14) President Nixon's policies in Viet Nam

Question 1

Nixon presidency

Answer 1

1969-1974
anti-communist
expanded and ended US involvement in Viet Nam
Vietnamization
Watergate scandal
Nixon family ranch failed in 1922
Established direct relations with the PCR

Question 2

Nixon’s aims in Viet Nam

Answer 2

encourage North Viet Nam to negotiate
withdrawal and de-Americanisation of Viet Nam
limit US engagement in foreign, unwinnable conflicts
Vietnamization
strengthen political security as president

Question 3

How did Nixon re-enforce his aims in Viet Nam

Answer 3

re-introduced bombing campaign (to get them to negotiate)
helped S,Vietnamese army by improving pay, career structures, benefits and service conditions modernised
ARVN increased from 82,000 in 1968 to 1 million in 1970
invasion of Loas and Cambodia

Question 4

Vietnamization

Answer 4

Passing on responsibility and accountability for Viet Nam to Viet Nam via training of troops

Question 5

Success of Vietnamization

Answer 5

ARVN forces become somewhat capable, they successfully resisted the spring offensive from the North in 1972
decrease in US causalities (increase in ARVN)
bombing showed that the US had not left S, Viet Nam defenceless

Question 6

Challenges of Vietnamization

Answer 6

rushed
moral remained low- high causality rates and problems of favouritism
still relied on the US
fighting a political war

Question 7

Extension into Cambodia

Answer 7

March 1969
aimed to sever supply lines (Ho Chi Minh trail)
pressure the north

Question 8

Actions of the North due to extension to Cambodia

Answer 8

support the Khmer Rouge (communist party)
Causes the US to commit troops to Cambodia in April 1970

Question 9

Operation Menu

Answer 9

March 1968-May 1970
SAC
bombing offensive that targeted ‘‘safe’’ places in Cambodia
cross border raids
USA commit 20,000 ground troops to Cambodia

Question 10

Extension into Loas

Answer 10

1972
assault was carried out by ARVN forces with US support
Operation Lam Son 719- US plan to support an ARVN invasion of Laos
Aim to disrupt supply lines and prevent an invasion into the south
inadequate forces meant the ARVN was forced to withdraw

Question 11

US backed government in Cambodia

Answer 11

led by pro US general Lon Nol
N, Viet Nam supported an anti-Lon Nol party the Khmer Rouge
feared a communist take over would led to a ‘Red Asia’ (domino theory) and undermine Vietnamization

Question 12

Home opposition to the extension

Answer 12

very unpopular and in January 1971, the Gulf of Tonkin resolution was officially removed

Question 13

overall success of the extension into Cambodia and Laos

Answer 13

no strategic gains
highlighted ARVNs weaknesses even after vietnamization
Showed ARVN could only face the North with US support
Strengthened the Khmer Rouge
destroyed lots of Jungle and Norther supplies
committed to Lon Nol

Question 14

aims of the US towards China

Answer 14

better relations
end Chinese isolation, very dangerous for such a big country to be so isolated
China was a major communist political power by the 1970s that was separate from the USSR
the US needed to reconcile with one power

Question 15

Aims of the PCR towards the US

Answer 15

reduce the treat from the USSR by opening a deal with the USA
end self-imposed isolation
didn’t reject the idea that the US was a threat but they were a much less immediate one than the USSR (due to their deteriorating relations)
weak from cultural revolution

Question 16

Actions of the US to better relations with China

Answer 16

-relaxation of trade and travel restrictions (July 1969)
-artichoke approach (slowly)
-had diplomatic contacts through France, Romania and Pakistan which promoted US willingness
-However, the invasions of Laos and Cambodia caused frictions
-US limit support for Taiwan which results in the PCR becoming the soul Chinese representative in the UN (1971)

Question 17

actions of the PRC to better relations

Answer 17

Chinese prime minister achieves victory OVER other contestants who opposed Sino-US relations (1970)
policy shifts away from dual confrontation
Kissinger visits Beijing (July 1971)
Death of Moa’s successor who opposed these relations

Question 18

Nixon’s visit to China

Answer 18

Feb 1972
accumulation of the Sino-US easing of relations

Question 19

First round of the Paris peace talks about Viet Nam

Answer 19

Johnson begins them in 1968 but they stalled for a few reasons:
-US bombing campaign
-South were refusing to negotiate if the NFL were present at the talks
-North were currently on the defensive and would not accept an offer that made them look weak (which is what the US wanted)

Question 20

second round of Paris peace talks

Answer 20

1971-72
Kissinger meets secretly with communist advisor Le Duc Tho to preceded these talks, needed both a political AND military solution
USA didn’t want to accept a coalition government and ‘abandon’ the south because they feared its collapse
talks changed in 1972 when the North changed there stance on allowing the Southern leader Thieu to stay

Question 21

Paris Peace agreement terms

Answer 21

Jan 1973
US had 60 days to remove all troops
US prisoners of war were to be released
ceasefire declared through Viet Nam
territorial integrity would remain, as set out by the 1954 Geneva accords
elections to be held in both north and south

Question 22

US removal of troops from Viet Nam

Answer 22

All gone by March 1973

Question 23

When did the Viet Nam war end

Answer 23

April 1975
Viet Nam was now a united communist state- US humiliation