The Paris Peace agreement, 1973
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the significance of the Paris Peace Agreement.
Key learning points
- Nixon used a ‘carrot and stick’ approach to restart negotiations
- The US accepted the unification of Vietnam during the Paris Peace Agreement
- The USA had to withdraw from Vietnam
- The USA agreed not to involve itself in Vietnamese affairs
- Saigon fell to North Vietnam when the North invaded South Vietnam again in 1975
Keywords
Treaty - a treaty is a formal agreement between countries
Unification - unification means to join together or make something whole
Ceasefire - a ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war, in which both sides agree to pause aggressive actions
Common misconception
The US has always been too large and powerful to lose a war.
The majority of people regard the Vietnam War as a loss for the US: they did not achieve their stated goal of containing communism.
Teacher tip
Show students videos from the Fall of Saigon to help them appreciate the hurried nature of the US' exit from Vietnam.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What year did President Johnson begin peace negotiations between North and South Vietnam?
Q2.Which issue prevented negotiations from beginning quickly?
Q3.Who was Nixon in secret contact with during the 1968 presidential election?
Q4.Place the events in chronological order.
Q5.Which countries did Nixon make trips to in order to improve relations with whilst the peace negotiations were ongoing?
Q6.Complete the sentence: Henry Kissinger publicly announced that " is at hand" in reference to the draft peace treaty that he had helped to write.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What did Nixon promise South Vietnamese president Nguyen Van Thieu if he would resume peace talks in December 1972?
Q2.Complete the sentence: Operation Linebacker II is also known as the Bombings, after the time of year when it took place.
Q3.Match the keywords to the correct definition.
a formal agreement between countries
a temporary stoppage of a war
to join together or make something whole
Q4.Under the terms of the peace treaty, how long did American troops have to leave Vietnam?
Q5.Roughly how many US prisoners of war (POWs) were returned once the peace treaty was agreed?
Q6.When did North Vietnam begin their final offensive against South Vietnam?
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: The Paris Peace agreement, 1973, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: The Paris Peace agreement, 1973, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the The USA, 1954–75 conflict at home and abroad unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.