Paper 3: Vietnam Flashcards
What did Nixon promise?
- to get USA out of the war
- to tell truth abt war, many anrgy that Johnson lied abt the war
Nixon’s approaches to Vietnam War: OFFICIAL PEACE TALKS
5 days after becoming president, Nixon sent delegates to Paris to negotiate for peace w representatives from North & South Vietnam.
However, became clear, as delegates argued over sesting arrangements, that talks would be difficult
Nixon’s approaches to Vietnam War: SECRET PEACE TALKS
In August 1969, Henry Kissinger of USA began secret peace talks w Le Duc Tho of N, Vietnam. Nixon did not tell the S. Vietnamese or American public abt these talks
Nixon’s approaches to Vietnam War: TROOPS WITHDRAWAL
In June 1969, Nixon lowered maximum number of troops in Vietnam by 25,000
Nixon’s approaches to Vietnam War: AVRN TRAINING
The military in Vietnam, now led by General Abrams, told to focus on training AVRN (S. Vietnamese) officers & troops
Nixon’s approaches to Vietnam War: SECRET BOMBING OF CAMBODIA
On 15th March 1969, Nixon ordered secret bombings of parts of Ho Chi Minh Trail that ran through Cambodia - military reports lied abt bombing raids as Nixon knew this expanding of the war would be very unpopular
When was the Nixon Doctrine?
25th July 1969
What was the Nixon Doctrine?
Nixon gave a speech outlining what the ole of USA should he in Southeast Asia politics in future:
- USA would honour any treaty commitments it had made
- USA would help any ally against nuclear threat
- USA would provide aid & training against non-nuclear threats, but not troops
Impact of the Nixon Doctrine?
VIETNAMISATION: USA was to withdraw troops, but w/o looking like they had been defeated & w/o S. Vietnam becoming communist.
Key featured of VIETNAMISATION
- US troops withdrawn ‘with honour’ - not leaving S. Vietnam at mercy of N. Vietnam & VC
- AVRN were to provide own officers
- S. Vietnam would remain separate country & not becoming communist
Partial success of VIETNAMISATION
Succeeded in most basic aims: fewer US troops in Vietnam & fewer US deaths. However, some felt troops withdrawn too soon
Reactions to VIETNAMISATION
- Most US citizens welcomed fact that US troops would start to be
withdrawn - US generals & S. Vietnamese worried that the ARVN werent ready to fight alone.
- The communists saw Vietnamisation as a chance to gain the upper hand in the war.
Nixon invasion of Cambodia
In 1970, pro-American General Lon Nol took over in Cambodia & told N. Vietnamese to leave.
N. Vietnamese joined forces w Cambodian communist guerrilas & supported Sihanouk attacking Nol gov.
- Nixon invaded Cambodia to support Nol & save Cambodia from communism - 50,000 AVRN & 30,000 US troops
- Nixon knew this would create public outrage in USA, so kept secret
Results of Nixon invasion of Cambodia
- Significant damage to Ho Chi Minh Trail - weapons/supplies captured
- 11,000 communists killed & Nol’s gov kept in power
However - damage to Ho Chi Minh Trail didnt stop N. Vietnamese getting to S. Vietnam - simply used section of trail in neighbouring country = Laos
- huge public outcry in USA
Vietcong tactics: Guerrila warfare
Meant VC were, for both AVRN & US troops, a shadow enemy. Anyone could be a member of the VC - man, woman or child.
There was little distinction between ppl who helped the VC by supplying food/info & those fully committed members of VC - hard for US troops to tell their enemies from their allies
Vietcong tactics: VC tunnels
The Vietminh used tunnels to move ariund during war w French - VC did the same to move around easily w/o being detected, but tunnels were more complex
In Cu Chi area, just 25 miles from Saigon, VC built 100 miles of tunnels, on varying levels. Contained hospitals, weapons, storage, living space.
Vietnamese were often smaller than most Americans - too small to fit
US tactics: Operation Rolling Thunder
A mass bombing campaign over N. Vietnam aimed to destroy supply routes
US tactics: Strategic Hamlets
Diem set up large villages (surrounded by barbed wire & guarded by AVRN) - to stop VC from recruiting villagers/getting supplies from them. Aimed to make ppl feel safe, cared for and supportive of gov.
Diem’s gov ignored fact that villagers didnt want to leave their homes. They failed to provide enough food, many starved - unlikely to produce support for gov.
US tactics: Search & Destroy
Small units of US soldier searched jungle for VC camps & supplies - then called helicopters to bomb or spray chemicals on them.
Missions often on ground that VC already prepared w land mines/traps
US tactics: Chemical warfare
Variety of herbicides used to kill both jungle plants & crops in farmland around villages - to make VC bases easier to find, deliberately kill crops so villagers couldnt feed VC.
This defoliatian programme known as Operation Ranch Hand.
During war, herbicides were made in quicker process than normal to make huge amounts - produced a poison that didnt dissolve in water, so rain carried to streams/rivers, affectinf ppl who drank the water. It also stayed in the soil too & affected crops for decades –> public outrage in USA as causing many health problems
US tactics: Winning Hearts And Minds (WHAM)
Gave S. Vietnamese farming advice, built schools, vaccinated children to gain popularity/support
Reasons for growing opposition to the war
Short-term factors: events in Vietnam (eg. Tet Offensive) or presidential policy changes (eg. invading Cambodia) triggered opposition.
Long-term factors: rising death toll, loss or serious injury of family members, cost of war.
Other factors: student movements, the draft, media representation of the war
What was Tet Offensive?
30th January 1968, series of attacks on 26 cities & US bases in S. Vietnam. Began on Tet Lunar New Year.
In Saigon, N. Vietnamese troops & VC got into US embassy. Sight of VC in US embassy was huge shock to American public who had been told US were winning war.
Reasons for opposition: Student movement
Student became part of a ‘counter-culture’ - refusing to live by culteral rules of society
Used similar methods to civil rights campaigners (sit-ins, boycotts, marches). Anti-war protests, often burned draft cards
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)
As war went on, student protesters chanted slogans s/a, “Hey, hey LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?”
