30.5 The End of the Vietnam War

Objectives: To understand the end of the Vietnam WarTo analyze the events that decreased the credibility of the U.S.

government during the Vietnam War

De-Escalation • Nixon was elected on promise of “Peace with

honor”• Did not want America to look weak on world stage • Continued war with North Vietnam even as he

removed troops and conducted peace talks • Vietnamization: define• Begins 1969

• 1970: Nixon orders invasion of Cambodia• Why?• What effect are these moves going to have? On the

war? On America? • War Expands & Anti-war protests at all time high

U.S. Credibility Rocked•My Lai Massacre •March 1968 • Covered up by Army until November 1969 • U.S. soldiers killed over 100 S. Vietnamese civilians on

search and destroy mission • “I poured about four clips into the group…The mothers

was hugging their children…we kept on firing” Paul Meadlo

•Pentagon Papers• June 1971- Daniel Ellsberg leaks Pentagon Papers• Proves that LBJ had planned invasion of Vietnam before 1964• Credibility gap

Lt. William Calley, U.S.A. (Below) & My Lai Village (Right)

Charlie Company landing at My Lai, March 19, 1968

Charlie Company members in My Lai

Charlie Company member takes aim, My Lai, March 19, 1968

Dead civilians, My Lai, March 19, 1968

Charlie Company “WIA”, My Lai, March 19, 1968

Charlie Company members aid wounded child, My Lai, March 19, 1968

Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson, U.S. Army, Recipient - Distinguished Flying Cross

WILLIAM CALLEY ON TIME MAGAZINE COVER, 1971

Kent State May, 1970 KENT STATE RIOT

• Students protesting war burn down ROTC building on Campus•National Guard is called in• -Protestors start to throw rocks on at

the National Guardsmen• -Soldiers open fire on protestors • 9 wounded• 4 killed

•Damages Nixon’s Image

Ohio National Guard Approaches students at Kent State

Peace Talks• National Security advisor Henry Kissinger

and Le Doc Tho work out Paris Peace Accords• Oct 1972- “Peace is at hand” – Kissinger

why important?• Treaty signed Jan 1973- U.S. stops fighting in

Vietnam• March all U.S. troops are out of Vietnam

• War is still being fought between North and South Vietnam • March 1975

• NVA captures Saigon • Communist unify Vietnam/ win war

• Final U.S. casualties• KIA: 58,000• WIA: 360,000

• 1973 U.S. TroopsArrive in America

U.S. Troops after hearing news of theU.S. withdrawal

Other Effects of the Vietnam War • Cambodia • Seized by communist extremists the Khmer Rouge• Pol Pot• Goal is total agricultural society• Westerners exiled• Labor Communes • 1975-1979 – 3 million Cambodians killed

• U.S. Government• 1973- War Powers Act• President must inform congress within 48 hours of sending combat forces into

hostile areas• Cannot stay their for more than 90 days without congressional approval

VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL, Washington, D.C.