Changes under Nixon Flashcards
What were official peace talks?
5 days after he became president he sent delegates to Paris to negotiate for peace with representative from North and South vietnam and the VC
When did Secret peace talks happen?
August 1969 Hennery Kissinger of USA began secret peace talks with Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam
Nixon did not tell USA or the south of vietnam about these talks
What did Nixon do in terms of troop withdrawal?
In june 1969 he lowered the maximum number of troops in Vietnam by 25000.The USA began to withdraw troops on 14 July
When was Cambodia bombed secretly?
15 March 1968 Nixon ordered part of Ho Chi Minh Trail to be bombed that ran through Cambodia
military orders lied about bombing raids because Nixon knew this expanding of the war would be very unpopular
What was the Nixon Doctrine?
25 July 1969
USA would honour any treaty commitments it had made
USA would help any ally against nuclear threat
USA would provide aid and training against non-nuclear threats but not troops
What was Vietnamisation?
term used to for the application of the Nixon Doctrine to Vietnam
What were the Key features of Vietnamisation?
US troops to withdraw
ARVN was to provide its own officers
US was still to provide training and equipment
US withdrawal would be done with honour
south vietnam would stay a separate country and not become communist
Was vietnamisation seen as a failure or success?
FAILURE-troops were being withdrawn to soon
some military wanted to send in more troops after TET
SUCCESS-succeeded in the most basic aim
What happened in cambodia?
March 1970 pro-American general Lon Nol took over in Cambodia and told north Vietnamese to leave
Who did NV join forces with?
NV joined forces with Cambodia Communist guerillas and supported Sihanouk by attacking the Nol goverment
What did USA do when NV attacked nol?
Nixon invaded cambodia to support nol and save cambodia from communism.He wanted to keep this a secret and they had to be back by 30 June.He also went on Tv to explain why troops were going to cambodia
What was the result of the invasion?
Ho Chi Minh trail was damages and hundred of acres of jungle was destroyed.Weapons and supplies were captured
nol gov was in power,11,000 communist killed
communist bases were destroyed
Despite the result of the invasion what else happened?
ARVN couldn’t invade to far or they would be cut off from US support
Damage to the Ho Chi Minh Trail did not stop NV getting to the SV-they used sections that were in the neighbouring country
How did USA public and congress react to the invasion\?
gulf of tonkin was cancelled
less funding to the war and faster troop withdrawal from vietnam
huge public outrage in the USA
What happened in Laos 1971?
South Vietnam pushed an attack on Laos and USA agreed to provide air support
NV had to fight Laos was their only bases and needed to keep them secure
What was the out come of Laos?
ARVN fled leaving weapons and equipment behind and they had high casualties
NV kept they bases secure but there was still struggle for political power in Laos
What was the Easter Offensive?
NV planned an attack on 30 march NV troops crossed SV boarder and attacked in 3 diff places VC and other guerilla groups joined
Was the Ester offensive in 1972 successful;?
Attack was successful at the start but then US and ARVN pushes the North back
What was operation linebacker on 6 april 1972?
in response of easter offensive
USA heavy bombed North Vietnam
mines were to be dropped in Haiphong harbour and blockades to keep ships from china and the USSR from reaching NV
What did linebacker achieve?
almost wiped out NV war industry
disrupted supplies from china and ussr
destroyed radio stations
led to china and USSR urging NV to reach a peace settlement
Why did vietnamisation fail?
NV eventually took Saigon and vietnam was united under a communist government
What does fragged mean?
officers who forced troops to fight were fragged meaning they were killed by their own men
What problems did ARVN face?
desertion was common
officers were reluctant to lead their troops into battle and dint want to admit their needed help
corruption
military supplies were sold off
Why was training and equipment a problem?
congress restricted funding overtime
needed south vietnamese officers training was hurried
newly trained officers were needed in the war
