The War Grows UnpopularThe War Grows Unpopular

The Tet Offensive exposed that the war was The Tet Offensive exposed that the war was going poorlygoing poorly

LBJ, feeling pressure from fellow Democrats, LBJ, feeling pressure from fellow Democrats, chooses not to seek reelectionchooses not to seek reelection

Robert Kennedy, brother to JFK, AND US Robert Kennedy, brother to JFK, AND US Senator from NY and Eugene McCarthy both Senator from NY and Eugene McCarthy both seek the Democratic nomination for the seek the Democratic nomination for the PresidencyPresidency

McCarthy called to end the War immediately McCarthy called to end the War immediately

Turmoil-1968Turmoil-1968 Martin Luther King, Jr assassinated Martin Luther King, Jr assassinated Violence breaks out throughout the USA in Violence breaks out throughout the USA in

protest and responseprotest and response Two months later, Robert Kennedy will be Two months later, Robert Kennedy will be

assassinated in Los Angeles-he had been a assassinated in Los Angeles-he had been a favortie to win the Presidencyfavortie to win the Presidency

College campuses erupted throughout the College campuses erupted throughout the nations-10’s of thousands of students protestednations-10’s of thousands of students protested

Richard Nixon saw an opportunity to seek the Richard Nixon saw an opportunity to seek the Presidency (Remember…he had NARROWLY Presidency (Remember…he had NARROWLY been defeated by JFK in 1960)been defeated by JFK in 1960)

NixonNixon

I’ll restore law and orderI’ll restore law and order I’ll end the war in VietnamI’ll end the war in VietnamHis policies to “end” the war would lead to His policies to “end” the war would lead to

continued protestscontinued protests ““Peace with Honor”Peace with Honor”

VietnamizationVietnamizationBomb Laos, Cambodia, North Vietnam-Get Bomb Laos, Cambodia, North Vietnam-Get

them to the Peace tablesthem to the Peace tables

My Lai MassacreMy Lai Massacre

Back in Vietnam, things were getting Back in Vietnam, things were getting worseworse

US soldiers had massacred Vietnamese US soldiers had massacred Vietnamese villagers in a village known as My Laivillagers in a village known as My Lai

350-500 killed350-500 killed ““I poured 4 clips into the group….the I poured 4 clips into the group….the

mothers were hugging their children…well, mothers were hugging their children…well, we kept on firing”we kept on firing”

““Kill anything that breathed”Kill anything that breathed”

US Invades CambodiaUS Invades Cambodia

To chase Vietcong and North Vietnamese To chase Vietcong and North Vietnamese soldiers escaping to Cambodia, the US will soldiers escaping to Cambodia, the US will invade Cambodia. April 1970invade Cambodia. April 1970

College Campuses explodedCollege Campuses exploded1.5 million college kids went on strike1.5 million college kids went on strike

Kent State UniversityKent State University

Located in OhioLocated in OhioProtests there led to the burning of the Protests there led to the burning of the

ROTC building (Reserved Officer Training ROTC building (Reserved Officer Training Corp)Corp)

The mayor asked the National Guard to The mayor asked the National Guard to stop the student protests-the guards fired stop the student protests-the guards fired live ammunition into the protestorslive ammunition into the protestors

9 wounded, 4 killed9 wounded, 4 killed

19721972

Nixon wins reelection Nixon wins reelection War was still raging in VietnamWar was still raging in VietnamMarch 1973 the last US combat troops left March 1973 the last US combat troops left

VietnamVietnamCommunist takeover of Vietnam occurred Communist takeover of Vietnam occurred

in 1975in 1975