Vietnamisation Flashcards
When did Nixon lift the exemption of students from the draft?
1969
When was Kent State University protest?
4 May 1970
Outcome of Kent State Uni Protest
4 people were killed by National Guardsmen who fired into a crowd of student protesters
When were the Pentagon Papers released?
June 1972
What were the Pentagon Papers?
Revealed how American admins had lied to the public, ignored international agreements, manipulated Saigon regimes and misled Congress.
What decisions was Nixon left with following the release of the Pentagon Papers?
Nixon now lost any ground to continue the Vietnam War - he now had the only option to gain a negotiated settlement.
What was Nixon and Henry Kissinger’s tactic?
Pressure China and the USSR with trade and arms agreements.
What did Nixon need to do with China?
Recognise the PRC
How did Nixon apply pressure to Hanoi and what was this theory known as?
Allowed Hanoi to believe Nixon was capable of resorting to the use of nuclear weapons if angered, frightening them into coming to the bargaining table.
- Madman Theory
What was Vietnamisation?
Removal of US forces and implementation of South Vietnamese to convince North they were safe and showed the US was willing to withdraw
What was the aim of Vietnamisation?
Aimed at encouraging N. Vietnam to negotiate
Troop count in June 1969 compared to June 1972
1969 - 547,000
1972 - 47,000
Under Vietnamisation how did the ARVN increase in number of troop 1968 vs 1970?
82,000 to one million
Impact of Vietnamisation on S.V army
- Transform the S Vietnamese military into a fierce force and preserve stability in S Vietnam
What and when was the first test of Vietnamisation?
1972
- Spring offensive launched by N.V
Death Toll of Spring Offensive for ARVN and N.V troops
- ARVN resisted and faced 8000 causalities
- North faced nearly 5x this number
How was ARVN still supported by USA and effect on them?
US bombing campaign (Operation Linebacker) with 150,000 tons of bombs and this boosted their morale whilst showing the USA had not abandoned
When and what was Operation Linebacker?
May - October 1972
- Bombing campaign from US and 150,000 tons of bombs dropped on N.V
Why was Vietnamisation a facade in regards to ARVN and S.V?
- Made the ARVN dependent on the US and it remained a force fighting a political war rather than a physical war
- Officers were selected on the basis of their loyalty to the Thieu regime rather than ability
- US casualties declined but those of the ARVN increased and level of desertions was high amongst ARVN troops
- ARVN remained an ineffective fighting force
What type of positives did Nixon gain from Vietnamisation?
Domestically
Who was Nguyen Van Thieu?
Leader of S. Vietnam from 1967 until the fall of Saigon in 1975
What was the objective of the Accelerated Pacification Campaign?
Objective of expanding Government control over 1,200 villages currently controlled by the VietCong
Who controlled the Accelerated Pacification Campaign and for how long?
William Colby and 90 days
Overview of Accelerated Pacification Campaign
- Increased the security of the rural south and - - Rural development teams handed over local control to local councils, offered amnesties and land reform
- Repair bridges/houses etc
