Booklet 3 Flashcards
Why wouldn’t Nixon admit defeat in Vietnam?
Wanted to secure peace with honour, proof to the world that the US military was still strong
Who was the main advisor?
Henry Kissinger
What was the US policy of Vietnamisation do?
Hand the water Vietnam, US money and air support would continue
What is Nixon secretly doing during the Vietnamisation?
Expanding the war and discussing nuclear weapons, bombing communist bases in Cambodia, years later he invaded Cambodia to test communist resolve
How did the US public respond to Nixon’s actions?
Protest at rent State University led to 4 dead students, further protest in Mississippi led to 2 more dead students
Nixon war background
When Nixon became president in January 1969, he promised “I’m not going to be like BJ I’m not going to stop that fast”, the USA reputation was being damaged as it couldn’t achieve a military victory, Exton couldn’t simply run away and look weak to the communist world who would then have the covenants to spread further, and wanted peace with honour which was to ensure that South Vietnam remained a non-communist state
What does Vietnamisation ?
LBJ policy of Americanisation had failed and Nixon replaced it with Vietnamisation.
Why was Vietnamisation introduced?
Nexen Hope to reduce the domestic opposition he was facing, strengthen his own position as a president, strengthen his negotiation with North Vietnam, strengthen the south Vietnamese against communism
What was the impact of Vietnamisation
The Vietnamese army was transformed into a modern fighting force which kept stability in the south, in 1972 and attempt invasion by the north failed with the north suffering 40,000 casualties to the south 8000, between May October 19 72 operations linebacker was so 150,000 tons of bombs dropped on north Vietnam this boosted moral amongst the ARV and proved that Vietnamisation was working
Did the Vietnamisation work for the US government?
No, because he lost support, didn’t have enough protection
Did Vietnamisation work for the US military?
Left and ran away from war
Did Vietnamisation work for the people of South Vietnam?
No, later became communist, defences were gone, didn’t have support
Improving relations with China and USSR
Policies of Nixon and Kissinger have to be viewed in the wider context of Cold War following the buildings of Berlin War and the Cuban missile crisis relations between the USA and the USSR had been gradually improving, the word “détente” was being used where constructive discussion work taking place between the superpowers
Widening of the war into Loas and Cambodia
Aim to increase pressure on North Vietnam the USA invaded Cambodia operation menu in March 1969 to destroy Viet Kong bases there were severe supply lines along the Hachi trailer give the South Vietnamese confidence and force north Vietnam to discuss peace
Bombing campaign of 1970 to 1972
In March 1972 the NVA and VC invaded the south led to 100 Soviet tanks as most US troops were gone. They were expected to win easily but next and needed to maintain the image of America strength so he ordered the bombing of the north in April 1972 the bombing offence was called operation linebacker and it destroyed North Vietnamese roads bridges lorries, tanks railway lines storage depots And the port of Haiphong
How did the media coverage of the Vietnam war in the USA leader demands for peace?
The first protest came in October 1965 which people could draft dodge but this was not luxury open to poor men, tearing up or burning drafts paper became a common thing, 40,000 students at Berkeley Yale and Stanford University against the Vietnam war, bombing led to believe that military and intelligent service had lost all accountability
The role of John Carey and Vietnam veterans against war in the Fulbright hearing 1971
Veterans back from Vietnam formed a group called Vietnam against the war, Vietnam vets March together in a piece demonstration, on April 22, 1971. John Kerry represent Vietnam veterans against the war.
What was the Watergate scandal?
The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal that happened between 1972 and 1974. It began with a break-in at the headquarters of the Democrats at the office complex called Watergate on June 17, 1972 burglary and subsequent attempts of the Nextel administration to cover its involvement led to Dexton resignation on August 8, 1974
The fall of South Vietnam, April 19 75
The fall of South Vietnam came in the 1975 or almost 3 years after the United States had withdrawn most of its comeback troops by 1972 Richard Nixon policy of Vietnamization had removed more than 2/3 of American servicemen and fewer than 135,000 US personal remaining in country. The January 19 73 piece accord had brought an end to fighting as the US promised to stop bombing if the north recognise the government of south Vietnam failure to do so would lead to the US starting bombing campaign against the north again
Failure of the US military
Nepal and Agent Orange destroyed 5,400,000 acres of jungle in Vietnam 1.3 million people were affected by the use of chemical weapons and it created bad publicity for the US Army, 20,000 tons of Nepal was dropped in South Vietnam and 30,000 missions dropped 100000,000 pounds of Agent Orange was destroyed more than 4,000,000 acres of forest and farmland between 1961 to 70, 61% of US soldiers were killed aged 21 or younger, 7 75,000 US soldiers were left severally disabled
Strength of VC military
During the Tet offensive 4500 VC soldiers tied down a much large US course for two days in the city of Saigon before they were defeated, the VC had excellent knowledge of the terrain and tropical jungle conditions, the VC used ambushes and booby-traps, Vietnam soldiers travelled so they could hang onto American belts and limit the effectiveness of US air support
Anti-war movement in the USA
Between 1964 and 1968 the relationship between the media and the army was good. The military assistant command. Vietnam was set up to lays between army and media so that bad news was not reported, during the Tet defence of the execution of VC soldier was broadcasted live on USD and shocked many American viewers. The most shocking event was the slaughter of 300 to 400 civilians at my lia. Many US citizens and made them questions supporting the war.
