The Brezhnev Era, 1972–1985: the USA and SE Asia - Paris Peace Talks

Question 1

What methods did Nixon use to try to bring the Cold War to an end

Answer 1

Diplomacy with USSR, China, North Vietnam
Bombings in Cambodia and Laos
Bombing and linkage

Question 2

Outline main events of Paris peace talks

Answer 2

• Prior to 1972
- Kissinger wanted to use ‘China Card’ to bring North Vietnam to negotiating table

• By 1972
- US and North Vietnamese realise their aims couldn’t be achieved through military means

• April 1972
- Kissinger secretly visits Moscow for support during negotiations

• July 1972
- Paris peace talks begin and South Vietnam is excluded

• September 1972
- Progress made after US suggests support for Thieu isn’t fixed

• October 1972
- Paris Peace Agreement made

• November 1972
- Presidential elections

• December 1972
- Bombing of North Vietnam

• January 1973

• Paris Peace Agreement finalised
• Nixon announces Paris Peace Agreement

Question 3

Who was the president of South Vietnam?

Answer 3

• President Nguyen Van Thieu

Question 4

Why did Nixon suggest there should be secret Hanoi-Washington negotiations in 1969

Answer 4

As the Paris talks had stalled
Shows Nixon’s desperation

Question 5

When did secret Hanoi-Washington negotiations occur

Answer 5

May 1969

Question 6

What terms did the US offer in the Hanoi-Washington 1969 talks and why did the North reject them?

Answer 6

-insisted Thieu stay in power
-but dropped LBJ’s insistence that US troops only withdraw 6 months after NVA (shows more desperate)

Hanoi reject; didn’t see point of withdrawing if US were going to anyway, which it seemed like they wanted to
NV said they were willing to sit in Paris’until the chairs rot’

Question 7

What is an example of the US’s failing policy of diplomacy to withdraw in 1969

Answer 7

Kissinger set a Nov 1st 1969 deadline for the NV to withdraw
Hanoi responded saying they had no troops in the South
(a lie, but US can’t do anything about it)

Question 8

How did Nixon attempt to use diplomacy with the USSR to end the Vietnam war?

Answer 8

Oct 1969, US promised detente w/ Soviets for their help in ending the war, to pressure them
Didn’t work

Question 9

When did Kissinger visit China

Answer 9

July 1971

Question 10

Why did Kissinger meet with China

Answer 10

To reestablish harmonious relations with China amid the Sino-Soviet split
To mediate between the Vietnamese parties

Question 11

What did Nixon announce his plans were with China

Answer 11

his plans to visit China for a summit in March 1972

Question 12

What did the US’s visit to the March 1972 China summit achieve?

Answer 12

The Shanghai Communique, about Taiwan mainly, shows improving relations

Question 13

How did the Soviets react to Nixon’s plans to visit China

Answer 13

Invited him to a summit for May 1972

Question 14

Prior to continuation of Paris peace talks

Answer 14

• Kissinger’s aims
• Prior to 1972 meetings, Kissinger looked for ways to bring North Vietnamese to negotiating table
• Kissinger used ‘China Card’, which took advantage of Sino-Soviet split
• China’s stance
• China not willing to use influence over North Vietnam to help US, as North Vietnam was solely in its sphere of influence and not USSR’s, who they were vying for influence against in NV
• North Vietnam told China to negotiate with US in Paris
• USSR’s stance
• In April 1972, USSR showed similar enthusiasm as China to support US
• USSR saw value in North Vietnamese victory and wouldn’t encourage North to compromise

Question 15

Why did Nixon want to be out of the war by Nov 1972

Answer 15

The election was in Nov 1972

Question 16

What were Nixon’s goals to achieve in withdrawl before the electoins

Answer 16

All prisoners of war release by Hanoi
Leave behind pro-US govs in Laos, Cambodia and South Vietnam

Question 17

What did Kissinger intend to use to bring the North Vietnamese to the negotiating table?

Answer 17

• ‘China Card’

Question 18

When did Kissinger secretly visit Moscow to try get the USSR’s support prior to Paris peace talks?

Answer 18

• April 1972

Question 19

Why did the US and North Vietnamese want peace talks? What stance did South Vietnam take?

Answer 19

• By 1972, clear to US and North Vietnam that their aims couldn’t be achieved through military means
• In South Vietnam, President Nguyen Van Thieu was determined to keep US military in country and to only accept peace proposals guaranteeing a long-term non-communist South Vietnam

Question 20

By what year did the US and North Vietnamese realise their aims couldn’t be achieved through military means?

Answer 20

• By 1972

Question 21

What did Nixon increase in 1972

Answer 21

Bombings - to pressure North in negotiations

Question 22

When was the Spring offensive

Answer 22

March 1972

Question 23

What was the Spring offensive

Answer 23

A big offensive from the NVA against the South
Caused ARVN to crumble
Was because the NVA wasn’t willing to settle for a US-supported ARVN and Thieu at their border

Question 24

When was Operation LInebacker

Answer 24

May - Oct 1972

Question 25

What was Operation Linebacker

Answer 25

US launched to help counter the Spring Offensive
150,000 tonnes of bombs dropped on NV, inc. in depots on Hanoi

Question 26

How did the US use linkage to pressure the North

Answer 26

Drove Hanoi and Moscow apart by threatening the latter w/ cancellation of a planned summit (which the Soviets wanted during the Sino-Soviet split)
So the USSR pressured the North to settle

Question 27

What was an example of US and USSR linkage working

Answer 27

When the US bombed 4 soviet merchant tanks in April 1972 that the Soviets reacted with only mild protest

Question 28

What factors drove the North to settle

Answer 28

Pressure from allies
Bombing from US
US willing to have concessions

Question 29

Paris peace talks

Answer 29

• Talks began in July 1972
• South Vietnam excluded from talks
• Progress made by September 1972 when US suggested support for Thieu wasn’t fixed (showing reducing leverage and increasing desperation)
• North willing to consider coalition government with NLF representatives

Question 30

What were the Oct 1972 Paris Peace Agreement terms

Answer 30

NVA allowed to stay in SV
Hanoi let Thieu stay in power
US wouldn’t insist a ceasefire in Laos and Cambodia
Committee of reconciliation set up to oversee elections
POWs to be exchanged
Nixon secretly promised billions in reconstruction aid to Hanoi
Ceasefire in Vietnam starting in Jan 1973

(both US and North made some compromise)

Question 31

What did Kissinger announce in Oct 1972

Answer 31

Kissinger announced that ‘Peace is at hand’, however Thieu refused to sign.​

Question 32

What happens in Nov 1972

Answer 32

Nixon wins a landslide victory

Question 33

Paris Peace Agreement

Answer 33

• Dates

• In October 1972, agreement was reached
• In January 1973, Nixon announced the Paris Peace Agreement to public

• Agreement

• In January 1973, ceasefire would begin
• Each side’s forces would keep areas they controlled at time of ceasefire
• Within 60 days, US would withdraw its forces and POWs would be exchanged
• A commission would be set up to consider introduction of free elections in post-war South Vietnam
• Free elections would consider the possibility of the eventual reunification of Vietnam

Question 34

When was the Paris Peace Agreement made? When would the ceasefire begin? When was it announced to the US public?

Answer 34

• Paris Peace Agreement made in October 1972
• Ceasefire would begin in January 1973
• Nixon announced agreement to public in January 1973

Question 35

How did South Vietnam react to Paris Peace Agreement?

Answer 35

• South Vietnam appalled at agreement and their exclusion from discussions
  -Nixon had to pressure Thieu to sign

Question 36

What action did Nixon take following the Paris Peace Agreement?

Answer 36

• Thieu and elections

• Nixon insisted ‘peace with honour’ but waited after November 1972 presidential elections to take action
• After landslide victory, Nixon renewed military efforts to reassure Thieu and to warn North Vietnamese it wouldn’t abandon Thieu

• Bombing

• In December 1972, Nixon ordered bombing of Hanoi and all other important northern cities
• Heaviest bombing of entire Vietnam War
• Led to international condemnation and Nixon’s approval rating fell to 32% in US

Question 37

When did Nixon bomb all important northern cities? What was the significance of these bombings?

Answer 37

• December 1972
• Heaviest bombing of entire Vietnam War
• Led to international condemnation
• Nixon’s approval rating fell to 32% in US

Question 38

When was the Paris Peace agreement ratified

Answer 38

Jan 27th, 1973

Question 39

When were US military forces out by

Answer 39

March 1973

Question 40

Who succeeded Nixon after the Watergate scandal

Answer 40

Gerald Ford