VietnamEnd of U.S. Involvement and Legacy

Objectives Understand the Elections of ‘68 and

‘72

Understand Nixon’s exit strategy

How did the Vietnam war change Americans’ perception of our government?

Legacies of Vietnam

Increased Distrust of Gov’t My Lai Massacre – 1968 and 1969

Secret War (Cambodia and Laos)

Pentagon Papers

1972 Election Nixon vs. McGovern (huge war critic)

26th Amendment in 1971

Kissinger Announces “Peace at Hand”

Nixon Landslide

Christmas Bombings

All but 24,000 U.S. troops are gone

Peace Agreement January of 1973

Paris Peace Accord (U.S., North, South, VC)

-Cease Fire-Withdraw of U.S. troops from Vietnam-U.S. to help rebuild-Vietnamese troops hold positions while discussions continue over future

Nobel Peace Prize

Real end of war 1975 – North Vietnam invades south

April – they reach and overrun Saigon

U.S. Military has to evacuate Americans

Unified Vietnam with communist government in South

Khmer Rouge take over Cambodia

Legacies of Vietnam War Changes view of American

government

War Powers Act 1973

“Is this another Vietnam”?

Struggle of Vietnam Veterans

Vietnam Veterans Memorial, D.C.

Vietnam Wall Project http://www.virtualwall.org/