Confrontation and Cooperation, c1963–1972: Nixon's Policies in Vietnam - Extension into Cambodia and Laos

Question 1

Timeline of Nixon’s expansion of war into Cambodia and Laos

Answer 1

• March 1969
- Operation Menu initiated

• March 1970

• Prince Norodom Sihanouk, is overthrown by General Lon Nol
• Khmer Rouge, North Vietnamese and NLF push towards capital Phnom Penh

• April 1970
- 20,000 US ground troops committed; Nixon promises to withdraw 150,000 within one year

• May 1970
- 4 students killed at Kent State

• June 1970
- US Senate votes to remove Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

• February 1971
- Operation Lam Son 719

• Prior to 1972

• Nixon worries about massive communist push
• 1972 year of presidential election

Question 2

What were Nixon’s aims in Cambodia?

Answer 2

• To pressurise North Vietnam to accept a peace settlement so US could achieve ‘peace with honour’
• To compensate for planned Vietnamisation programme to retain confidence and commitment of South Vietnam
• To sever supply lines within Ho Chi Minh Trail
• To prevent communist Khmer Rouge from taking power

Question 3

Why did Nixon fear communist control in Cambodia?

Answer 3

• Communist control would undermine Vietnamisation as US forces needed to counter pro-North assaults from Cambodia

Question 4

Operation Menu

Answer 4

• March 1969

- Bombing offensive on parts of Cambodia considered safe to NLF and North Vietnamese Army

Question 5

When was Operation Menu initiated?

Answer 5

• March 1969

Question 6

Prince Norodom Sihanouk

Answer 6

• March 1970, Cambodia’s Head of State, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, was overthrown by pro-US General Lon Nol
• North Vietnam supported anti-Nol Communist Party, Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot

Question 7

Who is the Cambodian Head of State that is overthrown? When is he overthrown? Who was he overthrown by?

Answer 7

• March 1970
• Prince Norodom Sihanouk
• Overthrown by pro-US General Lon Nol

Question 8

Who led the Khmer Rouge?

Answer 8

• Pol Pot

Question 9

What is the capital of Cambodia?

Answer 9

• Phnom Penh

Question 10

Phnom Penh

Answer 10

• March 1970
• Khmer Rouge, North Vietnamese and NLF push towards capital, Phnom Penh
• Nixon fears possibility of communist regime being established in Cambodia as Khmer Rouge

Question 11

When did Khmer Rouge, North Vietnamese and NLF push towards Phnom Penh?

Answer 11

• March 1970

Question 12

Cross-border raids

Answer 12

• ARVN troops with US air support carried out cross-border raids into Cambodia

Question 13

US troops in Cambodia

Answer 13

• April 1970, 20,000 US ground troops in Cambodia

- Negated by announcement in same month that 150,000 US troops would be withdrawn from South Vietnam within one year

Question 14

How many ground troops did the US commit to Cambodia? When were they committed?

Answer 14

• 20,000

- April 1970

Question 15

When did Nixon announce that more troops would be withdrawn from South Vietnam? How many troops did he aim to withdraw and by when?

Answer 15

• April 1970, same month as 20,000 troops were committed to Cambodia
• 150,000 to be withdrawn within one year

Question 16

What were the consequences of extending the war into Cambodia?

Answer 16

• Strategic

• Ability of NLF to operate in Cambodia undermined as large areas of jungle destroyed
• Possibility of major North Vietnamese offensive undermined due to losses in Cambodia
• No strategic gains achieved by US

• Commitment

• Presence of North Vietnam and US in Cambodia increased
• North strengthened support for Khmer Rouge
• US had to safeguard Lon Nol and Saigon regime

• Anti-war movement

• US domestic opposition increased
• Kent State Massacre (May 1970)
• Removal of Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (June 1970)

Question 17

Kent State

Answer 17

• May 1970
• Cambodia incursion sparks student protests
• At Kent State University, 4 students were killed by US National Guard
• Fuelled nationwide protests

Question 18

When was the Kent State Massacre? How many students were killed?

Answer 18

• May 1970

- 4 students

Question 19

When did the US Senate vote to remove the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?

Answer 19

• June 1970

Question 20

How did the aftermath of the incursion into Cambodia affect Nixon’s later policies?

Answer 20

• Nixon still determined to ensure ‘peace with honour’ despite negative impacts on US
• Extended war by further attacking Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos

Question 21

What did Nixon fear in 1972?

Answer 21

• Feared a massive communist push

- 1972 was year of presidential election

Question 22

Operation Lam Son 719

Answer 22

• February 1971
• Assault into Laos carried out by ARVN with US air support
• Aimed to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines along Ho Chi Minh Trail
• Aimed to prevent invasion of South Vietnam
• ARVN faced superior North Vietnamese force
• President Nguyễn Van Thiếu ordered that when forces reached 3000 casualties, they should stop
• ARVN got halfway towards its targets

Question 23

When was Operation Lam Son 719?

Answer 23

• February 1971

Question 24

What did President Nguyễn Van Thiếu order as part of Operation Lam Son 719? Did the ARVN reach its targets?

Answer 24

• President Nguyễn Van Thiếu ordered that when forces reached 3000 casualties, retreat
• ARVN only got halfway towards target

Question 25

Who was leader of South Vietnam?

Answer 25

• President Nguyễn Van Thiếu

Question 26

What was the significance of Operation Lam Son 719?

Answer 26

• Highlighted ARVN could only have slim chance of matching North Vietnamese with US air support
• Invasion spurred North onto an offensive rather than defensive
• Vietnamisation and ‘peace with honour’ failing