Something I heard

[Casandra]

Today while surfing through the different cable news programs, MSNBC (I think) was doing an interview with Tom Brokaw and Rumsfeld. Brokaw asked about the Viet Nam War ending so abruptly and Rumsfeld commented it was the CONGRESS that ended the war, NOT the President. He said the congress shut the purse and refused to fund the war any longer.

Now I'm no History major and certainly no brain child on history, but I really didn't realize that. I was even 'there' when it ended (and when it began too..ugh) and what I remember was the demonstrations, the music, the crowds, the T.V. networks.... everyone screaming at the top of their lungs to bring the troops home.

I can't remember at any time that the public was ever told it was the Congress. As I remember, it was the President who took all the credit for ending it..

Is everyone else aware of this, except me?

[VolcanoJen]

1. From Wikipedia

So take it with a grain of salt...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_war#Campaign_275

In December 1974, the Democratic majority in Congress passed the Foreign Assistance Act of 1974, drastically reduced military funding to the South Vietnamese government and made unenforceable the peace terms negotiated by Nixon. Nixon, threatened with impeachment because of Watergate, had resigned his office. Gerald R. Ford, Nixon's vice-president stepped in to finish his term. The new president signed the law, complaining it was "clearly inadequate." By 1975, the South Vietnamese Army, with vast military hardware but shrinking morale, faced the well-organized, highly determined North Vietnamese. Within South Vietnam, there was increasing chaos. The withdrawal of the American military had compromised an economy that had thrived largely due to U.S. financial support and the presence of large numbers of U.S. troops. Along with the rest of the non-oil exporting world, South Vietnam suffered economically from the oil price shocks caused by the Arab oil embargo and a subsequent global economic downturn.

[izzie]

2. I seemed to have known that but do not know why I do

I recall we had a few left over in Vietnam because of the money and then the President said to bring the rest out. I think it took the President to do the last thing and really shut it down. Course Saigon was going and going fast by then.

[Toots]

The President is the Commander in Chief

The President had the authority to honor our word to the South Vietnamese government but chose not to do so because the American people wanted us out of there. Yes the Congress cut funding and there was a gradual withdrawel but we told those people that if the North went back on their word and attacked we would bring our troops back and defend them. We did not honor our word.

[H2O Man]

4. Correct. n/t

[Toots]

3. The President is the Commander in Chief

The President had the authority to honor our word to the South Vietnamese government but chose not to do so because the American people wanted us out of there. Yes the Congress cut funding and there was a gradual withdrawel but we told those people that if the North went back on their word and attacked we would bring our troops back and defend them. We did not honor our word.