Changes under Nixon 1969-73 Flashcards
How did Nixon use the war to his advantage?
He used the war to aid his election as he promised to get the US out of it. He knew the American’s were angry that Johnson lied about the war and vowed to tell the truth.
What did Nixon do?
- Official peace talks negotiating with North, South and VC representatives. It became clear these talls would become long and difficult.
- Secret peace talls in 1969 with Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam, which the South and American public were not told about.
- Troop withdrawls - he began officially withdrawing troops in July 1969
- The millitary focused on training the ARVN
- Secretly bombed the Ho Chi Minh trail in Cambodia
What did the Nixon doctrine state the US would do?
- Honour commitments
- Help their allies against nuclear threat
- Provide aid and training against non-nuclear threats
What was Vietnamisation?
The slow withdrawl of US troops and the shift of responsibility of fighting to the ARVN.
What was the key features of Vietnamisation?
- US withdrawl without it looking like a defeat
- They aimed to withdrawl with “honour”
- They would still provide equipment and training
- South Vietnam to remain a seperate country - no Communism
What were the effects of Vietnamisation?
- Fewer US troops pleased the US public
- Some felt it was too soon, the VC should have been defeated after the TET offensive
- ARVN were not ready - North Vietnamese given advantage
- South Vietnamese felt deserted
What did Nixon do in Cambodia, 1970?
The US had secretly been bombing the Ho Chi Minh trail in Cambodia since 1969. In 1970, the US and ARVN invaded to save Cambodia from Khmer Rouge communist guerillas.
What was the effect of the Cambodian invasion?
Damage was done to the Ho Chi Minh trail and 11,000 Communists were killed. However, the Communists began to use parts of the trail in Laos, and many retreated to safer places. There was huge outcry in US - congress demanded less funding and faster withdrawl.
What happened in Laos, 1971?
The US provoded air support for an ARVN invasion to defeat Communist groups in Laos and destroy the trail. The North Vietnamese gatered thousands of troops to fight a battle.
What was the impact of the Laos invasion?
The Battle of Tchepone was bloody and resulted in the ARVN retreating. The invasion raised serious doubts about Vietnamisation.
What was the Easter Offensive & Operation Linebacker, 1972?
The North Vietnamese launched an attack (Easter Offensive) on the South in March 1972 - successful at first but eventually the US and ARVN pushed them back. In response, “Operation Linebacker” was the heavy, unrestricted bombarment of North Vietnam.
What was the impact of the Easter Offensive & Operation Linebacker?
- Linebacker severely damaged industry, supplies and communications in the North and China
- The USSR urged the North to find a peace settlement
- The bombing campaign was controversial and triggered more protest back home
Why did Vietnamisation fail?
- US troops - knew they would be returning home soon and many were unwilling to fight. Some officers were killed by their own men and many men became drug addicts.
- ARVN - lacked soldiers and desertion was common. Corruption was high, officers were reluctant.
- Training / equipment - US funding was restricted and officer shortage meant training was rushed.
- Economic / political issues - government in Saigon fell and the US departure triggered an economic crisis.
How did the US withdraw from Vietnam?
- June 1972 - North Vietnam under increasing pressure to make peace with US
- October 1972 - South Vietnamese refuse to sign peace agreements
- January 1973 - Paris agreements signed by US, North and South. South Vietnamese reufsed to negotiate with Communists after these agreements
- March 1975 - North Vietnamese army sweep through South, Congress refused to provide aid and US hastily leave Saigon
- April 1975 - Saigon falls and Vietnam becomes a united Communist country
