By Farah Munir, Amanda Nardi and Germaine Low.

 The troop numbers in Vietnam peaked during Johnson’s presidency.  Johnson – Americanization and Escalation  Johnson policies were still containment and he was losing popularity in the US rapidly.  Gulf of Tonkin showed the public that the US was losing.  Johnson did not stand of re-election in March 1968.

 Hawkes Vs. Doves policies during election and the doves were dominant.  Under the influence of Henry Kissinger: Nixon wanted to improve relations with China and the East. In 1969, Nixon began his policy of Vietnamisation – withdrawal of 25,000 troops from Vietnam.  After realizing Johnson’s faults Nixon realized that creating a democracy in South Vietnam was not going to happen.

 Three groups at the conference (USA, North Vietnam, and South Vietnam)  Interests from China and USSR  USA wanted South Vietnam to ‘determine its own destiny without foreign influence’  North Vietnamese wanted US troops out  Return to the Geneva agreement.  Reunification without US interference  Talks lasted for 5 years.

 In January 1973 a agreement was set and there was a Ceasefire.  There was a withdrawal of ALL US troops and foreign forces to leave Cambodia and Laos.  American involvement had finally come to an end in Vietnam.

 North Vietnamese to recognise with the Southern Vietnamese  Elections were to be hold in both South and North Vietnam  US prisoners of war to be returned to North Vietnam.

 The NVA led by General Van Tien Dong, bombarded Saigon heavily on 29 April and captured the city and raised their flags by the next afternoon.  They named the city after their leader Ho Chi Minh  Capture of Saigon by the NVA on 30 April 1975 this marked the end of Vietnam war and beginning of a transition period  This led to former reunification of Vietnam under communist rule