Laos and Cambodia

Question 1

When was Operation Menu?

Answer 1

March 1969

Question 2

What was Operation Menu?

Answer 2

Bombing campaign targeting parts of Cambodia which were regarded as safe by the North Vietnamese Army and Vietcong

Question 3

What were the US aims for Cambodia attack?

Answer 3

1. Sever supply lines on Ho Chi Minh trail
2. Pressurise NV to agree peace settlement for SV
3. Compensate for Vietnamisation programme so retain confidence and commitment of SV

Question 4

When did US invade Cambodia?

Answer 4

March 1970

Question 5

What happened in March 1970 in Cambodia?

Answer 5

Cambodia’s head of state (Prince Norodom Sihanouk) was overthrown by the pro-US General Lon Nol

Question 6

What was the reaction of NV to the overthrowing of Cambodia’s head of state?

Answer 6

North Vietnam increased presence in Cambodia by backing anti-Nol communist movement (Khmer Rough)

Question 7

What would communist control of Cambodia mean for USA?

Answer 7

Undermine Nixon’s Vietnamisation strategy as US focus would be required

Question 8

Initially who was involved in the Cambodia border raids?

Answer 8

South Vietnamese forces, with US air support

Question 9

What happened in Cambodia in April 1970?

Answer 9

US committed 20,000 ground troops into Cambodia

Question 10

Why was US commitment to Cambodia ground troops made ineffective a month later?

Answer 10

Nixon’s announcement later that month which said 150,000 US troops would be withdrawn from South within one year

Question 11

What was the impact of the Cambodia attack on Vietcong?

Answer 11

• Ability to operate undermined as large areas of jungle destroyed
• Large amounts of their supplies/equipment were captured or destroyed

Question 12

What was the impact of the USA attack on Vietcong?

Answer 12

• No strategic gains
• Increased USA commitment to withdraw forces and pressure North to co-operate
• Opposition at home increased (Kent State)

Question 13

What was the impact of the Cambodia attack on North Vietnam?

Answer 13

• Any possibility of a major North Vietnamese offensive against the South was seriously undermined due to the losses faced by the North Vietnamese in Cambodia
• Strengthened support for Khmer Rouge to attemp and overthow Nol

Question 14

When did ARVN invade Laos?

Answer 14

Feb 1971

Question 15

Why did US attack Laos?

Answer 15

• Wanted to disable Ho Chi Minh trail
• Disrupt NV supply lines

Question 16

What was Operation Lam Son 719?

Answer 16

Plan to support ARVN invasion of Laos with US air support

Question 17

How many ARVN forces attacked Laos and what were they met with?

Answer 17

30,000 and met with persistent resistance from NV so ARVN had to withdraw

Question 18

What did the Laos invasion show about the ARVN?

Answer 18

• ARVN could only have a chance of matching the North Vietnamese whilst it had US air support
• The attack also showed that even with US air support the chances of defeating the North were slim

Question 19

What was the impact of the Cambodia attack on North Vietnam?

Answer 19

However the invasion simply spurred the North onto an offensive rather than defensive position

Question 20

What was the impact of the Cambodia attack on Nixon’s strategy?

Answer 20

Nixon’s strategy was increasingly failing to move the US towards ‘peace with honour’

Question 21

What was Thieu’s orders during Laos invasion?

Answer 21

Thieu ordered that when his forces reached 3,000 casualties, they should retreat. So when they did, the ARVN had to retreat only halfway to it’s target