RAH Day 26 AgendaRAH Day 26 Agenda• Goal – to understand how the Vietnam War affected the

US at home politically, socially, militarily and economically. To understand Nixon’s election and domestic policies.

1. Read p 8 and answer questions 1 and 2 – how did the War in Vietnam affect Johnson’s Presidency?

2. Review legacy of war p 153. Read p 11 and 12 and identify the many lessons the US

learned from the Vietnam War4. Cartoon analysis – study p 18 – identify who each caricature

is and what the cartoonist is trying to convey. What one other person should be added to the picture to make it historically complete?

5. The lessons of Vietnam for US foreign policy6. Geography skills – complete p 16 and 177. Read p13-14 – answer guided reading questions 1 and 2 and

Analyzing Reading 1 and 2 – How does RFK compare to LBJ?

• 1948 – Truman elected

• 1952 – Ike elected

• 1956 – Ike reelected

• 1960 – JFK elected

• 1964 – LBJ elected

• 1968 – Nixon elected

• 1972 – Nixon reelected

The End of the War and its LegacyThe End of the War and its Legacy1.Nixon continues Vietnamization – •unpopularity of the war, •the stalled negotiations to end war•increasing casualties

2.My Lai Massacre shocks US – March 16, 1968 Charlie company, after heavy casualties in prior weeks, kills 300 villagers. Seymour Hersh reports on the story Nov. 1969. Americans are outraged at the atrocity of killing the people we were fighting to save

3.Nixon order invasion of Cambodia – April 30, 1970. NVA was using Ho Chi Minh trail to increasing supply to the VC in the South

4.First student strike in US history occurs to protest the Cambodia invasion – 1200 campuses shut down – like in Kent State where 4 were killed & 9 wounded and Jackson State with 2 dead and 12 wounded

5. Congress repeals Tonkin Gulf Resolution Jan 1971– to limit the power of the president to widen the war like in Cambodia and give war powers back to Congress

6. The Christmas bombings take place Dec 1972 because peace talks had broken down due to South’s General Thieu’s refusal to go along with the US proposal. Nixon then orders the very heavy bombing of the North to bring them back to negotiate terms Thieu could accept

The End of the War and its LegacyThe End of the War and its Legacy7. RVN surrenders to NV – the US had pulled out all of its troops by 1973, but continued to fund ARVN. 1974 Congress cut all new aid to RVN and the NVA invaded – ARVN could not hold on – Saigon fell April 30, 1975 the war was over.

8. Vietnam veterans receive cold homecoming – as the war became more unpopular, and events like My Lai were known, many people took out their displeasure on the troops coming home.

9. Cambodia erupts into civil war – the US and NV operated in Cambodia to address the Ho Chi Minh trail, each wanted a compliant gov’t – so each side supported a different group – NV supported communist Khmer Rouge, US supports Lon Nol.

10. To limit the power of the pres in starting and running wars like in Vietnam – Congress requires approval within 60 days of combat or the troops must be brought home. Pentagon Papers showed that the war was not fought to win and the Pres had too much power

11. The draft is abolished in 1973 because the war was winding down and new troops were not needed, and war and the draft were very unpopular due to its inequality

12. Pentagon Papers made clear that the people had been lied to by gov’t, promises were not kept, the war was not run well, the US gov’t did nasty things in the war like My Lai, Agent Orange, napalm, assassinations

The Ceasefire, 1973

The Ceasefire, 1973

Conditions:Conditions:

1.1. U.S. to remove all troopsU.S. to remove all troops2.2. North Vietnam could leave troops North Vietnam could leave troops

already in S.V.already in S.V.3.3. VC will be part of political solutionVC will be part of political solution4.4. General Thieu will remain as General Thieu will remain as

President of RVNPresident of RVN5.5. POWs must be returnedPOWs must be returned

Results:Results: Last American troops left South Last American troops left South

Vietnam on March 29, 1973 Vietnam on March 29, 1973 North Vietnam would resume warNorth Vietnam would resume war 1975: North Vietnam defeats South Vietnam1975: North Vietnam defeats South Vietnam Saigon renamed Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City

The Fall of SaigonThe Fall of Saigon

South Vietnamese South Vietnamese Attempt to Flee the CountryAttempt to Flee the Country

The Fall of Saigon

The Fall of Saigon

America Abandons Its America Abandons Its EmbassyEmbassy

April 30, 1975April 30, 1975

The Fall of Saigon

The Fall of Saigon

North Vietnamese North Vietnamese at the Presidential Palaceat the Presidential Palace

Formerly Formerly SaigonSaigon

A United VietnamA United Vietnam

The CostsThe Costs1.1. 1.5 to 3 million Vietnamese killed1.5 to 3 million Vietnamese killed

2.2. 58,000 Americans killed; 300,000 wounded58,000 Americans killed; 300,000 wounded

3.3. Under-funding of Great Society programsUnder-funding of Great Society programs

4.4. $150,000,000,000 in U.S. spending$150,000,000,000 in U.S. spending

5.5. U.S. morale, self-confidence, trust of government U.S. morale, self-confidence, trust of government decimateddecimated

6.6. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia fell to communist Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia fell to communist regimesregimes

7.7. Cambodia is decimated by civil war and the evil Cambodia is decimated by civil war and the evil brutality of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge – almost ¼ of brutality of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge – almost ¼ of the population is killedthe population is killed

8.8. President Johnson’s presidency is destroyed and President Johnson’s presidency is destroyed and his Great Society weakened and less successfulhis Great Society weakened and less successful

9.9. President Nixon is involved in Watergate scandalPresident Nixon is involved in Watergate scandal

The ImpactThe Impact 2626thth Amendment Amendment: 18-year-olds vote: 18-year-olds vote 1973 - Congress abolished the draft1973 - Congress abolished the draft

all-volunteer armyall-volunteer army War Powers Act, War Powers Act, 19731973 ٭٭

President must notify Congress within 48 hours of President must notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying military forcedeploying military force

President must withdraw forces unless he gains President must withdraw forces unless he gains Congressional approval within 60-90 daysCongressional approval within 60-90 days

Disregard for Veterans Disregard for Veterans seen as “baby killers” seen as “baby killers”

No welcome home (shamed and ashamed), high unemployment, alcohol & drug abuse; poor care of disabled vets: underfunded vets hospitals, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; Agent Orange health problems, birth defects in vets’ children.

POW/MIA issue lingeredPOW/MIA issue lingered Vietnam has been an issue in electionsVietnam has been an issue in elections

Some American POWs Returned from the “Hanoi Hilton”

Some American POWs Returned from the “Hanoi Hilton”

Senator John Senator John McCainMcCain(R-AZ)(R-AZ)

If we have to fight, weIf we have to fight, we will fight. You will kill will fight. You will kill ten of our men and we will kill ten of our men and we will kill one of yours, and in the end it will be one of yours, and in the end it will be youyou who tires of it. who tires of it.

AndAndin the End….in the End….

AndAndin the End….in the End….

Ho Chi Ho Chi Minh:Minh:

Lessons for FutureAmerican PresidentsLessons for Future

American Presidents1.1. Strategy for war must be to use all of the necessary Strategy for war must be to use all of the necessary

resources to win within the context of the history and resources to win within the context of the history and culture of the enemy and allies.culture of the enemy and allies.

2.2. Wars must yield few American casualties.Wars must yield few American casualties.3.3. Planners must develop specific and viable plans for Planners must develop specific and viable plans for

how to bring the troops home.how to bring the troops home.4.4. Develop and maintain Congressional and public Develop and maintain Congressional and public

support.support.5.5. Set clear, winnable goals and match the strategy to Set clear, winnable goals and match the strategy to

achieve the goals, including planning for achieve the goals, including planning for contingencies.contingencies.

6.6. Can’t win a war against a people in their own country Can’t win a war against a people in their own country who have a suicidal devotion to their causewho have a suicidal devotion to their cause

7.7. Leaders must be open and honest about costs, Leaders must be open and honest about costs, reasons, length of effort and shared sacrificesreasons, length of effort and shared sacrifices