The War's End and Impact
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hsus_te_ch16_s04_s.fm Page 664 Friday, January 30, 2009 6:58 AM Protest button ᮣ Step-by-Step WITNESS HISTORY AUDIO SECTION 4 Instruction Antiwar Protests Spread As Richard Nixon entered the White House in January 1969, students across the country continued SECTION 4 to protest the war. And their words were starting to Objectives reach ordinary Americans, not just “long-haired As you teach this section, keep students radicals.” In late 1969, antiwar protesters organized a series of peaceful demonstrations called focused on the following objectives to help “moratoriums.” On October 15, the mayor of New them answer the Section Focus Question and York City addressed a crowd of these protesters: master core content. “We cannot [accept] the charge from Washington • Assess Nixon’s new approach to the war, that this peaceful protest is unpatriotic. We heard and explain why protests continued. that charge five years ago and three years ago.... • Explain what led to the Paris Peace The fact is that this dissent is the highest form of Accords and why South Vietnam eventu- patriotism. It is the peaceful American way to turn ally fell to the communists. the nation away from a self-defeating course.” —New York mayor John Lindsay, 1969 • Evaluate the impact of the Vietnam War ᮡ Antiwar demonstrators march in Washington, D.C. on the United States. The War’s End and Impact Objectives Why It Matters As a presidential candidate, Richard Nixon prom- • Assess Nixon’s new approach to the war, and ised “peace with honor” and an end to a war that had fractured Amer- Prepare to Read explain why protests continued. ican society. Nixon did indeed withdraw American troops, and the Vietnam War finally ended. But the impact of the war endured. As • Explain what led to the Paris Peace Accords the nation recovered from war, Americans reexamined the struggle Background Knowledge L3 and why South Vietnam eventually fell to the against communism, the power of the presidency, and America’s role communists. Remind students that the United in the world. Section Focus Question: How did the Vietnam War end, and States decided to pursue a negotiated • Evaluate the impact of the Vietnam War on what were its lasting effects? peace in Vietnam rather than victory. the United States. Ask students to predict the effects of a war that ends without victory. Nixon Starts the Pullout Terms and People Nixon’s defenders argued that he was a hard-working patriot Set a Purpose L3 Vietnamization Paris Peace Accords with a new vision for America. His critics charged that he was a My Lai War Powers Act deceitful politician bent on acquiring power and punishing his ene- ½ WITNESS HISTORY Read the selec- Pentagon Papers mies. There were elements of truth to both views. But defenders and tion aloud, or play the audio. critics alike agreed that Richard Nixon was a determined man with Witness History Audio CD, abundant political talent. From his first day in office, the new Presi- Antiwar Protests Spread dent realized that ending the Vietnam War was the key to everything Reading Skill: Compare and Contrast else he hoped to achieve. Ask What does Mayor Lindsay Note the similarities and differences between consider the highest form of Nixon’s Vietnam policy and that of Lyndon Johnson. Peace Talks Stall Though formal peace talks between the warring patriotism? (peaceful protest of a parties had begun in May 1968, they were bogged down from the government’s policies) Why does he outset by disagreements and a lack of compromise. When Richard Johnson Nixon Nixon took office in January 1969, his peace delegation firmly call it the highest form? (because • Americanization • • Vietnamization and its goal is to turn government away and total victory “peace with honor” believed they could break the impasse. The Americans and South • • • from a wrong decision or course Vietnamese wanted all communist troops out of South Vietnam. of action) ½ Focus Point out the Section Focus Question, and write it on the board. Tell students to refer to this ques- tion as they read. (Answer appears Use the information below and the following resource to teach students the high-use word with Section 4 Assessment answers.) from this section. Teaching Resources, Vocabulary Builder, p. 11 ½ Preview Have students preview High-Use Word Definition and Sample Sentence the Section Objectives and the list of Terms and People. induce v. to bring about; cause The bombing of Pearl Harbor induced President Roosevelt to ask Congress to ½ Using the Guided declare war. Questioning strategy (TE, p.T20), have students read this section. As they read, have students compare and contrast the Vietnam policies of Nixon and Johnson. Reading and Note Taking Study Guide 664 The Vietnam War Era hsus_te_ch16_s04_s.fm Page 665 Friday, December 5, 2008 8:18 PM They also wanted prisoners of war (POWs) returned. Meanwhile, the North Vietnamese demanded an immediate American withdrawal from Vietnam and the formation of a coalition government in South Teach Vietnam that would include representatives from the Vietcong. Still hoping to win the war in the field, North Vietnam refused to budge Nixon Starts the from its initial position. And South Vietnam refused to sign any agree- ment that compromised its security. Pullout L3 Nixon’s Plan: Vietnamization and Peace With Honor President Nixon refused to accept the North Vietnamese peace terms. He was Instruct ½ committed to a policy of “peace with honor” and believed that there Introduce: Key Term Ask stu- were still military options. He continued a gradual pullout of Amer- dents to find the key term Vietnam- ican troops, and expressed faith in the ability of the Army of the ization (in bold) in the text. Then, Republic of Vietnam to assume the burden of war. He called his write the term on the board, say it approach Vietnamization—U.S. forces would withdraw as ARVN aloud, have students say it with you, troops assumed more combat duties. The hope was that with contin- and provide the definition. Have stu- ued American aid behind the front lines, the ARVN would fight its dents contrast Nixon’s plan for Viet- own battles to secure South Vietnam. namization with President Johnson’s To reduce the flow of communist supplies to the Vietcong, Nixon Americanization of the war. ordered the secret bombing of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Cambodia. ½ This was a controversial move because it widened the scope of the Teach Using the Numbered Heads war and helped to undermine the neutral government in Cambodia. strategy (TE, p.T23), have students In the end, neither Vietnamization nor secret bombings drama- discuss the steps Nixon took to end tically improved South Vietnam’s chances of winning a war U.S. Military Personnel in Vietnam the war in Vietnam. Ask What was against the communists. the status of the Paris Peace 600 talks when Nixon took office? How did Vietnamization differ from the 500 (They had reached an impasse.) war policies of Nixon’s predecessors? 400 What did the secret bombing of 300 (in thousands) the Ho Chi Minh Trail indicate 200 about Nixon’s plan for peace? Troubles on the Home Front Intensify 100 Troops Troops (He had not given up military Nixon inherited two things from Lyndon Johnson: an unpopu- 0 options for ending the war, and he lar war and a vocal American opposition to it. The new President 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 did not want the communists to take wanted “peace with honor,” security for America’s ally South Viet- SOURCE: National Archives and Records Administration nam, and international respect for U.S. foreign policy. Antiwar over South Vietnam.) activists wanted the war ended and American troops out of Vietnam—on any Vietnamizing the War ½ Analyzing the Visuals Have stu- terms. Nixon found it increasingly difficult to achieve his goals and satisfy the The United States scaled back its com- dents examine the photograph of the snowballing antiwar movement. mitment of ground troops to U.S. bomber. Ask Why was the U.S. Vietnam after 1968. However, while strategy to bomb the Ho Chi American Troops in Cambodia More than a year into office, Nixon had more American troops left for home, Minh Trail risky? (It brought the grown impatient with the snail’s pace of the peace negotiations. In 1970, U.S. air forces dropped more bombs he attempted to break the stalemate by ordering a ground attack on North on communist targets in North war to Cambodia and forced the Vietnamese Army and Vietcong bases in Cambodia. Nixon also hoped to aid the Vietnam and along the Ho Chi Minh Cambodian government to choose pro-American Cambodian government in its fight against the Khmer Rouge, a Trail. How did the shift in American sides in the war.) communist movement supported by North Vietnam. tactics ensure Nixons peace with On the evening of April 30, Nixon addressed the American people, informing honor? Independent Practice them of his decision to carry the war into Cambodia. He stressed that the war Have students make a chart listing the had become a measure of how committed the United States was to preserving contrasting demands of North Vietnam freedom around the world: and South Vietnam at the peace talks. “If, when the chips are down, the world’s most powerful nation, the United States of America, acts like a pitiful, helpless giant, the forces of Monitor Progress totalitarianism and anarchy will threaten free nations . throughout the world.” As students fill in their Venn dia- —President Richard Nixon, 1970 grams, circulate to make sure that they understand the similarities and differences between the Vietnam poli- cies of the two Presidents.