Vietnam War Winds Down

Vietnam

• As the war moves on, more public concern grows– Credibility Gap

• Information that was given didn’t seem right

– Government said one thing, but public saw another

• TV War

• Government begins to question themselves

Vietnam

• People start to protest– Hawks (pro war) and Doves (anti-war)– Anger at the draft

• Heavily publicized– Showed a nation that did not trust their

government– Government not in control of their people

Vietnam

• Things get worse• Tet Offensive- 1968

– North Vietnamese troops and Vietcong launch a surprise attack

• Massacre thousands of South Vietnamese political and religious leaders

– Americans fight back and drive out the Communists

• Advisors claim victory– Public see something else

1968

• Johnson decides not to run for re-election in 1968– Health issues, lack of public support

• MLK Jr, and Robert Kennedy assassinated

• Riots at the democratic national convention

• Nixon wins presidency

Vietnam

• Nixon tries to end Vietnam War– Put Henry Kissinger in charge– End war Diplomatically

• Started to withdraw troops– Vietnamization

• Not a sign of surrender– Orders air strikes over Cambodia

Vietnam

• Americans getting angrier

• My Lai Massacre– Over 200 unarmed South Vietnamese

civilians killed• Most were old men, women, and children

– Caught on camera

• US invades Cambodia– Gulf of Tonkin Resolution repealed

Vietnam

• Public support gone– Kent State

• Four protestors killed

– Jackson State • Two students killed

– Pentagon Papers• Revealed government officials privately

disagreeing with war, but publicly supporting it• Government lying

Vietnam

• Kissinger works hard at ending resolution– “peace is at hand”

• Nixon re-elected

• Peace talks break down– N. Vietnamese troops had to be out of S.

Vietnam– “Christmas Bombings”

• Negotiations resumed after massive bombings

Vietnam

• January 27, 1973– Peace Agreement finally signed

• U.S. troops withdraw– Last soldier left in 1975

• Peace treaty collapses– Americans no longer help South Vietnam– North now controls South

Vietnam

• Legacy– Lost $170 Billion– Lasted 8 years– 58,000 dead, 300,000 wounded– Huge psychological impact

• No welcome home parades, traumatic experiences

– Americans did not trust the government