Chapter 40: The Stalemated Seventies

1. Chapter 40:The Stalemated Seventies Analyze the ways in which the Vietnam War heightened social, political, and economic tensions in the United States. Focus on the period 1964-1975

2. Nixon “Vietnamizes ” the War – Peace with Honor • Vietnamization • Withdrawal US troops from Vietnam (536,000 in 1968 - <30,000 in 1972) • South Vietnamese troops (with US money, weapons, training) would take over • July 1969 – Nixon Doctrine • Fight Communism with $$ NOT military

3. Nixon “Vietnamizes ” the War • Vietnamization and the doves • November 16, 1969 “Mobilization Day” 500,000 protestors in Washington, DC (The Mobe and the Yippies, SDS, The Weathermen) • Nixon attacks the protestors • Appeals to “silent majority” who supported the war • Nixon called the antiwar protestors “bums” • N. Vietnamese Demands • Unified Vietnam • Communist Control • US Demands • Free elections • Return of POW’s (500)

4. Nixon “Vietnamizes ” the War • January 1970 – the state of the war • Draft age – 18, average age of soldier = 19 • Troops disproportionately minority and poor • Troops fought booby traps and jungles • Troop morale • Drug abuse, mutiny, sabotage, “fragging” their own officers • Public opinion went even lower after revelations that US troops had massacred women and children (504) at My Lai in 1968 • US never tried to understand the Vietnamese character, traditions, culture & history

5. The My Lai Massacre Pronounced “may – lie” Calley was originally sentenced to 4 life sentences, he would spent 4 ½ months in military camp and then be paroled. Lieutenant William Calley – paroled by Nixon. Apologized in 2009.

6. The My Lai Massacre “Soldiers went berserk, gunning down unarmed men, women, children and babies. Families which huddled together for safety in huts or bunkers were shown no mercy. Those who emerged with hands held high were murdered. ... Elsewhere in the village, other atrocities were in progress. Women were gang raped; Vietnamese who had bowed to greet the Americans were beaten with fists and tortured, clubbed with rifle butts and stabbed with bayonets. Some victims were mutilated with the signature "C Company" carved into the chest. By late morning word had got back to higher authorities and a cease-fire was ordered. My Lai was in a state of carnage. Bodies were strewn through the village.

7. Cambodianizing theVietnam War • North Vietnamese and Viet Cong used Cambodia as base for troops, weapons, supplies • Parts of Ho Chi Minh trail went through Cambodia • March 1969 Nixon orders secret Air Raids in Cambodia. • April 30, 1970 Troops invade Cambodia • Late 1971 US troops leave, Communists fight back • Khmer Rouge Pol Pot takes over in Cambodia, killing 1.7 of his own citizens, 11 million injured. • May 1972 Nixon orders “mining” of NV ports

8. Cambodianizing theVietnam War • Reaction to the invasion • May 1970 – Kent State Massacre • National Guard fired into a crowd of student protesters • 4 killed, 7 wounded • Jackson State College, Mississippi • Police fired at a student dormitory, killing 2 • 450 Colleges closed due to protests • June 29, 1970 – Nixon withdrew US troops from Cambodia (after only 2 months)

9. Cambodianizing the Vietnam War • Effects of the Cambodia invasion • Deepened divide between hawks and doves • Pacifying the youth • Period of draftability shortened from 8 years to 1 year • 1971 – 26th amendment passed, lowering voting age to 18 • Pentagon Papers • June 1971 –top-secret government study that documented mistakes and lies of Kennedy and Johnson regarding Vietnam • Especially exposed the lie that started the war – the Gulf of Tonkin incident • Leaked by Daniel Ellsberg • Senate overwhelmingly repealed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and tried to restrain Nixon (Summer 1970)

10. Bombing North Vietnam to the Peace Table • Nixon’s “peace” in Vietnam – wanted peace before his 2nd term – had agreed to earlier terms then S.V. backed out • Spring 1972 – N. Vietnam invades “demilitarized zone” • Nixon ordered furious 2-week bombing campaign of North Vietnam – “Christmas Bombings” • Blocked harbors with mines • China and USSR did not react (de’tente) • N. Vietnam backed off • Kissinger sent to Paris for Peace Negotiations • N.V. troops in S.V. • Saigon gov’t stay in place until new elections (Gen Nguyen Von Thieu) • POW’s returned • US troops withdrawn

11. Bombing North Vietnam to the Peace Table January 23, 1973 – North Vietnamese negotiators agreed to cease-fire North Vietnamese allowed to keep 145,000 troops in South Vietnam; occupied 30% of the country Nixon called the cease-fire “peace with honor” Reality it was an American retreat Congress decreased $ in 1975, NV invaded April 29, 1975 and took over SV, united country officially recognized in 1995.

12. 2008 DBQ – The Vietnam War • In a small group you will be given 3 minutes to brainstorm as much outside information for a document as possible. • On the paper provided write down all terms/people/events that could be connected to a document. • For subsequent documents you will be given 3 minutes to review what other groups before you have done. From here your job is two-fold: • 1. Add any additional information you can think of • 2. Cross out any information you believe to be incorrect. • Once you have gone through all of the documents (A-I) I will provide you with the suggested list provided by the College Board. • Your job here is to compare the two lists and see how we did as a class!