THE END OF THE WAR IN VIETNAMA Brief Overview Following 33.4
PEACE WITH HONOR In October 1972, Nixon
announced peace was at hand.
Nixon wins in a historic landslide in November 1972
Peace talks break off when South Vietnam rejects the terms.
Nixon begins the most severe bombing of the war in December 1972
Resumes negotiations in January- Cease fire 27 January 1973
PEACE WITH HONOR In October 1972, Nixon
announced peace was at hand.
Nixon wins in a historic landslide in November 1972
Peace talks break off when South Vietnam rejects the terms.
Nixon begins the most severe bombing of the war in December 1972
Resumes negotiations in January- Cease fire 27 January 1973
NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE Negotiations to produce “peace with honor”
dragged on through President Nixon’s first term from 1969-1972
Nixon worked to draw down troop strength and “Vietnamize” the war
Attempts to support ARVN forces against North Vietnam and Vietcong proved difficult
Nixon works to build ties with Communist China to put more pressure on North Vietnam
With fewer American troops, Nixon would become more dependant on air power
“Madman theory”- convince North Vietnam that Nixon would use nuclear weapons in order to press negotiations
Goal- leave Vietnam with South Vietnam in tact
PEACE WITH HONOR In October 1972, Nixon
announced peace was at hand.
Nixon wins in a historic landslide in November 1972
Peace talks break off when South Vietnam rejects the terms.
Nixon begins the most severe bombing of the war in December 1972
Resumes negotiations in January- Cease fire 27 January 1973
SOUTH VIETNAM AND THE AFTERMATH OF THE CEASE FIRE… A BITTER LEGACY The cease fire offered no political
settlement for how South Vietnam would be governed America promised the government
of Saigon aid if attacked North Vietnam invaded South
Vietnam in January 1975- quickly over-ran the country America did not offer aid- no
interest in re-opening its commitment to Saigon
Americans evacuated the country South Vietnamese government
surrendered 30 April 1975
REFUGEES AND THE WAR Vietnamese and minorities who
supported the Americans like the Hmong attempted to leave the country Some evacuated with the last
Americans Americans took hundreds of baby
orphans Thousands of Vietnamese took to the
water in small boats hoping for rescue- boat people
1.5 million refugees left Southeast Asia- 730,000 ended up in America
SOUTH VIETNAM AND THE AFTERMATH OF THE CEASE FIRE… A BITTER LEGACY Americans wanted to forget this
unpopular war following the cease fire This often meant that the contributions
and needs of soldiers who served were ignored
Many soldiers became bitter and broken by this neglect Concern that American MIA’s (missing in
action) were still being held in North Vietnam Physically and psychologically broken sailors
and soldiers neglected Many soldiers felt sold out by the
American public
COMING TO TERMS WITH HISTORY The Vietnam War and the Watergate
Scandal would deeply wound Americans faith in their government Faith and trust in government deeply shaken
Vietnam Syndrome- American foreign less confident in the use of force to achieve the containment of Communism Communists also see the great cost in
challenging America’s opposition to communism
President Ronald Reagan will re-ignite American confidence through a conservative shift in government
RESTORING HONOR TO VETERANS By the early 1980’s, a memorial to
those who were killed in Vietnam was built on the National Mall as a deferred gesture of gratitude to a nation coming to terms with this divisive war
The memorial is a somber black wall that contains the names of 58,000 Americans who died in an attempt to block the spread of communism
A virtual Vietnam Wall is on the home page of the class wiki