Nixon's Policy Of Vietnamization Involved

Study Guide | Film

Last Days in Vietnam

The People

President Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon was the US president from 1968 until 1974. During his first term equally president, Nixon carried out a policy of "Vietnamization" which involved gradually withdrawing United states of america troops from Vietnam and replacing them with South Vietnamese soldiers. Withal, many American troops remained on the ground, and he expanded the war into Laos and Cambodia. The last US forces left Vietnam during his second term, subsequently the Paris Peace Accords. Nixon became the first man to resign equally President of the US. Learn more nearly Nixon.

Henry Kissinger

Henry Kissinger is considered to be 1 of the virtually effective and controversial diplomats of modern times. Serving as Richard Nixon's national security counselor, he helped develop the "Vietnamization" policy, but also advocated for the bombing of Cambodia, which drew internationally criticism. He negotiated the Paris Peace Accords in 1973 for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize. He later served every bit Nixon'due south secretarial assistant of state, a position he held through both the Nixon and Ford administrations. Acquire more than virtually Kissinger.

President Gerald Ford

Gerald Ford assumed both the vice-presidency and the presidency as a result of political scandals. Ford outset stepped in equally Nixon's vice president following the resignation of Spiro Agnew, who was charged with federal revenue enhancement evasion. A twelvemonth later, when Nixon resigned in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, Ford became president. As president, Ford oversaw the US's final withdrawal from Vietnam and the massive evacuation of Due south Vietnamese citizens that The Last Days in Vietnam chronicles. Learn more about Ford.

Nguyễn Văn Thiệu

Nguyễn Văn Thiệu was briefly a fellow member of the Vietnamese Communist forces, but rapidly abandoned them to serve in the French-controlled Vietnamese army. From 1965—67 he served equally the South Vietnamese chief of country. In 1967, he was elected president of South Vietnam and held that position until the fall of Saigon in 1975. Thiệu correctly predicted that if the North Vietnamese and Vietcong were to attack after the Paris Peace Accords, America would not come to the help of the South Vietnamese. Learn more about Thiệu.

Ambassador Graham Martin

Graham Martin served as the last US Ambassador to South Vietnam. His adopted son was a casualty of the Vietnam War and he felt strongly almost maintaining a presence in the country. Martin served in Saigon from 1973 until the terminate of Apr 1975, when thousands of American troops and personnel, Vietnamese officials, and South Vietnamese refugees were evacuated. He was criticized for his handling of the evacuation and charged with waiting too long to begin the efforts to get American troops out of Saigon. Learn more most Martin.

Lê Đức Thọ

Lê Đức Thọ was a founding member of the Indochinese Communist Party. He helped atomic number 82 the Viet Minh, the Vietnamese independence motion against the French until the Geneva Accords were signed in 1954. He joined the Vietnam Workers' Party where he oversaw the insurgency against Due south Vietnam. He negotiated the Paris Peace Accords in 1973 with Henry Kissinger, and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. Nonetheless, he refused to accept it on the grounds that Kissinger had violated the truce by bombing Hanoi. Learn more virtually Tho.

See the Enrichment Activities section of this online guide for activities that allow students to inquiry and familiarize themselves with additional fundamental figures from the film and the Vietnam conflict.