"The means to an end"

January 27, 1973 was a day for all those involved that could not come soon enough. That was the date that the Paris Peace Accords produced an "Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam". The two main representatives involved in the negotiations were the U.S. National Security Adviser Dr. Henry Kissinger and Lê Ðức Thọ of Vietnam, both men were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for reaching the agreement. Basically the negotiations produced these main points(1):

1) A ceasefire would be in effect as of January 28, 1973 at 8 am Saigon time. As soon as the ceasefire was initiated U.S. and its allies would begin their withdrawal, which was to be completed in sixty days.
2) All U.S. POW's would be released and allow safe passage home.
3) Negotiated would take place between the two South Vietnamese parties to reach a political settlement regarding the ability of the South Vietnamese citizens to decide how they would partake in the future of the region through free and democratic elections.
4) The reunification of Vietnam was to be carried out step by step through peaceful means.

It was most unfortunate that it took five years to reach the outcome that the Paris Peace Accords produced because who knows how many lives could of been spared, saved, and needless incidents averted on both sides. 1968 was when the negotiations began and there were numerous delays from both sides that neither side was willing to work out till 1973. But thankfully a decision was reached although the lessons learned from Vietnam will never be forgotten nor will the men and women who gave their lives in the war.