chicago from anti-war protests. 1968 – Nixon becomes the next President. He said he had a secret plan to end the Vietnam War, but didn’t reveal details.

2. Nixon appoints Henry Kissinger as his foreign policy adviser. He occasionally advised other Presidents like Eisenhower, JFK, and LBJ. He would eventually become the Secretary of State. Vietnamization – Nixon and Kissinger’s plan to end the war in Vietnam without a U.S. defeat. Goals: Gradually withdraw our troops Ending the war for “Peace with Honor” At least delay the fall of South Vietnam long enough to make it seem like the U.S. wasn’t defeated.

3. In 1969, Kissinger began secretly meeting with Le Duc Tho, the North Vietnamese negotiator. Troop numbers in 1969 – 540,000 Troop numbers in 1972 – 24,200 The withdrawal was slow, but steady as peace talks continued. Secretly, Nixon expanded the war into Neutral Cambodia, to bomb areas of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. This was supposed to be a show of force. The bombing’s were kept secret from Americans, Congress, and even key military leaders.

4. Cambodia was Neutral at the start of the war. In 1970 – there was a revolt and the former ruler was ousted. The new ruler was Pro-American (Suspicious?) Nixon then made his strategy of bombing Cambodia public. He justified the bombings as “Defense of a friendly country.” Nixon also ordered 80,000 U.S. and South Vietnamese troops into Cambodia. Results of this: VC moved deeper in Cambodia, causing more destruction of Cambodia It expanded the Vietnam War instead of bringing it to an end like Nixon promised.

5. Tragedy strikes at home: Anti-War protests were happening all over the country. Demonstrations were common. At Kent-State University in Ohio: 1.Someone or some group set fire to the campus ROTC building. Symbolic of the military. 2.On May 4 th, 1970, The National Guard was ordered onto campus to control demonstrators. 3.They were not welcome, their presence created a lot of tension. A shot rang out, and the troops open fired on unarmed college students. 4 were killed, 9 others were injured. At Jackson State University in Mississippi: - state troopers open fired on protesting students in a dorm room killing 2 and wounding 9 others.

6. 1971 – The New York Times began publishing a collection of secret government documents relating to the war. These documents became known as The Pentagon Papers. The Pentagon Papers: Revealed that the government had frequently misled the public about the course of the war. They were leaked to the press by Daniel Ellsburg, who was a former department of defense official. Ellsburg supported the war, until he visited Vietnam and saw little support from the South Vietnamese and the condition of our troops. Nixon increased bombing in Cambodia and North Vietnam going against his promise. He called it his “madman theory.” He wanted the North Vietnamese to believe he was crazy enough to do anything to win the war. Result: The VC and North Vietnamese pushed forward and held more territory in South Vietnam than ever before. (It backfired) His support is dwindling.