Vietnam Conflict: End of the War & its Legacy

US History 11

The Americans Chapter 22 Section 5

Vietnamization

a. Nixon’s policy to withdraw US troops from Vietnam

b. South Vietnamese gradually take over combat role in war

c. By 1972 only 25,000 of 500,000 left

d. “peace with honor”

My Lai Massacre

a. March 1968

b. US troops murdered 200 innocent Vietnamese civilians in village (elderly, women, children)

c. Searching for Vietcong

d. Given order to “kill anything that breathed”

Invasion of Cambodia

a. April 1970

b. U.S. troops went in to clear out supply centers of Vietcong

c. Sparked more protests & violence in U.S.

Kent State

a. Student protest of war & Cambodian invasion

b. National Guard called in

c. Fired into crowd of protesters

d. 4 people killed & 9 wounded

Pentagon Papers

a. Revealed govt plans for the war even as President Johnson had been promising not to send U.S. troops

b. Never a plan to end the war as long as the North Vietnamese persisted

c. U.S. govt had not been honest about their war intentions to the public

Repeal of Tonkin Gulf Resolution

a. December 1970

b. Reaction by Congress to Nixon’s invasion of Cambodia without notifying them at all

US troops withdraw from Vietnam

a. January 27, 1973 U.S. signed agreement to end war & restore peace

b. North Vietnamese would remain in the south

c. March 29, 1973 last of U.S. combat troops came home

Fall of Saigon

a. Cease-fire between North & South Vietnam failed once U.S. was gone

b. March 1975 North Vietnam launched all out attack on the South

c. April 1975 North captured capital city of Saigon

d. South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam

Vets Homecoming

a. Cold homecoming for vets

b. No celebrations, parades

c. Faced criticism, rejection, hostility from public

d. Post traumatic stress disorder, recurring nightmares, health issues

e. Drug/alcohol addictions

f. Suicide

Legacies: Draft

a. Abolished by US government

b. men must still register today

Legacies: War Powers Act

a. President must inform Congress within 48 hours of sending forces into a hostile area without a declaration of war

b. Troops could not remain more than 90 days unless Congress approves the actions or declares war

Legacies: Vietnam Syndrome

a. Altered U.S. view on foreign policy

b. Before immediately intervening in foreign affairs, look at risks to our own national interests first

Legacies: faith in government

a. Suspicious of government

b. Concealing of information

c. Lying about statistics & actions taken

Facts & Statistics

a. entire conflict last from 1954-1975 but fighting occurred before & after those dates

b. “war” was never officially declared by the U.S.

c. cost to U.S. $200 billion

d. 58, 148 Americans killede. 2.338 soldiers were listed as MIA

(missing in action)f. 766 soldiers were POW’s (prisoners

of war) g. 114 POW’s died while in captivityh. average age of soldiers in Vietnam

was 23.11 years

i. Longest war in U.S. history & the only war the U.S. lost

**U.S. military/combat involvement in Vietnam is usually considered to be from 1964-1973 (8 years, 5 months & 20 days)

**If our entire involvement from 1950 until 1973 is counted it is the longest war. If only from 1964-1973 then the U.S. war in Afghanistan has surpassed Vietnam. (October 7, 2001-present)

Vietnam Today

• Socialist Republic of Vietnam

• Communist State

• President & Vice President

• Prime Minister

• National Assembly (legislative branch)

• Have elections for above

• Other political parties not allowed!