Section B2 - Ending the conflict in Vietnam Flashcards
What did Nixon want for the Vietnam war?
- 1969 he promised “I’m not going to be like Johnson. I’m going to stop that war fast.”
- USA reputation damaged as it couldn’t reach a military victory
- Nixon couldn’t just leave and look weak to Communists who would then have confidence to spread further
What was Vietnamisation?
- The withdrawal of US forces and their replacement by South Vietnamese forces
- Hand back the war to Vietnam
- US money and air support to continue
- Ground troops to be withdrawn
- Burden shift to South Vietnamese army who would be trained by the US
Why was Vietnamisation introduced?
- To reduce domestic opposition he was facing (war protests at home)
- strengthen position as president
- strengthen his negotiating power with North Vietnam
- strengthen South Vietnamese against communism - convince North the South was strong and backed by US weapons to stop invasion ideas
When did Nixon begin to withdraw troops from Vietnam?
1969
How many troops were withdrawn from Vietnam in June 1969?
543,000
How many troops were withdrawn from Vietnam in January 1972?
156,000 - not abandoning the South but reducing US involvement in an unwinnable war
What did the US do to the South Vietnamese Army in Vietnamisation?
Reformed them - paid more, career structures and benefits and conditions modernised
Equipment was improved including planes
How much did the South Vietnamese army increase in size?
82,000 to 1 million in 2 years (1968-70)
How was Vietnamisation a success?
- SV army transformed which kept stability in the South
- 1972 invasion from North (spring offensive) failed with 40,000 casualties from north and 8,000 from south
- Operation Linebacker 1 saw 150,000 tonnes of bombs dropped on North Vietnam - boosted movable and proved vietnamisation was working
How many casualties were there from the Spring Offensive (showing that Vietnamisation was a success)?
40,000 north
8,000 south
How many bombs were dropped in Operation Linebacker 1 (showing vietnamisation to be a success)?
150,000 tonnes
What is the ARVN?
The South Vietnamese Army
How was Vietnamisation a failure?
- Morale low in ARVN and casualties higher than it was for US troops
- ARVN dependant on the US and more about maintaining political war than a military force
- Corruption meant officers were selected through loyalty to Thieu (leader of south) not on military ability
- Levels of desertion high amongst AVRN troops
- Didn’t strengthen USAs aim of “peace with honour”
- Feb 1971 AVRN beaten in Laos highlighting poor leadership and training
Who was Thieu?
Corrupt leader of South Vietnam (selected officers through loyalty not military ability)
When did the first war protests take place?
October 1965 when the draft was increased from 3,000 a month to 33,000 a month - tearing up / burning drafts papers became common (rich could “draft-dodge” but working men couldn’t)
When did war protests start to increase?
When body bags started to return to US in increasing numbers
May 1968 - 562 troops killed in one week
Stories of atrocities by US troops (My Lai massacre)
1968 key year for protests
What is an example of a cry from one of the protesters?
Hey! Hey! LBJ! How many kids did you kill today?
How many protesters took part in a rally in New York and when?
March 1966 - 50,000
How many protesters took part in a rally in Washington DC and when?
1967 - 100,000
1971 - 300,000
(shows increase in support)
How many protesters demonstrated in November 1969?
700,000 - largest political protest in US history
Why did 4 million students strike?
May 1970 - Ohio National Guardsman shot 4 students dead and wounded 16 at Kent State University
