THE VIETNAM WAR PART II

I. RESISTANCE TO PEACE At height of the war in 1968, more than 500,000 troops were in Vietnam peace negotiations failed 1967, General Westmoreland assured the country the wars end was in sight.

Tet Offensive Jan. 30, 1968, VC launched surprise attacks in South Vietnam Attacked occurred on Tet, Chinese lunar year became known as the Tet Offensive Following Tet, US citizens began to believe the war could not be won. March 1968, Johnson halted the bombing of North Vietnam to try to begin peace negotiations.

II. THE HOME FRONT Vietnam was the first war seen on television. There were nightly updates on the soldiers killed. Two Groups divided over the war Hawks – supported the war Doves – opposed the war

The Anti-War Movement Centered around college campuses. College students most opposed the war The war was called the “Poor Man’s conflict” because those who went to college were given a deferment from going to war Democratic Convention 10,000 protestors gathered outside convention hall protesting the war Mayor Richard Daley called the police to arrest the protestors resulting in street violence Kent St. (1970) Nixon announced invasion of Cambodia in May, 1970 Students protested the bombing, the National Guard was called out to stop the rioting. Guardsmen fired into the crowd killing 4 students.

III. THE YEAR 1968 Martin Luther King assassinated in March by James Early Ray Robert F. Kennedy assassinated in June by Sirhan Sirhan Election of 1968 Johnson did not seek re-election Democrats split in two Democratic Hubert Humphrey supported the war Republican Richard Nixon promised to end the war Independent George Wallace was against desegregation Nixon wins a close victory

IV. END OF THE WAR Vietnamizing the War The Pentagon Papers June 1971, New York Times published Pentagon Papers – secret defense papers regarding the war Papers showed how the administrations misled Congress and public about the war Nixons Plan to end the war Draft – lottery system Greater reliance on bombing Vietnamization – US troops train South Vietnamese troops and then slowly withdraw US troops Wanted a withdraw from the war “with honor” Jan Paris Peace Accords - cease fire agreement ended military presence Jan communist conquer South Vietnam with fall of Saigon

IV. CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR Destroyed the Great Society Destroyed liberal view of fighting communism anywhere and everywhere Polarized American society Brought deficits, debt, and inflation Led to the War Powers Act – limited the President on how long he could commit troops