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Vietnam War Comes To An End

Vietnam War Comes To An End. With the war creeping on with no victory in sight, Americans try to deal with the losses at home. The Tet Offensive Turns the Tide. January 30, 1968 (New Years Eve) Celebrated in Vietnam as the start of Tet Tet = New Year celebration

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Vietnam War Comes To An End

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  1. Vietnam War Comes To An End • With the war creeping on with no victory in sight, Americans try to deal with the losses at home.

  2. The Tet Offensive Turns the Tide • January 30, 1968 (New Years Eve) • Celebrated in Vietnam as the start of Tet • Tet = New Year celebration • No fighting usually took place this day.

  3. North Vietnam Surprise Attacks! • Tet Offensive • 84,000 Vietcong attack major areas of South Vietnam including: • US army bases • S. Vietnam capital Saigon • US would never win another battle in North Vietnam

  4. Election Year of 1968 • LBJ does not run for re-election • Richard Nixon (Republican) • Ran on slogan “you can’t trust Democrats” • “I will end this war!” • Hubert Humphrey (Democrat) • Claimed to want to end war as well

  5. Protests Break Out Across US • By 1969 • Its clear that Vietnam War is not going to end • Nixon lied! • Even started to send more troops to other SE Asia areas • Cambodia • Laos • Over 1.2 million troops in SE Asia • In Vietnam • US still trying to get Vietcong out of South Vietnam

  6. Walter Cronkite on CBS Evening News protests

  7. New York Times releases the Pentagon Papers • Documents that revealed the government had lied about: • How the war in Vietnam was going • Sending US troops to Cambodia • Amount of actual US deaths

  8. Kent State University • May 4, 1970 • Supposedly KSU students set fire to campus ROTC building. • Protesting troops being sent to Cambodia • Ohio Governor John James Rhodes • “I will eradicate these protestors!” • How?

  9. Governor James Rhodes

  10. Call in the Ohio National GuardShoot and Kill 4 students!

  11. 4 dead in Ohio….

  12. News Spreads! • KSU shootings become national news quickly! • Then, it happens again. • Jackson State University • In Mississippi • Police shoot 2 students for “protesting”

  13. Surely Nixon Can’t Win Again! • Election of 1972 • Nixon runs on campaign of “cease fire” in Vietnam • Bring the boys home! • Wins election in a landslide • Small election change • 26th Amendment • Voting age lowered from 21 to 18

  14. Congress does not trust Nixon! • 1972 • North Vietnam offered a cease fire. • US troops could leave S. Vietnam • S. Vietnam would get own democratic government • Had to have Vietminh political party involved! • Good plan, right? • S. Vietnam says no! • We support them so…..

  15. Nixon Tries to Erase N. Vietnam • For 2 weeks • US drops 40,000 tons of bombs over N. Vietnam • Still hopes Vietcong would give up! • Doesn’t work… • Finally, January 1973 • Congress starts to bring troops home. • S. Vietnam government falls apart.

  16. April 30, 1975 • Saigon falls to Vietcong! • S. Vietnam surrenders to Communists. • 1973 • Congress passes War Powers Act • Gives Congress back “right to declare war” • Limits military commitment by President to 60 days! • Supposedly….

  17. Vietnam Veterans • Over 2 million troops sent to Vietnam • 58,000 thousand die • 300,000 injured • 25,000 Missing in Action • 1.2 claim PTSD and Agent Orange Disease

  18. Vietnam War Memorial “The Wall”

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