Transcript Chapter 22 Section 5 Notes The End of the War

Chapter 22 Section 5 Notes
The End of the War
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
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
Public Opinion towards War lowers
For Several Reasons
Invading Cambodia
Pentagon Papers
My Lai Massacre
The Kent St. Shootings
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
Invading Cambodia and Laos
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
(begins April 30th 1970)
Kent State Shootings
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
May 4th, 1970
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
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)
1972 – Peace Talks Get Close
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Aftermath for U.S. Society
Many find it difficult to trust govt. anymore
Many become apathetic (don’t care) about govt.