16. Before the End

President Nixon’s Vietnam strategy aimed for a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops while strengthening South Vietnamese forces with advanced weaponry and training. Simultaneously, Nixon sought to sustain political backing for Saigon’s government.

However, his decision to authorize incursions into Cambodia and intensified bombings stirred widespread dissent at home, igniting massive protests across the United States. These actions, viewed as an escalation of the conflict, fueled public outrage and deepened divisions over the war.