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