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History - The Cold War - Part 4 > 14 - Nixon's Policies In Vietnam > Flashcards

14 - Nixon's Policies In Vietnam Flashcards

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1
Q

What were the 3 main policies under Nixon?

A
  • Vietnam War Policy (Vietnamisation + ‘peace with honour’)
  • Cambodia + Laos Policy (extension of these ‘secret’ wars)
  • China Policy (improve relations with China)
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2
Q

When did Nixon become President?

A

Jan 1969

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3
Q

Who was in control of foreign policy under Nixon?

A
  • President Nixon
  • Henry Kissinger (Nixon’s National Security Advisor)

(Kept policy between small group - concerned about public opinion)

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4
Q

What did Nixon want to achieve in Vietnam overall?

A

‘Peace with honour’

  • End Vietnam War with capitalist victory
  • NOT use force to achieve this (public opinion was against escalation of force - saw war as dishonourable after Tet Offensive + My Lai)
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5
Q

What policies did Nixon use in Vietnam to achieve ‘peace with honour’?

A
  • Massive retaliation (threat of nuclear force, without actual force escalation)
  • Madman theory (present Nixon as irrational + impulsive to prevent threats from the opposition)
  • Vietnamisation (withdraw US forces + support the S.Viets in taking primary responsibility for the war)
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6
Q

Define Madman Theory

A

Presenting Nixon as irrational + impulsive to prevent threats from the opposition in aim to win Vietnam War through peace with honour

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7
Q

Where did Nixon increase his use of force?

A

Cambodia + Laos

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8
Q

When did US first offer peace? What was the reaction?

A
  • Paris Peace Talks (May 1968)
  • Rejected by N.Viets (saw US aim for peace as a facade because they still wanted capitalist victory. Would only accept if US withdrew any conditions/terms on the peace).
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9
Q

What did Nixon do about the increase in domestic opposition for the Vietnam War?

A
  • Outwardly advocated peace + kept quiet any policies surrounding escalating or continuing fighting
  • Skewed polling to evidence popular backing of his policies
  • Used FBI, CIA + military to increase surveillance (e.g. tapping phones) + persecution of opposers
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10
Q

When did domestic opposition for the Vietnam War significantly increase?

A

1968

  • Tet Offensive: US presented in media as weak + at a stalemate, citizens who believed in US success dropped 51% -> 32%
  • My Lai Massacre: 500 innocent, unarmed Vietnamese citizens killed by US troops in March 1968, not fully publicised until Nov 1969
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11
Q

Give an example of 2 domestic opposition groups

A

Chicago 7
(Group of political activists. Campaigned against Vietnam involvement. Arrested)

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)
(Anti-Vietnam and anti-draft. Often overtook admin buildings and destroyed academic records. Response was National Guard troops on uni campuses)

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12
Q

Which of Nixon’s Vietnam policies were used nearer the start?

A
  • Massive retaliation

- Madman theory

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13
Q

Which of Nixon’s Vietnam policies were used nearer the end?

A
  • Vietnamisation
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14
Q

Give an example of Nixon’s use of Massive Retaliation

A

Duck Hook

  • Threatened Ho Chi Minh with ‘Duck Hook’
  • Wanted a peace settlement for Vietnam by 1st Nov 1969
  • If not ‘Duck Hook’: major bombing + use of nuclears on Vietnam cities
  • Failed!
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15
Q

When did Nixon announce his aim to use Vietnamisation?

A

2rd Nov 1969

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16
Q

Define Vietnamisation

A

Withdraw US forces + support the S.Viets in taking primary responsibility for the war

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17
Q

Why did Nixon choose to use Vietnamisation?

A

Hoped to end the war by encouraging N.Viets to negotiate
(US shown as willing to be amicable + withdraw)
(S.Viets shown as strong enough to defeat N alone)

Hoped to increase support of US public
(Would allow troops to return home + appear more peaceful)

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18
Q

How was Vietnamisation carried out?

A
  • US ground troops withdrawn
    (550,000 troops mid-1969 -> 50,000 troops mid-1972)
  • Increase of ARVN forces supported through money + resources
    (ARVN troops paid more, better organised, given equip e.g. M-16 Armalite rifles)
  • Physical support of ARVN given by air
    (E.g. Operation Linebacker I: 150,000 bombs dropped on N.Vietnam from May-Oct 1969)
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19
Q

Give a figure to exemplify the decrease in US forces because of Vietnamisation

A

550,000 troops mid-1969 -> 50,000 troops mid-1972

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20
Q

Give a figure to exemplify the increase in ARVN forces because of Vietnamisation

A

80,000 troops in 1968 -> 1 mill in 1970

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21
Q

Outline the successes of Vietnamisation

A
  • ARVN became one of the largest, best equipped armies in the world
  • Efforts were made to improve Vietnamese village conditions (elections, repairs, land reforms)
  • US casualties drastically decreased
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22
Q

Outline the failures of Vietnamisation

A
  • The S gov + ARVN were completely reliant on US funding
  • ARVN still had fundamental weaknesses (low morale, high desertion rates, corruption, shortage of qualified officers)
  • There was little nationalism and loyalty to the gov in S.Vietnam
  • S.Vietnam may have seen Vietnamisation as an insult suggesting they weren’t already taking responsibility for their country
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23
Q

Overall was Vietnamisation a success or failure?

A

On the surface - seemed successful in creating greater security + stability in the South

When looking deeper - the South had fundamental weaknesses with their army + were just as reliant on US as before (men -> money)

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24
Q

What is the difference between the Nixon Doctrine + Vietnamisation?

A

Nixon Doctrine: applied to broader foreign policy
Vietnamisation: applied to Vietnam

BUT - Both had same key idea of home nation taking responsibility for defence (against communism)

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25
Q

Briefly outline the Nixon Doctrine

A
  • US will give assistance when allies/strategically important countries are threatened, but expect the nation under threat to take primary responsibility + provide ground troops
  • US will keep all existing foreign policy commitments
  • US will act as a shield if nuclear powers threaten allies/strategic states
26
Q

What did Nixon do in Cambodia + Laos?

A

Extend the war into these countries - increasing force used there

27
Q

Why did Nixon extend the war into Cambodia + Laos?

A
  • Hoped to buy time for Vietnamisation
  • Hoped to pressurise N.Vietnam into peace negotiations (by making neighbouring countries capitalist + cutting off the HCMT)
28
Q

How did Nixon publicly justify his extension of the war into Cambodia + Laos?

A

Said he was targeting the COSVN (centre of N.Viet military ops)

29
Q

What actions did Nixon take in extending the war into Cambodia?

A
  • Operation MENU (March 1969 - May 1970)
  • Cross border raids
  • Coup (March 1970)
30
Q

What was Operation MENU?

A
  • Part of Nixon’s extension into Cambodia
  • Bombing campaign
  • Targeted parts of Cambodia used as ‘safe sanctuaries’ by N.Viets
  • 110,000 tons bombs dropped from March 1969 - May 1970
  • Originally secret but NYT leak in May 1969
31
Q

What were cross border raids?

A
  • Part of Nixon’s extension into Cambodia
  • Raided northern sanctuaries
  • By ARVN + US Air Force (then US ground troops when Nixon pledged 20,000 to Cambodia in April 1970)
32
Q

What was the Cambodian Coup?

A
  • Part of Nixon’s extension into Cambodia
  • March 1970
  • Prince Sihanouk overthrown by pro-US General Lon Nol
  • (Nixon did fear the opposing communist party: Khmer Rouge)
33
Q

What was the success of Nixon’s extension into Cambodia?

A

Bought time for Vietnamisation (by weakening North so they couldn’t start an offensive when US was being replaced by the growing ARVN)

  • VC killed (approx 2000)
  • VC supplies + intelligence captured
  • VC guerrilla tactics threatened (jungle + bunkers cleared)
34
Q

What were the failures of Nixon’s extension into Cambodia?

A
  • Didn’t pressurise the N.Vietnamese into negotiating (did the opposite - refused to attend Paris Peace Talks until US withdrew from Cambodia)
  • US had now committed themselves to the war + protecting Cambodia against the Khmer Rouge (against withdrawal policies of the Nixon Doctrine + Vietnamisation)
  • Encouraged N.Vietnamese to strengthen presence in Cambodia + support for Khmer Rouge
  • Increased domestic opposition to Nixon’s foreign policy (led to removal of Gulf of Tonkin Resolution)
35
Q

Give an example of domestic opposition triggered by the extension of the war into Cambodia

A

2 amendments sponsored by congressmen (not passed)

  • Cooper-Church: cut off funds for Cambodia
  • McGovern-Hatfield: withdraw from Vietnam by 1971
36
Q

What was the outcome of the extension of the war into Cambodia?

A

Bought time for Vietnamisation but didn’t help negotiation for peace

  • Domestic protests led to repeal of Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (Jan 1971)
  • Nixon removed troops from Cambodia by July 1971 + sped up withdrawal from Vietnam
  • Congress banned any ground troops in Cambodia or Laos
37
Q

Why was it bad that the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was repealed in 1971?

A

The President (Nixon) no longer had complete control over the Vietnam War

38
Q

What action did Nixon take in extending the war into Laos?

A
  • Operation LAM SON 719
39
Q

What was Operation LAM SON 719?

A
  • Major operation in Feb 1971
  • Targeted the Ho Chi Minh Trail (hoping to cut off supplies to N)
  • 30,000 ARVN ground troops supported by US from the air (bombs)
40
Q

What were the successes of the extension of the war into Laos?

A
  • ARVN performed well at first, disrupting the trail (caused a major offensive by the N.Vietnamese to be delayed by at least 1yr)
41
Q

What were the failures of the extension of the war into Laos?

A
  • Ho Chi Minh Trail remained operating
  • ARVN had high casualty rate (could have been up to 50% if retreat hadn’t been ordered)
  • Domestic opposition grew even more (by summer 1971, 78% US citizens saw the Vietnam War + its extensions as immoral)
42
Q

What was the relationship between the PRC + USSR by late 1960s?

A

Sino-Soviet split

  • Despite both being communist, had contrasting ideas + methods
  • Hostility became public (e.g. Mao criticised Khrushchev’s handling of CMC) + border clashes began
43
Q

What was Nixon’s policy regarding China?

A

Improve relations between US + China

44
Q

Why did China want to improve relations with the US?

A

Didn’t want to be politically isolated (needed a superpower ally) + saw the USSR as the more immediately threatening superpower

45
Q

Why did Nixon want improved relations with China?

A

China was a developing nuclear power which could be a strategic ally in Asia (e.g. pressurise N.Vietnam towards peace talks)

46
Q

What was the USSR’s reaction to improved relations between US + China?

A

Also didn’t want to be politically isolated - worked towards improving their relations with the US (Detente)

47
Q

What changes to PRC government eased the transition towards better Sino-American relations?

A
  • Zhou Enlai became PM in 1970 (approved of better relations)
  • Lin Bai, Mao’s successor died in 1972 (against good relations)
48
Q

How did Nixon improve relations with China?

A
  • Nixon made it known he was interested in improving relations + having talks with China (1968)
  • US started Artichoke Approach (1969)
  • Kissinger arranged a presidential visit + meeting (1972)
49
Q

What was the Artichoke Approach?

A

Approach used by Nixon in improving relations with China

Gradually removed restrictions between the countries (‘layer by layer’) e.g. gradually relaxing rules on travel + trade

50
Q

What was Kissinger’s approach to the Cold War?

A

Believed in Detente
Worked under Nixon to: improve relations with China, broker Paris Peace Accords with Vietnam, hopefully improve USSR relations in future

51
Q

What were the 4 stages of Paris Peace Talks with Vietnam?

A

1968: Johnson announced peace intentions. Rejected by N.Viets as seen as insincere.
1970-1971: Kissinger + Le Duc Tho met secretly. N set out the terms they needed for a peace agreement. Rejected by US as felt they couldn’t make these concessions.
1972: Both sides made concessions but peace not yet agreed.
1973: Peace (ceasefire) finally agreed.

52
Q

Summarise the 1970-1971 Paris Peace Talks

A
  • Kissinger + Le Duc Tho met in private in 1970.
  • N insisted any peace agreement must include: military solution (armistice) + political solution (remove Thieu + install new coalition gov in S)
  • US rejected (feared removing Thieu would lead to collapse of S)
  • US tried to renegotiate in 1971 but N wouldn’t agree unless Thieu removed
53
Q

Who was Thieu?

A

President of S.Vietnam 1967-1975

Disliked

54
Q

Who was Le Duc Tho?

A

Communist politician + special advisor to N.Vietnam

Met with Kissinger in 1970 as part of the Paris Peace Talks

55
Q

What was The Easter Offensive/The Spring Offensive?

A

Massive N.Vietnamese conventional invasion of the South, in hope to strengthen the N’s position for peace talks
(March-Oct 1972)

56
Q

How did the US respond to the Easter Offensive?

A

Linebacker I (mass bombing of N + naval blockade)

57
Q

What were the results of the Easter Offensive?

A
  • Stalemate remained but with higher casualties
  • Nixon seen as having a strong response (won election)
  • Thieu clung to power in S
58
Q

Summarise the 1972 Paris Peace Talks

A
  • Kissinger + Le Duc Tho agreed the ‘October Agreement’ (N stopped insistence of removing Thieu + they agreed a ceasefire with returned US POW + installation of a tripartite electoral gov)
  • Talks broke down when Nixon + Thieu disagreed (wanted demilitarised zone between 2 sovereign states)
  • Nixon ordered Linebacker II to pressurise N into negotiation
  • N agreed to resume talks in 1973
59
Q

What was Linebacker II?

A

Nixon’s order to mass bomb Hanoi + Haiphong (Xmas 1972) to pressurise the N into negotiating peace

60
Q

What was the reaction to Linebacker II?

A
  • Domestic approval plummeted (seen as unnecessary)

- N agreed to resume talks in 1973

History - The Cold War - Part 4 (4 decks)

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