The Vietnam War Era (1954-1975) Lesson 4 The War s End and Effects
The Vietnam War Era (1954-1975) Lesson 4 The War s End and Effects Learning Objectives Assess Nixon s new approach to the war, and explain why protests continued. Explain what led to the Paris Peace Accords and why South Vietnam eventually fell to the communists. Evaluate the impact of the Vietnam War on the United States. Vietnamization My Lai Pentagon Papers Paris Peace Accords. Roy P. Benavidez War Powers Act
The Pullout Begins: Nixon realized Vietnam War needed to end Negotiations begin US wants POWs returned and all communists out of S. Vietnam N. Vietnam USA out of Vietnam + representatives in coalition Government Nixon refused negotiations Peace with Honor In the summer of 1969, Nixon announced the first US troops withdrawal from Vietnam Vietnamization gradual withdraw of US troops in order for the S. Vietnamese to take a more active combat role in the war. Over the next three years, the number of troops in Vietnam would drop from 500,000 to 25,000 Nixon secretly began massive bombings in North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia (Laos and Cambodia housed many Vietcong bases HO CHI MINH TRAIL
III. THE INVASION OF CAMBODIA SPARKS PROTEST A. April 30, 1970, Pres. Nixon announces the invasion of Cambodia to destroy Vietcong military bases. A. Americans felt this act was widening the war, not getting us out of war and it set off more protests, especially on college campuses. B. At Kent State University, National guardsmen shot and killed four students, wounded 9 others. B. Four dead in Ohio C. This increases pressure on Nixon to get us home
Events Intensify the Antiwar Movement Fourteen-year-old Mary Ann Vecchio kneels over the body of Kent State student Jeffrey Miller, age 20. Also killed were Allison Krause, 19; William Schroeder, 19; and Sandra Scheuer, 20.
The My Lai Massacre: In March of 1968 it was discovered that a US platoon massacred over 200 innocent women and children in the small village of My Lai (S. Vietnam) Lieutenant William Calley and his men were looking for Vietcong rebels they didn t find any Men Women and Children Killed 400-500 Hundred Calley was convicted and imprisoned the others were charged for minor offenses
The Pentagon Papers: Congress was furious with Nixon for bombing and invading Cambodia without Congressional approval Congress decided to repeal the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, limiting Nixon s wartime powers The Pentagon Papers were also leaked during this time a 7,000 page report describing Johnson s escalating war plans (when he was telling the American people that he was pulling troops out of the war) New York Times v. United States Government lied to the American public about various stories about the Vietnam War. The papers also showed that there was never a plan to end the war as long as the N. Vietnamese persisted.
V. THE US WITHDRAWS Nixon is re-elected in November1972 and peace talks fail Beginning on December 18, American B-52s and fighter-bombers dropped over 20,000 tons of bombs on the cities of Hanoi and Haiphong. North Vietnam claimed that over 1,600 civilians were killed. The North Vietnamese agreed to resume the talks. A few weeks later, the final Paris Peace Treaty was signed and the war came to a close, In January 1973, a cease fire was announced and US troops withdrew. Our POW s are brought home AFTER THE U.S LEAVES IN 1973, FIGHTING BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH VIETNAM WILL CONTNUE UNTIL APRIL 1975 THE NORTH WILL OVERRUN AND DEFEAT THE SOUTH The countries will be united as a communist nation
THE ONLY ESCAPE IS OFF THE ROOF OF THE EMBASSY BY HELICOPTER OUT TO WAITING US NAVY SHIPS All 400 Americans and 4,000 Vietnamese were saved Many were left behind
The War Leaves a Painful Legacy: The Vietnam War: 58,000 American killed 303,000 wounded North and South Vietnamese deaths topped 2,000,000 The war left many Americans cautious about their government. After Vietnam the government would abolish the draft In 1973, Congress also passed the War Powers Act president must inform Congress of military decisions The war diminished American faith in their government
Effects of the Vietnam War Analyze Data Compare the total number of civilian casualties to the number of military casualties. What do the totals tell you about the effects of modern warfare on civilian populations?
THE LASTING LEGACY OF VIETNAM A. The longest and lease successful war ever. A. (until the War Against Terrorism ) B. 58,195 Americans died, 300,000 wounded and $150 billion dollars was spent. C. The Vietnamese lost 2-3 million soldiers and civilians 1/3 their population D. The US was now divided socially and politically. E. Soldiers who returned struggled with PTSD, drug and alcohol abuse, divorce etc F. There are still 2,300 missing in action (MIA); most presumed dead and many were pilots who were shop down over the sea or in dense jungle. Many were also classified as prisoners of war (POW).
VIETNAM MEMORIAL DEDICATED NOVEMBER 1982 THE WALL HOLDS 58,195 NAMES There are 6 women, all nurses.
Effects of the Vietnam War Analyze Information What economic problems affected the greatest number of Americans? Explain.