Confrontation and Cooperation, c1963-1972: Nixon's policies in Vietnam - the Beginning of the Paris Peace Talks

Question 1

Timeline of main events in the beginning of
Paris peace talks

Answer 1

• March 1968
• Johnson announces he’s willing to negotiate with North
Vietnam
• Hanoi’s military forces on defensive after Tet

• May 1968
- Preliminary talks begin in Paris

• By October 1968
- The talks reached a stalemate and soon died down

• January 1969
- Nixon becomes president

• February 1970
- Kissinger secretly meets Le Duc Tho in Paris

• May 1971
- Peace talks between Le Duc Tho and Kissinger resume

• November 1971
- Peace talks between Le Duc Tho and Kissinger stall

• October 1972
- North Vietnamese change their mind about Thieu’s removal of power

Question 2

When did Johnson announce he was willing to begin negotiations with North Vietnam?

Answer 2

• March 1968

Question 3

Who helped advocate for peace negotiations within the Johnson administration?

Answer 3

•Johnson’s Secretary of Defense, Clark Clifford
- Believed it would bring the war to a close

Question 4

How did Hanoi respond to Johnson’s announcement?

Answer 4

• Hanoi soon accepted talks concerning Johnson’s willingness to end bombing of North Vietnam

Question 5

When did preliminary talks begin?

Answer 5

• May 1968
- Talks began in Paris

Question 6

What were the sources of disagreement during these preliminary talks?

Answer 6

• Unclear if US was committed to stop bombing all over North
Vietnam
• North Vietnam wanted NLF to be represented at negotiating table
• North Vietnam not willing to de-escalate

Question 7

Why was the US weary of stopping the bombing of North Vietnam?

Answer 7

• Johnson feared it would allow for preparation of an offensive on South Vietnam

Question 8

How did South Vietnam react to demands for the NLF to be represented?

Answer 8

• South Vietnam fiercely opposed to negotiations if NLF were to be represented

Question 9

When had Hanoi’s military forces shown they were not willing to de-escalate? Why was this the case?

Answer 9

• By March 1968, Hanoi’s military forces were on the defensive after Tet
• North didn’t want to appear weak

Question 10

What were the overall outcomes of the preliminary talks?

Answer 10

• By October 1968, the talks reached a stalemate and soon died down
• US didn’t stop bombing and North Vietnam didn’t de-escalate its forces
• Willingness to negotiate still remained

Question 11

When does Nixon become president?

Answer 11

•January 1969

Question 12

Who is Henry Kissinger?

Answer 12

• During these talks, he was the National Security Advisor of the US
• Skilled international diplomat

Question 13

Who was Le Duc Tho?

Answer 13

• Communist, North Vietnamese politician
- Special advisor to North Vietnam during the negotiations

Question 14

When did Kissinger secretly meet Le Duc Tho in Paris?

Answer 14

• February 1970

Question 15

What did Le Duc Tho insist upon at the talks with Kissinger?

Answer 15

What did Le Duc Tho insist upon at the talks with Kissinger?

Question 16

How did Kissinger and Nixon react to the demands Le Duc Tho made?

Answer 16

• Thought proposals were unrealistic
• US couldn’t abandon Thieu by agreeing to these terms
• If South Vietnam were to collapse, US would be seen as traitors

Question 17

When did the peace talks between Le Duc Tho and Kissinger resume and then stall?

Answer 17

• Resumed in May 1971
- Stalled in November 1971

Question 18

What change in demands did the North Vietnamese make in regards to Thieu’s power?

Answer 18

• Moderated their demands on Thieu’s removal from power

Question 19

When did the North Vietnamese change their mind about Thieu’s removal of power?

Answer 19

• October 1972