Cold War PRESIDENTS Truman Eisenhower Kennedy Johnson Nixon Ford Carter Reagan.
Vietnam War Part II: Nixon & the Anti-War Movement US History: Spiconardi.
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Transcript of Vietnam War Part II: Nixon & the Anti-War Movement US History: Spiconardi.
Vietnam War Part II: Nixon & the Anti-War
Movement
US History: Spiconardi
1968: A Turbulent Year Key Events
Tet Offensive LBJ announces he would not seek re-election RFK & MLK, Jr. assassinated Peace talks begin (but not serious talks) Demonstrations at Democratic National
Convention Nixon wins the presidential election
Anti-War Movement Protest Marches
Marches take place in Washington, D.C., New York, and protestors even try to shut down the Pentagon
The Draft Thousands of draftees
resist the draft Could go to college to
have draft deferred Burn draft cards in
protest
Nixon and Vietnamization Nixon actually increases American military
activity in Vietnam at first, but changes is mind after the massive backlash against the war
VietnamizationVietnamization a policy of having South Vietnamese soldiers taking over the ground fighting
Bombing of Cambodia Despite policy of Vietnamization, US still
bombs Vietnam Nixon decides to bomb and invade the
neighboring country of Cambodia Outrages the anti-war movement
Kent State Students protest the
bombing of Cambodia National Guard kills 4
students Across the nation
students go “on strike” to protest the killings in Vietnam & at Kent State
Nixon calls student protestors “bums”
The War Powers Act After 1970, Congress dissolves the Gulf of
Tonkin Resolution The War Powers Act (1973)
Congress passes legislation over Nixon’s veto that gave Congress more power to deal with international conflicts (Reverses powers given to president under Gulf of Tonkin Resolution)
President can send troops over seas, but must inform Congress within 48 hours
President needs Congress’ approval to keep troops overseas more than 60 days
Congress has the power to force the President to bring troops home
Cease Fire In 1973, Henry Kissinger, Nixon’s National
Security Advisor is able to negotiate a cease fire US would remove ground troops, but keep advisors. A coalition government that included the Vietcong
would govern South Vietnam Cease fire does not last long
North Vietnam and South Vietnam resume a full-scale war
US gave financial aid to South Vietnam to fight back
Fall of Saigon: April 30, 1975 North Vietnam and
Vietcong overrun South Vietnam within two years
US evacuates hundreds of American and Vietnamese workers from the American Embassy in Saigon
Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh City
Fall of Saigon North Vietnam sets up
Communist governments in Cambodia, Laos, and South Vietnam
Governments are repressive and massive hunger occurs Many flee their
countries for America Greeted with mix
response
Legacy and Lessons 58,000 Americans killed $170 billion dollar war Divided United States
Doves vs. Hawks Power of the Media
First war fought on television Distrust of government Pentagon
Papers Office of the President is weakened
Legacy and Lessons “…we didn’t know our ally. Secondly, we
knew even less a bout the enemy. And, the last, most inexcusable of our mistakes, was not knowing our own people.”
~General Maxwell Taylor