The+End+of+Vietnam

The End

Vietnamization- Make war fought by Vietnamese rather than the United States forces

However, as troops increase, bombs increase in order to hurt supply lines of North Vietnam bombing is expanded to other countries- Lous and Cambodia

Nixon wanted the enemy to believe that he would do anything to win

Nixon wanted peace with honor.. but then he is expanding war and bombing.. looks very bad

Leads to domestic upheaval and student unrest.. leads to Kent tragedy, shots were fired and 4 students killed... americans fighting americans

Nixon looses support of public and congress Gulf of Tonkin Resolution repealed

Pentagon Papers revealed- the US investigated and compared what the public was being told and what was actually happening... press got a hold of it and Nixon went to court for trying to prevent it going on the front page

Peace talks in 1972- "Peace is at hand," good for the election

January 27, 1973- agreement reached on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam

POW MIA- prisoners of war, missing in action. Torture at prison camps.

In 1975 North Vietnam military attacks causing Saigon to fall. Vietnam is reunited under Communism.

United States lost the war due to communism in Vietnam.

LEGACY AMERICA COPES WITH WAR MAJOR CHANGES DISILLUSIONMENT
 * In Southeast Asia there were an estimated 1.5 million Vietnamese deaths
 * Coutnless Vietnamese civilians wounded, homeless.
 * Agrarian society left in shambles
 * Southeast Asia left highly unstable
 * Cambodia fell to communism after terror
 * 58,000 Americans killed
 * 365,000 wounded
 * $150 billion in direct costs
 * U.S. attempts to come to grips with a "loss"- blow to self-esteem
 * Changes in U.S. policy
 * Government abolishes the draft
 * War Power Act- curb the power of the President
 * Altered American foreign policy
 * Overall cynicism in Americans
 * Gas shortages
 * Overall depressed economy
 * Veterans extended a cold hand
 * Soldiers treated harshly
 * Some veteran suffered from PTSD
 * Many citizens embittered toward government
 * Stereotypes formed about Vietnam- because of media
 * Entire generation of America affected
 * Vietnam memorial helps scars heal