Ending the wAr In Vietnam Mr. Marinello * US History

1968: A Turning Point Major battles in Vietnam January 21st – The Siege at Khe Sanh January 30th – The Tet Offensive Presidential Election of 1968 A coalition of Democrats formed to force President Johnson to not run for another term. The Democrats wanted an end to the war In March of ’68, Johnson announced a change in US policy. We would seek a peaceful end to the war. Johnson also stated that he would not run for President. Assassinations In April, Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated Major riots followed his death in more than 100 cities Robert Kennedy, JFK’s brother is assassinated in June

The Protest Movement Protests against the war began almost as soon as the war began. Began at colleges and universities Students were opposed to the draft and to the deaths of Americans in Vietnam. In the first 6 months of 1968, 40,000 students participated in protests on more than 100 campuses in 200 demonstrations. At the Democratic Presidential Convention in Chicago protests in the streets turned violent when police officers began fighting with protestors. Protestors shouted “The whole world is watching”

Nixon is elected The Republican former Vice-President, Richard Nixon took advantage of the disarray in the Democratic party to go on to win the election. Nixon favors a policy of Vietnamization A gradual withdrawal of US troops, replaced by South Vietnamese soldiers. Nixon strived for “Peace with Honor” The US needed to maintain its dignity and still withdraw from the conflict. America had never “lost” a war. Nixon would not fully end the war until 1973.

Kent State Massacre In 1970, Nixon began military operations against Vietnam’s neighbors, Cambodia and Laos, claiming that the North Vietnamese were hiding in the jungle. In April he announced the US would invade Cambodia to clear out NVA positions along the border. Protests erupted across the country On May 4, 1970 protests at Kent State University in Ohio lead to tragedy. Student protestors burned the ROTC building on campus National Guard troops were called in and fired live ammunition in the crowd, killing 4 people.

Nixon is Reelected; The War Ends In 1972, Nixon is re-elected by one of the largest landslides in American history. He won 49 states With his re-election, he set about finally ending the war. On January 1973, the US signed and agreement to end the war and restore peace. North Vietnamese forces would remain in the South but Nixon threatened to respond with force if the terms of the treaty were violated. On March 29, 1973 the last US troops leave Vietnam. Within a year and a half, Nixon would resign from office due to the Watergate scandal. In 1975, North Vietnam launched a full assault on Saigon. The US refused to send troops. Vietnam was finally unified under North Vietnamese control.