Paper 3: Vietnam

Question 1

What did Nixon promise?

Answer 1

• to get USA out of the war
• to tell truth abt war, many anrgy that Johnson lied abt the war

Question 2

Nixon’s approaches to Vietnam War: OFFICIAL PEACE TALKS

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Nixon’s approaches to Vietnam War: SECRET PEACE TALKS

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Nixon’s approaches to Vietnam War: TROOPS WITHDRAWAL

Answer 4

In June 1969, Nixon lowered maximum number of troops in Vietnam by 25,000

Question 5

Nixon’s approaches to Vietnam War: AVRN TRAINING

Answer 5

The military in Vietnam, now led by General Abrams, told to focus on training AVRN (S. Vietnamese) officers & troops

Question 6

Nixon’s approaches to Vietnam War: SECRET BOMBING OF CAMBODIA

Answer 6

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

Question 7

When was the Nixon Doctrine?

Answer 7

25th July 1969

Question 8

What was the Nixon Doctrine?

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Impact of the Nixon Doctrine?

Answer 9

VIETNAMISATION: USA was to withdraw troops, but w/o looking like they had been defeated & w/o S. Vietnam becoming communist.

Question 10

Key featured of VIETNAMISATION

Answer 10

• US troops withdrawn ‘with honour’ - not leaving S. Vietnam at mercy of N. Vietnam & VC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

Question 11

Partial success of VIETNAMISATION

Answer 11

Succeeded in most basic aims: fewer US troops in Vietnam & fewer US deaths. However, some felt troops withdrawn too soon

Question 12

Reactions to VIETNAMISATION

Answer 12

• 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  withdrawn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.

Question 13

Nixon invasion of Cambodia

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Results of Nixon invasion of Cambodia

Answer 14

• 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

Question 15

Vietcong tactics: Guerrila warfare

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Vietcong tactics: VC tunnels

Answer 16

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

Question 17

US tactics: Operation Rolling Thunder

Answer 17

A mass bombing campaign over N. Vietnam aimed to destroy supply routes

Question 18

US tactics: Strategic Hamlets

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

US tactics: Search & Destroy

Answer 19

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

Question 20

US tactics: Chemical warfare

Answer 20

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

Question 21

US tactics: Winning Hearts And Minds (WHAM)

Answer 21

Gave S. Vietnamese farming advice, built schools, vaccinated children to gain popularity/support

Question 22

Reasons for growing opposition to the war

Answer 22

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

Question 23

What was Tet Offensive?

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

Reasons for opposition: Student movement

Answer 24

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?”

Question 25

Reasons for opposition: the draft

Answer 25

Those selected for draft were send draft cards telling when/where to report. Created even more opposition to war as many felt it was unfair (argued draftees too young & not trained well enough so increased risk of death)

Question 26

Reason for opposition: media coverage

Answer 26

First war to be widely watched on television & where reporters able to travel w troops into war zone providing uncensored footage.

Showed Americans the war in uncomfortable detail - losing faith in gov, became clear that gov were keeping info from them & even lying to them. Realised much more dangerous/fatal than ever imagined

Question 27

Opposition in Congress

Answer 27

Presidents have to get Congress to pass laws, raise taxes & other funds for war. With Vietnam war dragging on, the costs were adding up detrimentally.

Question 28

Support for the war: fear of communism

Answer 28

Immediately after WWII, Cold War fears in USA led to the ‘Red Scare’ (fear of communist revolution). This explains why US gov wanted only a limited war in Vietnam. USA didnt want to escalate Vietnam war to point of starting war w USSR.

Question 29

Support for war: Patriotism

Answer 29

Love of, & loyalty to, one’s country

Many Americans fiercly patriotic, taught at home & school to obey authorities & be patriotic.
This meant when gov said they were to take part in Vietnam war to fight communism, they accepted & did so willingly - to not fight would be seen as letting country down & betraying what it stood for.

Question 30

Support for war: the ‘silent majority’

Answer 30

On Nov 1969, Nixon made televised speech appealing for support of group he called ‘the great silent majority’ - Americans who supported his policites but did not actively campaign either for/against war.

A poll showed 77% of ppl supported Nixon’s policy in Vietnam, showeing support for the war when Nixon desperately needed it as trying to get N. Vietnamese to negotiating table - he could tell N. Vietnam that, despite anti-war movement demonstrations, he had support where it mattered.

Question 31

Support for war: political support

Answer 31

No politician wanted USA to look as if it had been defeated by communist North Vietnam. However, those who wanted to end the war didnt want S. Vietnam to become communist - political support was complicated

Wanted to do what would make them popular (win votes & power) but didnt want USA to lose face.

Question 32

Support for war: support in Congress

Answer 32

As time passed, Congress became less favourable to the war, but kept funding it bc:
- military kept assuring gov that victory was close
- didnt want USA (a rich & powerful country) to be beaten

Question 33

My Lai Massacre, 1968

Answer 33

16th March 1968, US Charlie Company sent to village of My Lai, briefed that would come under VC fire (not the case). Over next 4hrs, troops, led by Lieutenant Calley, killed 347 innocent women, children, old men.

Media showed brutality of event –> mass publicity. Failed attempts from army to cover up massacre showed corruption

Question 34

Kent State Shootings

Answer 34

4th May 1970, Ohio National guardsmen shot dead 4 unarmed students (2 of which not even protesters, 9 more injured) during protest on Kent State Uni campus against Vietnam war.

Public horrified/outraged by event (mainly bc involved white middle-class students). Mass opposition & unificatioj of students against war across country

Question 35

Support for war: ‘Hard Hat’ Riot, 1970

Answer 35

After Kent State shooting, many anti-war protests all over country

At a NY protest on 8th May 1970, construction workers charged out (wearing hard hats) & beat up protesters. Moved on to City Hall to continue riot