17. USA and Southeast Asia Flashcards
explain the continuation of paris peace talks?
- after the TET offensive, US wanted to withdraw US troops and achieve ‘peace with honour’
- to communists they believed a North Vietnamese victory was imminent and encouraged secret negotiations with USA and north Vietnam to maintain good relations with the US
- talks began July 1972, nixon refused to take action until November presidential elections
- once re-elected USA bombed Hanoi to put pressure on NV
- president Thieu of SV hoped US would keep forces in SV, however he was sidelined in meetings and pressured into signing the final agreement Jan, 1973
explain the terms of the paris peace talks?
- ceasefire beginning in jan, 1973
- both sides would keep the areas they occupied
- US withdraw forces and POW exchanged
- free elections and possible referendum for reunification of Vietnam
explain the NV victory?
-April 1973, US military forced withdrawn
-upon withdrawal the North intensified guerrilla actions in the south, SV army was defeated in most engagements
1974, NV attacked in and swept the peninsula,
Thieu asked for aid from USA, ford requested but congress said no
-April 1974, thieu resigned due to political pressure and south V surrendered
-1975 fall of saigon and communist Vietnam
-25th December, 1978: Vietnam invaded Cambodia
-Jan 1979: V forces captured Phnom Penh and cancelled pol pot reigime
explain continuing problems in Cambodia?
- the communist movement Khmer Rouge, formed an alliance with NV and fought aginst Prince Norodom Sihanouk -pro-US government
- civil war was a proxy war between US backed government in power and NV back KR
explain the strengths of the Cambodian Army?
- had US support: US sent 120 military advisers and carried out bombing campaigns on Cambodia
- public support
- 175,000 men
explain the weaknesses of the Cambodian Army?
- forces were badly trained and badly paid
- Lon Nol feared being overthrown and wouldn’t collaborate w/ different branches of military
- lon Nol didn’t listen to US advice
- US bombing undermined support for cambodian army
explain the strengths of the Khmer Rouge?
- assistance from NV
- forces were well organised, and determined
- used guerrilla warfare
explain the weaknesses of the Khmer Rouge?
- only 40,000
- largely centred in jungles
- limited technology
explain what happened at Phnom Penh?
- after paris peace talks US halted bombing of Cambodia and NV forces withdrew
- expected that w/out NV assistance communist forced would be overcome but Khmer Rouge escalated its efforts
- separated Phnom Penh from rest of the country
- april 1975, US forced evacuated and Khmer Rouge within a week defeated government forces
explain the Khmer Rouge revolution?
-based on ideology of cleansing, creating a new agricultural society
-workers were forced to countrysides to become workers
-2 million were killed
-25th December 1978 Vietnam invaded Cambodia
-V forces supported by USSR captured Phnom Penh in Jan 1979
pro vietnamese Heng Samrin was installed as leader of country, KR fled
-proving the domino theory
explain consequences of the Vietnamese war on the US population?
- over 58,000 Americans died in the war
- 3million americans served in the war
- veterans were ostracised by those who did not support the war, those that returned were traumatised
- around 100,000 americans left the US to avoid conscription
explain consequences of the Vietnamese war on the US government?
- spent around $170billion on the war
- Johnson chose not to run for re-election due to the war
- clear ideological division between those who advocated for war and those who didn’t
- war led to the War powers act, stating only US congress could declare war, president did not have authority
explain consequences of the Vietnamese war on the US policy of containment?
- the defeat of SV was a failure of the US policy of containment as NV took SV and Cambodia
- domino theory proved to be correct as once Vietnam fell to communism so did Cambodia and Laos
- SEATO disbanded in 1976 as a result of failure to contain communism in indochina
explain the consequences of the Vietnam war on Vietnam?
- 1.1 mil vietcong killed
- 350,00 SV killed
- civilian casualties up to 9 million
- 1.5 million fled as refugees
- USA opposed Vietnam entry into UN and imposed a trade embargo on Vietnam
- due to US bombing 6million acres of land in SV were poisoned
