Goal: Explain the nature of war in Vietnam and why America was unsuccessful.

QOD: What piece of legislation allowed the US President to use war powers to send troops to Vietnam?

Homework: Finish Notes—will be posted on the class website. Test and binders on Thursday

The End of the Vietnam War

Anti-War Protests on the Homefront As a result of the military draft, civil rights movement,

and television coverage of the war, many college students began to protest the war. 300,000 protested in

New York City in August 1967.

Cause: During the late 1960’s, protests against the war became more popular in the U.S. The stress of the war causes LBJ not to run for President for a second term.

Result: Elected in 1968, President Nixon begins withdrawing U.S. troops from Vietnam in 1969. This policy was called “Vietnamization” because it allowed U.S. troops to pull out while the South Vietnamese increased their combat role.

http://watergate.info/1969/11/03/nixons-silent-majority-speech.html

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Remaking his ImageRemaking his Image His appearances were now His appearances were now

carefully staged and scripted.carefully staged and scripted. His platform slogan on His platform slogan on

Vietnam was “Vietnam was “peace with peace with honor.honor.””

Nixon exploited America’s Nixon exploited America’s resentment against the resentment against the counterculture, portraying counterculture, portraying himself as the spokesperson himself as the spokesperson for the Silent Majority. for the Silent Majority. Nixon vowed a “Nixon vowed a “law and law and

orderorder” presidency to clean ” presidency to clean the streets of these the streets of these protesters. This vow would protesters. This vow would be problematic as it later be problematic as it later became clear that Nixon became clear that Nixon himself was a law violatorhimself was a law violator. .

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Nixon exploited rising concerns Nixon exploited rising concerns aboutabout Violence and crimeViolence and crime Drug useDrug use Sexual permissivenessSexual permissiveness Racial tensionsRacial tensions The counterculture’s rejection of The counterculture’s rejection of

authorityauthority In order to solidify the support of In order to solidify the support of

what he called the Silent Majority, what he called the Silent Majority, Nixon adopted a social conservative Nixon adopted a social conservative platform that includedplatform that included anti-abortion anti-abortion pro-censorship pro-censorship government aid to parochial government aid to parochial

schoolsschools This platform appealed to the This platform appealed to the

following social conservative following social conservative constituencies constituencies Urban Catholic (ethnic) votersUrban Catholic (ethnic) voters Blue collar workersBlue collar workers White Southerners and some White Southerners and some

suburbanitessuburbanites

Americans were polarized in the late 1960s. Many were fed up with what they perceived to be the extremism of the counterculture, as well as a rise in violent crime, including urban riots. These moderates and conservatives were ready for a “law and order” platform.

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At home, Nixon exploited At home, Nixon exploited the polarized themes the polarized themes that differentiated that differentiated liberals from liberals from conservatives and conservatives and further divided the further divided the nation. nation.

Nixon, the “law and Nixon, the “law and order” President, came order” President, came down hard on the down hard on the counterculture.counterculture.

Nixon began a war on Nixon began a war on drugs that continues to drugs that continues to this day. this day.

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The Vietnam War, would The Vietnam War, would be the central issue for be the central issue for Nixon from 1968 Nixon from 1968 through 1971.through 1971.

Nixon called his war Nixon called his war

plan plan “peace with honor” “peace with honor” to bring the war to an to bring the war to an end – something the end – something the majority of Americans majority of Americans wanted – but on terms wanted – but on terms that saved America’s that saved America’s face.face.

This photo captures polarized positions on the Vietnam War. It was taken in New Zealand. The Vietnam War was a polarizing issue throughout the globe.

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declared that the U.S. would declared that the U.S. would honor its commitment to honor its commitment to southeast Asia by supplying southeast Asia by supplying arms and aid, but not troops, arms and aid, but not troops, against direct or indirect against direct or indirect communist aggression in the communist aggression in the region.region.

Nixon’s policy of turning the Nixon’s policy of turning the war over to the South war over to the South Vietnamese was called Vietnamese was called “Vietnamization.” “Vietnamization.”

Doomed because Doomed because The ARVN (South The ARVN (South

Vietnamese troops) were Vietnamese troops) were not the motivated army not the motivated army needed to fight for the needed to fight for the

most Vietnamese people most Vietnamese people were not behind the were not behind the Americans in this endeavor.Americans in this endeavor.

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In OctoberIn October,1969,1969, the first , the first major moratorium on major moratorium on Vietnam occurred – it was a Vietnam occurred – it was a national teach-in against the national teach-in against the war involving between two war involving between two and ten million Americans in and ten million Americans in public protest across the public protest across the country. country.

This protest enraged Nixon, This protest enraged Nixon, who vowed to ignore the who vowed to ignore the peace movement and peace movement and accused protesters of being accused protesters of being traitors.traitors.

Blamed his failed Vietnam Blamed his failed Vietnam policy on these protesters, policy on these protesters, claiming the protesters kept claiming the protesters kept the U.S. military from the U.S. military from “victory.” “victory.”

The Moratorium on Vietnam march involved millions of people across the country. The march in the photo above occurred in Wisconsin. President Nixon’s reaction to the march further polarized the country and set the stage for the events of Kent State the next year.

The Bombing of Cambodia

Result: On March 18, 1969, American B-52s began carpet-bombing eastern Cambodia and Laos and dropped 540,000 tons of bombs , killing anywhere from 150,000 to 500,000 civilians. The bombing was kept secret from the American people. It led to the Cambodian Genocide

Cause: The Vietcong moved soldiers and supplies through Cambodia and Laos over the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

The Kent State Shooting After Nixon announced the bombing of Cambodia, the Nation erupted in protests. On May 4th, 1970, At Kent State University in Ohio, the National Guard was sent

in due to massive protests and near riots.

Film Clip

After some commotion, the

guardsmen opened fire, killing four

students and injuring nine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FakLUusNlXc

After some commotion, the

guardsmen opened fire, killing four

students and injuring nine.

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,We're finally on our own.

This summer I hear the drumming,Four dead in Ohio.

Gotta get down to itSoldiers are gunning us down

Should have been done long ago.What if you knew her

And found her dead on the groundHow can you run when you know?

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Nixon’s response to the Nixon’s response to the resurgent antiwar resurgent antiwar demonstrations in 1970 was to demonstrations in 1970 was to order the CIA, the FBI and his order the CIA, the FBI and his own secret “dirty tricksters” to own secret “dirty tricksters” to infiltrate and sabotage the infiltrate and sabotage the antiwar movement.antiwar movement.

In 1971, Nixon created In 1971, Nixon created the the PlumbersPlumbers, a secret white house , a secret white house operation intended to sabotage operation intended to sabotage his enemies – often by illegal his enemies – often by illegal means. means.

Increasingly, Nixon felt himself Increasingly, Nixon felt himself under siege by the protesters, a under siege by the protesters, a Democratic Congress, and Democratic Congress, and hostile presshostile press

Nixon had built his career by Nixon had built his career by lashing out at his enemies, and lashing out at his enemies, and by the early 1970s he began to by the early 1970s he began to cross the line between legal and cross the line between legal and illegal power. illegal power.

E. Howard Hunt, above, and G. Gordon Liddy (below in a recent photo), were White House burglars. Liddy, a small-Liddy, a small-time crook who saw himself time crook who saw himself as a mastermind, as a mastermind, concocted burglary, concocted burglary, kidnapping, firebombing, kidnapping, firebombing, and other schemes against and other schemes against Nixon’s enemies.Nixon’s enemies. He’s now a favorite on FOX News and right wing radio.

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In June, 1972, the Plumbers In June, 1972, the Plumbers were caught breaking into and were caught breaking into and bugging the Democratic bugging the Democratic National Headquarters at its National Headquarters at its WatergateWatergate complex. complex.

When Nixon learned of their When Nixon learned of their bungled operation he bungled operation he immediately sought to cover it immediately sought to cover it up and began to obstruct the up and began to obstruct the legal investigation. legal investigation.

For this cover up, Nixon would For this cover up, Nixon would be tried for impeachment and be tried for impeachment and would resign in 1974 to avoid a would resign in 1974 to avoid a guilty verdict.guilty verdict.

http://www.youtube.com/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aZ8vNagvkswatch?v=6aZ8vNagvks

Watergate in Washington, DC.

The Christmas Bombing In order to force North Vietnam to make

concessions at the peace talks, Nixon orders massive bombings of Hanoi and Haiphong.

Paris Peace Accords a cease-fire was finally signed on January 27, 1973 by the

United States, North Vietnam, and South Vietnam negotiated by Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Its

provisions were:•Cease-fire in-place and troop withdrawal

• All parties committed to no further acts of force on ground, in the air, and on the sea.

• Return of all captured military personnel and foreign civilians within 60 day period

• Exercise of South Vietnam's right of self-determination

• North and South Vietnam to begin peaceful negotiations on establishing normal relations and reunification.

Henry Kissinger, The United States Secretary of State, later

justified the Paris Peace Accord by saying,

"We believed that those who opposed the war in Vietnam would be satisfied with our withdrawal,

and those who favored an honorable ending would be

satisfied if the United States would not destroy an ally.“

America's longest war was over.

Cause: By March 1973, the last U.S. forces left Vietnam.

Result: The North Vietnamese overran South Vietnam two years later.

Peace with Honor

The last Americans leave the American Embassy in South

Vietnam

Results of the Vietnam War • There were 58,000 Americans, 400,000 South Vietnamese, and over 900,000 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese killed in Action.

• 304,000 Americans wounded

• Over 10,000 American MIA/POW’s

• U.S. officially recognized Vietnam in 1989

• Vietnam still remains a united nation under a communist government

• Both Cambodia and Laos fall to communism

The Communist rename Saigon, the capital of the South, Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam did and still remains communist to this day

Remaining Americans will be evacuated and sent home.

In 1975, North Vietnamese troops march into South Vietnam.

The Fall of Saigon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6gZefW4yEA

The Vietnam War Memorialhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6gZefW4yEA

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was not dedicated until 1982, more than seven years after the end of the war.

Film Clip