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Explore the Cold War President's policy in Vietnam, KheSanh, Tet Offensive, 1968 Presidential Election, Vietnamization, Nixon's secret peace talks, protests, My Lai Massacre, Pentagon Papers, 1972 election, US withdrawal, and the legacy in Vietnam and the US.
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Review • 1. Identify the Cold War President with his policy in Vietnam • 2. What was KheSanh? • 3. Explain the causes & effects of the Tet Offensive. • 4. Discuss the candidates of the 1968 Presidential Election
Vietnamization • “Peace with honor” • Nixon & NSA Henry Kissinger plan secret peace negotiations • Vietnamization • Turn fighting over to S. Vietnamese • Gradual withdraw of US troops • Secretly expanded war > bombing Cambodia & Laos • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLhZryqKVZM
Protests • Nixon policy • April 1970 announced troops in Cambodia > protests • Kent State • May 1970 • Students set fire to ROTC • 4 killed, 9 injured • Jackson State • 9 days later • 2 killed, 9 injured • Public reaction • Shocked & horrified • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fopb-pr2mxM
My Lai Massacre • March 1968 • Lt William Calley led troops on a search & destroy mission • No Vietcong found • Massacre • US troops killed 450 women, children, elderly men
Pentagon Papers • NY Times 1971 • Published secret government documents tracing US military in Vietnam since Truman • Revealed government misled public • Leak angered & embarrassed Nixon • Daniel Ellsberg • Leak (Dept. of Defense)
Election of 1972 • Nixon v. George McGovern • McGovern • Outspoken critic of war • 26th Amendment ’71 • Voting age reduced from 21 to 18
End of U.S. Involvement • Peace talks stalled • Christmas Bombings • Around-the-clock bombing of N. Vietnam cities • Called off without major results • Settlement Jan ’73 • US withdraw troops & agree to help rebuild Vietnam • Both sides release POW’s • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdNnTGCrku0
Legacy • N. Vietnam • 1975 (2 years after US troops left) > N. Vietnam invades S. & captures Saigon • US rushed to evacuate Americans working in city • April 30, 1975 South Vietnam surrendered • Country reunified
Khmer Rouge • Cambodia • 1975 Communist forces (Khmer Rouge) controlled Cambodia • Killed 2 million (1/4 population) • Border dispute > Vietnam invaded in ’79 • Installed puppet gov’t • Vietnam occupied until ’89 when UN peace-keeping forces came
Effects on Vietnam • 185,000 S. Vietnamese soldiers killed • 450,000 S. Vietnamese civilians killed • 1 million Vietcong troops killed • Severe environmental damage
Effects in US • 58,000 US troops killed • Survivors exposed to dangers defoliants • Not welcomed upon return • Trouble readjusting • $150 billion spent • Increased national debt & inflation • War Powers Act 1973 • Affirmed Congressional constitutional right to declare war • Gave President 60-day limit on committing troops without special authority or declaration of war