Section 3: The Vietnam War EndsSection 3: The Vietnam War Ends

As the war escalated, a lot of As the war escalated, a lot of people in America were furiouspeople in America were furious

They felt the U.S. had They felt the U.S. had no business involving no business involving itself in another itself in another country’s civil war.country’s civil war.

Others thought some Others thought some of the things our of the things our soldiers were doing soldiers were doing was just evil.was just evil.

Others felt the cost to Others felt the cost to America was just too America was just too high (in deaths and high (in deaths and injuries, costs of the injuries, costs of the war, conflicts about war, conflicts about who went…)who went…)

The picture below was taken at Kent State University (in Ohio), during a protest where our soldiers opened fire on protesting college students.

Students were some of the Students were some of the biggest groups of protestorsbiggest groups of protestors

Most had friends who were Most had friends who were in Vietnamin Vietnam

You could avoid the You could avoid the military by going to college military by going to college – which meant there were a – which meant there were a lot more soldiers who were lot more soldiers who were drafted because they were drafted because they were poorer.poorer.

African Americans:African Americans: 20% of the troops20% of the troops 24% of combat deaths24% of combat deaths But 11% of the American But 11% of the American

population.population.

Martin Luther King said he saw Martin Luther King said he saw the war as an enemy of the the war as an enemy of the

poorpoor Those people who support Those people who support

war: war: hawks (10/11)hawks (10/11) Those people who are Those people who are

against war: against war: doves (12/13)doves (12/13)

The Peace SignThe Peace Sign

What does it mean? What does it mean? Gerald Holtom, a Gerald Holtom, a conscientious objector conscientious objector who had worked on a who had worked on a farm in Norfolk during farm in Norfolk during the Second World War, the Second World War, explained that the explained that the symbol incorporated symbol incorporated the semaphore letters the semaphore letters N(uclear) and N(uclear) and D(isarmament).D(isarmament).

D D

N N

The Tet Offensive made The Tet Offensive made Americans doubt they could Americans doubt they could

win the warwin the war And they had even And they had even

more doubts when more doubts when Walter Cronkite Walter Cronkite visited Vietnam and visited Vietnam and reported the U.S. reported the U.S. was not winning the was not winning the war (people really war (people really respected his respected his opinion)opinion)

When it was time for a new president, When it was time for a new president, the the Democratic National Convention (17)Democratic National Convention (17)

was held in Chicago – and it was a catastrophewas held in Chicago – and it was a catastrophe

Thousands of anti-war Thousands of anti-war riots riots (16)(16) protestors and protestors and demonstrators.demonstrators.

The Chicago police were The Chicago police were brutal.brutal.

This was the same year MLK This was the same year MLK and Robert Kennedy had and Robert Kennedy had been assassinated, the Tet been assassinated, the Tet offensive had taken place, offensive had taken place, Walter Cronkite told the Walter Cronkite told the nation we wouldn’t win, etc…nation we wouldn’t win, etc…

People were pretty worked up People were pretty worked up and especially with the and especially with the Democrats. Democrats. Richard Nixon Richard Nixon (18)(18) was elected president was elected president

Vietnam was also the first Vietnam was also the first “television war”“television war”

Every night the news Every night the news showed film footage showed film footage from Vietnam – very from Vietnam – very edited scenes.edited scenes.

They rarely showed They rarely showed actual battles – they actual battles – they didn’t want to shock didn’t want to shock viewers.viewers.

They never showed They never showed injured or dead injured or dead soldiers (their families soldiers (their families might see them)might see them)

In 1969 Nixon announced he’d gradually remove In 1969 Nixon announced he’d gradually remove troops from Vietnam, so people were happy troops from Vietnam, so people were happy

about thatabout that

What people didn’t What people didn’t know was he already know was he already had begun secret had begun secret bombing raids in bombing raids in Cambodia (24)Cambodia (24) (trying (trying to stop them from to stop them from helping supply the Viet helping supply the Viet Cong).Cong).

People later found out – People later found out – which led to even more which led to even more hatred and distrust of hatred and distrust of our government our government leadersleaders

On April 17th, 1975 the Khmer Rouge, a communist guerrilla group led On April 17th, 1975 the Khmer Rouge, a communist guerrilla group led by Pol Pot, took power in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. They by Pol Pot, took power in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. They forced all city dwellers into the countryside and to labor camps. During forced all city dwellers into the countryside and to labor camps. During their rule, it is estimated that nearly 2 million Cambodians died by their rule, it is estimated that nearly 2 million Cambodians died by starvation, torture or execution.  starvation, torture or execution. 

The Khmer Rouge turned Cambodia to year zero. They banned The Khmer Rouge turned Cambodia to year zero. They banned allall institutions, including stores, banks, hospitals, schools, religion, and institutions, including stores, banks, hospitals, schools, religion, and the family. Everyone was forced to work 12 - 14 hours a day, every the family. Everyone was forced to work 12 - 14 hours a day, every day. Children were separated from their parents to work in mobile day. Children were separated from their parents to work in mobile groups or as soldiers. People were fed one watery bowl of soup with a groups or as soldiers. People were fed one watery bowl of soup with a few grains of rice thrown in. Babies, children, adults and the elderly few grains of rice thrown in. Babies, children, adults and the elderly were killed everywhere. The Khmer Rouge killed people if they didn’t were killed everywhere. The Khmer Rouge killed people if they didn’t like them, if didn’t work hard enough, if they were educated, if they like them, if didn’t work hard enough, if they were educated, if they came from different ethnic groups, or if they showed sympathy when came from different ethnic groups, or if they showed sympathy when their family members were taken away to be killed. All were killed their family members were taken away to be killed. All were killed without reason. Everyone had to pledge total allegiance to Angka, the without reason. Everyone had to pledge total allegiance to Angka, the Khmer Rouge government. It was a campaign based on instilling Khmer Rouge government. It was a campaign based on instilling constant fear and keeping their victims off balance.constant fear and keeping their victims off balance.

After the Vietnamese invaded and liberated the Cambodian people After the Vietnamese invaded and liberated the Cambodian people from the Khmer Rouge, 600,000 Cambodians fled to Thai border from the Khmer Rouge, 600,000 Cambodians fled to Thai border camps. Ten million landmines were left in the ground, one for every camps. Ten million landmines were left in the ground, one for every person in Cambodia. The United Nations installed the largest person in Cambodia. The United Nations installed the largest peacekeeping mission in the world in Cambodia in 1991 to ensure free peacekeeping mission in the world in Cambodia in 1991 to ensure free and fair elections after the withdrawal of the Vietnamese troops. and fair elections after the withdrawal of the Vietnamese troops. Cambodia was turned upside down during the Khmer Rouge years and Cambodia was turned upside down during the Khmer Rouge years and the country has the daunting task of healing physically, mentally and the country has the daunting task of healing physically, mentally and economically.economically.

““The Killing Fields” of The Killing Fields” of CambodiaCambodia

Nixon was re-electedNixon was re-elected

The U.S. and Vietnam The U.S. and Vietnam signed a peace treaty.signed a peace treaty.

In the treaty, North In the treaty, North Vietnam agreed to not Vietnam agreed to not invade South Vietnam.invade South Vietnam.

For the United For the United States, the war was States, the war was over.over.

Two years later, North Two years later, North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam invaded South Vietnam and Vietnam and that’s that’s when the war ended.when the war ended.

As bad as the war was for As bad as the war was for Americans – it was worse for the Americans – it was worse for the

VietnameseVietnamese More than 1.2 More than 1.2

million deaths.million deaths. Lasting damage to Lasting damage to

their land and their land and environment (A.O.)environment (A.O.)

Ruined their Ruined their economyeconomy

In AmericaIn America

58,000 dead 58,000 dead soldiers.soldiers.

300,000 wounded.300,000 wounded. Nightmares and Nightmares and

stress for returning stress for returning soldiers.soldiers.

Many of these Many of these soldiers came home soldiers came home to an America that to an America that treated them pretty treated them pretty bad.bad.

But some good things did But some good things did happen happen

The voting age was The voting age was lowered (anyone who could lowered (anyone who could fight and possibly die fight and possibly die should have the right to should have the right to choose their President).choose their President).

The draft was eliminated.The draft was eliminated. America is sometimes America is sometimes

more careful in getting more careful in getting involved in overseas involved in overseas events?events?

The president did have The president did have some limits put on his some limits put on his ability to go to war.ability to go to war.

People keep a better eye People keep a better eye on their politicians (they lie on their politicians (they lie sometimes)sometimes)

In 1973, Congress passed In 1973, Congress passed The War Powers Act (31),The War Powers Act (31), which limits the president’s which limits the president’s war making powerswar making powers

Before you totally finish your Before you totally finish your packets and turn them in, packets and turn them in, please take time to look at please take time to look at

pages 19-23.pages 19-23. Page 20 has a timeline of the Vietnam WarPage 20 has a timeline of the Vietnam War Page 21 has some more on Vietnam and, “the Page 21 has some more on Vietnam and, “the

Pentagon Papers.”Pentagon Papers.” Page 22 is about Woodstock.Page 22 is about Woodstock. Page 23 is about the 1968 Democratic Page 23 is about the 1968 Democratic

National Convention (in Chicago).National Convention (in Chicago). Page 24 is some basic information about Page 24 is some basic information about

hippies.hippies.