Chapter Fourteen

Question 1

What did Nixon promise upon taking office in January 1969?

Answer 1

That he was going to stop the war, fast- and not “end up like LBJ”. He wanted peace with honour in Vietnam, meaning that South Vietnam would remain an independent, non-communist state.

Question 2

What did Nixon replace Johnson’s failed Americanisation strategy with?

Answer 2

Vietnamisation- the withdrawl of US forces and their replacement by South Vietnamese forces to strengthen domestic support, his own political security, and his negotiating position with NV. US withdrawl but also the strengthening of South Vietnam’s military machine.

Question 3

How did Nixon aim for his Vietnamisation strategy to comply with the interests of North Vietnam?

Answer 3

Nixon wanted to show the North that the South was secure against any threats from them, and showed that the USA was willing to withdrawl- fulfilling a fundamental objective of the North, so encouraging them to negotiate.
He reinforced this by bombing and the invasion of Cambodia and Loas, to further encourage the North to negotiate.

Question 4

How did Nixon’s Vietnamisation strategy affect the ARVN?

Answer 4

More resources were poured into it, leading to troops being paid more, career structures improved, benefits increased and service conditions modernised. Equipment updated. ARVN in 1968 was 82,000 and by 1970 it was made up of one million.
Whereas in 1969 there were 543,000 US troops then by 1972 there were 47,000.

Question 5

What was the Spring Offensive?

Answer 5

Launched by the North in 1972, and served as a critical test of Vietnamisation. North suffered 5x as many casualties as the South.

Question 6

What was Operation Linebacker 1?

Answer 6

US bombing campaign 1972.
Supported the ARVN during time of Spring Offensive.
150,000 tons of bombs were dropped on the NV, in addiion to bombing NV troops in the South.

Question 7

What was the situation regarding the ARVN by 1972?

Answer 7

Morale had increased, but still remained low, reinforced by high casualty rates, with high desertion rates. ARVN was still dependent on the US, whom were rushing through Vietnamisation. ARVN suffered from corruption, as high posiions were rewarded due to loyalty to Thieu’s regime.

Question 8

What was Operation Menu?

Answer 8

A bombing offensive designed to target parts of Cambodia regarded as safe by the North Vietnamese Army anf Vietcong. Instigated by Nixon March 1969.
Wanted to sever supply lines based on Ho Chi Minh trail, pressurise NV to agree to peace settlement for SV, compensate for Vietnamisation program and restore confidence of South.

Question 9

What was happening in Cambodia after March 1970?

Answer 9

Head of State overthrown by pro-US general Lon Nol. NV then backed anti-Nol Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot. Nixon feared possibility of com regime being estabished, undermining Vietnamisation as he would be forced to intervene. Also wanted to show US was still committed to South.
SV forces with US air support carried out cross border raids into Cambodia. 1970 20,000 US ground troops into Cam, and 150,000 US troops would leave SV.

Question 10

What were the consequences of extending the War into Cambodia?

Answer 10

Vietcong struggled as jungles had been destroyed, Vietcong’s equipment was also either captured or destroyed, no strategic gains achieved by the US, severe losses felt by the North- undermining possibility of North Vietnamese offensive against the South, North moved deeper into Cambodia and strengthened support for Khmer Rouge, increased USA’s commitment to SV and opposition to WAR AT HOME INCEASED.
Negative impact did not deter Nixon, who extended the War into Loas.

Question 11

What opposition at home was there?

Answer 11

Wall Street Journal, an influential publicaion, warned against deeper commitment in SE Asia, May 1970 widespread protests, campus of Kent State University our students were shot by US National Guards. June 1970 US congress removed Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

Question 12

What were Nixon’s aims regarding Loas?

Answer 12

Wanted to disable the Ho Chi Minh trail on its route through Loas to stall the logistical support the NV were so dependent on.

Question 13

What happened in Loas?

Answer 13

Congress banned US troops entering either Loas or Cambodia after incident in Cambodia so would be carried out by South Vietnamese forces with US air support. 1971 Nixon activated Operation Lam Son 719, plan to support ARVN invasion of Loas with US air support- aim was to disrupt NV supply lines along Ho Chi Minh Trail in Loas and prevent invasion of SV as US troop numbers fell.

Question 14

What were the results of action in Loas?

Answer 14

Inadequate force of 30,000 ARVN troops attacked. NV force was superior and ARVN withdrew. Highlighted weaknesses of the ARVN and its leadership. Leaders more interested in pleasing Thieu than winning battles. Proved ARVN only had a chance of matching the North Vietnamese while it had US air support. Nixon was failing to move towards peace with honour.

Question 15

What did both USA and China come to realise about their relationships?

Answer 15

Nixon and Kissinger (principle advisor on foreign policy) came to realise the advantages open to the USA through improved Sino-American relations.
Chinese realised that self-imposed isolation was of no advantage to them.

Question 16

What was the status of Sino-Soviet relations?

Answer 16

They had worsened and in the late 1960s a Sino-Soviet split had occurred. Mao Zedong criticised the Soviets over backing down in the CMC, and even accused them of slipping into capitalism.

Question 17

What moves did US make in Sino-American relations?

Answer 17

Nixon was a prime mover in changing US policy towards China. Realised it was a developing nuc power, and a major pol and strategic force in Asia. It was communist and independent of SU. In 1969 the US removed some trade controls and relaxed some travel restriction- ‘artichoke approach’.
By early 1970 some initial diplomatic connections had been established in Warsaw.

Question 18

What was key in China’s approach to America?

Answer 18

They began to regard the USSR had a bigger threat than the USA- although did not dismiss the USA as a danger to them. It made sense to form an alliance with the USA to address the short term and immediate threat from the SU.

Question 19

What hampered Sino-American relations? Then in 1972 what improved relations?

Answer 19

American military action in Cambodia in May 1970 and then in Loas February 1971.
Although not a big mpact as US already began withdrawal of troops from SV.
In Sep 1972 Lin Biao died. He was Mao’s designated successor and an opponent of Sino-American relations.

Question 20

What did Kissinger fail to do?

Answer 20

Despite his efforts he failed to persuade China to pressurise North Vietnam into engaging in a peace process.
Jul and Oct 1971 visited Bejing to prepare for summit in 1972.

Question 21

What did Johnson announce in 1968 and what did this lead to?

Answer 21

He televised his intent to pursue a negotiated settlement with NV.
Hanoi accepted talks.
May 1968 talks began in Paris.
Stalled over whether US would stop bombing of NV as Johnson feared they would use this to prepare for a further offensive in the South.
North was on the defensive after Tet, meaning it would not commit itself to anything making them look weak- which is what the US was seeking.

Question 22

What did Kissinger and Le Duc Tho (communist adviser to NV) end up agreeing?

Answer 22

Feb 1970 they met.
Le Duc Tho insisted that an armistice must include the removal of Theiu. US could not agree, believing SV would collapse into chaos. Turning point in Oct 1972 when the NV changed their minds on Theiu’s removal.

Question 23

What were the overall motivations for Vietnamisation? What challenges were there to Nixon’s policy?

Answer 23

Aims: positive domestic outcome, military contrainment was failing, route to peace with honour and open possibility for positive negotiations.
But: Cambodia and Loas, failure to persuade China to pressurise NV and bombing continues.