Confrontation and Cooperation, c1963–1972: Nixon's Policies in Vietnam - Extension into Cambodia and Laos Flashcards
Timeline of Nixon’s expansion of war into Cambodia and Laos
• 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
What were Nixon’s aims in Cambodia?
- 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
Why did Nixon fear communist control in Cambodia?
- Communist control would undermine Vietnamisation as US forces needed to counter pro-North assaults from Cambodia
How many bombs were dropped in hoiw many raids
Over 100,000 tonnes of bombs dropped in 3630 raids
Operation Menu
- March 1969
- Bombing offensive on parts of Cambodia considered safe to NLF and North Vietnamese Army
Consequences of the bombing in Cambodia
- it looks like an extension of the war rather than vietnamisation
- March 1970, Cambodia’s neutral Head of State, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, was overthrown by pro-US General Lon Nol
- so North Vietnam supported anti-Nol Communist Party, Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, who launch brutal campaign
What is the capital of Cambodia?
- Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
- 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
When did Khmer Rouge, North Vietnamese and NLF push towards Phnom Penh?
- March 1970
Cross-border raids
- ARVN troops with US air support carried out cross-border raids into Cambodia
How many US troops in Cambodia
- 20,000 US ground troops in Cambodia committed in April 1970
- Negated by announcement in same month that 150,000 US troops would be withdrawn from South Vietnam within one year
What were the consequences of extending the war into Cambodia?
• 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)
When was and what happened in the Kent State massacre
- May 1970
- Cambodia incursion sparks student protests
- At Kent State University, 4 students were killed by US National Guard
- Fuelled nationwide protests
When did the US Senate vote to remove the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
- June 1970
How did the aftermath of the incursion into Cambodia affect Nixon’s later policies?
- Nixon still determined to ensure ‘peace with honour’ despite negative impacts on US
- Extended war by further attacking Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos
What did Nixon fear in 1972?
- Feared a massive communist push
- 1972 was year of presidential election
Operation Lam Son 719
- 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 (South Vietnam) ordered that when forces reached 3000 casualties, they should stop
- ARVN got halfway towards its targets
When was Operation Lam Son 719?
- February 1971
What did President Nguyễn Van Thiếu order as part of Operation Lam Son 719? Did the ARVN reach its targets?
- President Nguyễn Van Thiếu ordered that when forces reached 3000 casualties, retreat
- ARVN only got halfway towards target
Who was leader of South Vietnam?
- President Nguyễn Van Thiếu
What was the significance of Operation Lam Son 719?
- 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
What fighting occured after expansion into Loas
ARVN vs NLF
6 weeks of fighting
Half of NLF forces in the conflict died
Reassured North that Vietnamisation was a faliure
