Notes
- Anti-war demonstrations became very popular in the US
- President Nixon was elected in 1968 on a peace platform (Tricky Dicky)
- Nixon wanted to find a way out honourably
- Developed Vietnamization with help of Henry Kissinger and Henry Cabot-Lodge
- The Plan had a two track formula
- 1) Make the south well trained enough militarily that they could withstand the north on their own
- 2) strengthen the south's government to attract a broader base
US Withdrawals
- American's began to make their first withdrawals in AUg 1969
- The air way increased
- B-52s dropped more bombs on North Vietnam than during all of WWII
- 1971 almost entirely an air war
- 1972 200,000 troops
- Jan 1973 a cease fire is signed (americans got their POWs back after 20 years of fighting)
- Aug 1973 all US Forces out of Vietnam
- Spring 1975 all out of South Vietnam falls to north and becomes Communist
Effects of the Vietnam War
- Costs the US 150 billion dollars
- 57,939 men killed
- Loss of a country to Communism
- Limitations brought in on the president's powers to wage war (Vietnam never declared war)
- Made the US look bad worldwide
- Conscription was ended in US
Summary
Vietnamization began with anti war demonstrations becoming very popular in the US around the time of President Nixon's 1968 election. After Nixon took power in office, he sought a honourable way out of the conflict that was taking place in Vietnam. With the aid of Kissinger and Cabot-Lodge, they developed a two goal plan to successfully leave Vietnam. They would train the South Vietnam military enough that they could withstand the north without the help of another country, and they strengthened the government so as to attract more people to the more stable area. The USA began their withdrawals from Vietnam in August of 1969. The war became almost entirely an air war, B-52s dropping more bombs on North Vietnam than all the bombs dropped during WWII. After 20 years of fighting, the Americans got their POWs back during a cease fire. In the spring of 1975, South Vietnam falls to the North and becomes communist. This entire ordeal made the US look bad, as they had lost a country to Communism. This was the end of conscription in the US.
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Quote
I saw courage both in the Vietnam War and in the struggle to stop it. I learned that patriotism includes protest, not just military service.
John F. Kerry
John F. Kerry
Subjunctive Question
What would have changed had the Americans not pulled out of Vietnam? Would they have avoided the embarrassment of losing a country to communism?