April 20

This Day in History

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Lead Story
Castro announces Mariel Boatlift, 1980
American Revolution
New York adopts state constitution, 1777
Automotive
Danica Patrick becomes first woman to win Indy race, 2008
Civil War
Lee resigns from U.S. Army, 1861
Cold War
Korean Air Lines jet forced down over Soviet Union, 1978
Crime
A massacre at Columbine High School, 1999
Disaster
Massive oil spill begins in Gulf of Mexico, 2010
General Interest
Siege of Londonderry begins, 1689
Ku Klux Act passed by Congress, 1871
Curies isolate radium, 1902
Columbine High School massacre, 1999
Hollywood
New sound process for films announced, 1926
Literary
First detective story is published, 1841
Music
"Mambo King" Tito Puente is born, 1923
Old West
Militia slaughters strikers at Ludlow, Colorado, 1914
Presidential
McKinley asks for declaration of war with Spain, 1898
Sports
Jordan scores 63 points in playoff game, 1986
Vietnam War
Nixon announces more troop withdrawals, 1970
"Fragging" on the rise in U.S. units, 1971
World War I
Nivelle Offensive ends in failure, 1917
World War II
Operation Corncob is launched while Hitler celebrates his birthday, 1945

Vietnam War

Apr 20, 1970:

Nixon announces more troop withdrawals

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In a televised speech, President Nixon pledges to withdraw 150,000 more U.S. troops over the next year "based entirely on the progress" of the Vietnamization program. His program, which had first been announced in June 1969, included three parts. First, the United States would step up its effort to improve the combat capability of the South Vietnamese armed forces so that they could assume responsibility for the war against the North Vietnamese. As the South Vietnamese became more capable, U.S. forces would be withdrawn from South Vietnam. At the same time, U.S. negotiators would continue to try to reach a negotiated settlement to the war with the communists at the Paris peace talks. Nixon's new strategy and the continuing U.S. troop withdrawals represented a significant change in the nature of the American commitment to the war, as the primary responsibility for the fighting was transferred to the South Vietnamese armed forces. The first U.S. soldiers were withdrawn in the fall of 1969 and the withdrawals continued periodically through 1972. The remaining U.S. troops were withdrawn from South Vietnam in March 1973 as part of the provisions of the Paris Peace Accords.

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This Week in History, Apr 20 - Apr 26

Apr 20, 1970
Nixon announces more troop withdrawals
Apr 20, 1971
"Fragging" on the rise in U.S. units
Apr 21, 1965
Intelligence reveals North Vietnamese units in South Vietnam
Apr 21, 1975
Thieu flees Saigon as Xuan Loc falls
Apr 22, 1968
South Vietnamese have increased combat capabilities
Apr 22, 1972
Antiwar demonstrations held
Apr 23, 1975
Ford says that war is finished for America
Apr 24, 1967
Westmoreland makes controversial remarks
Apr 24, 1971
North Vietnamese attack South Vietnamese installations
Apr 25, 1964
Johnson announces appointment of Westmoreland
Apr 25, 1972
North Vietnamese Army close to cutting South Vietnam in two
Apr 26, 1971
U.S. troop strength in South Vietnam at five-year low
Apr 26, 1972
Nixon announces additional troop withdrawals

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