26.+The+End!

=THE END OF VIETNAM!=

LECACY:
 * Nixon promises "peace with honor" in Vietnam
 * way he was ganna do it was Vietnamization: Nixon's policy for winding down the war: troops withdrawn, training and equipment given to south vietnamese- by 1972, only 24,2000 troops remained.
 * in pulling the troops out bombing raids increase! hurt supply lines of North vietnam- bombing expanded to other countries- laos and cambodia-he would do anything to win the war!
 * US ground forces to invade Cambodia! in the spring of 1970. Nixon tells on national TV
 * causes protests to increase against the war
 * In Ohio- the protests turned DEADLY!
 * Students at college got killed for protesting! some that were shot weren't even protesting!
 * Nixon loses support from the public and congress
 * THE PENTAGON PAPERS! the gov had investigated itself to find out what they have done and what they told the public: found out that they were two different things! the gov does not want the public to know! But New York got a hold of it- president said no- goes to court! They are released in the pentagon papers!
 * nixon is getting better relations between china and USSA
 * peace talks- 1972:
 * 1972- PEACE IS AT HAND!
 * nixon wins the election!!!! because peace is at hand
 * Christmas time bombing in north vietnam! kills TONS of civilians. Also, 15 US bombers were shot down! only 1 was shot down before! war is def not almost over!
 * Jan 27, 1973: Nixon went on TV and told everyone that there is an agreement reached on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam. Paris Peace Accords- done in paris for the peace agreement!
 * agreement: war over and all POWS would be sent home.
 * important because the POW MIA have not been treated like they were supposed to. Against Veniva Protocal. they were TORTURED at the hotels!
 * These people developed a way to communicate! the taps codes! Everyone knew it and it was them speaking
 * not all POWS came home and people believe that some are still there
 * When these soldiers came home they were treated amazingly
 * 1975: NORTH VIETNAM ATTACKS- SAIGON FALLS-VIETNAM IS REUNITED UNDER COMMUNISM
 * Americans still in vietnam: got sent home
 * AMERICA LOST: DIDN'T STOP THE SPREAD OF COMMUNISM: THEY WON EVERY BATTLE THOUGH
 * in southeast Asia
 * 1.5 million vietnamese deaths
 * countless vietnamese civilians wounded, homeless
 * agrarian society in shambles
 * southeast Asia left highly unstable
 * Cambodia fell to communism after terror
 * POL POT TAKES OVER! extreme genocide guy
 * Pol Pot killed the educated, Dr.s, kids of Dr.s, the poor, people who opposed: They killed and tortured them in these camps: EXTREME TORTURE!

AMERICA COPES:
 * 58,000 americans killed
 * 6 more names added to the wall
 * 365,000 wounded
 * 150 bil in direct costs
 * US attempts to come to grips with a loss- blow to self-esteem
 * leads to extreme struggle in the 1970s

MAJOR CHANGES:
 * no more drafts: government abolishes: you still have to register
 * war powers act: gov can not fight an undeclared war: limited power of president
 * altered American foreign policy
 * makes americans not want to get into vietnam

DISILLUSIONMENT:
 * treated poorly: called sometimes baby killers
 * people opposed the soldiers because they didn't like the war
 * veterans extended a cold hand
 * some veterans suffered from stress
 * many citizens embittered toward government
 * entire generation of americans war affected
 * when the wall was made: they got their parade: helped