Confrontation and Cooperation, c1963-1972: Nixon's Policies in Vietnam - Extension into Cambodia and Laos Flashcards

1
Q

Timeline of Nixon’s expansion of war into
Cambodia and Laos

A

• March 1969
- Operation Menu initiated

• March 1970
• Prince Norodom Sihanouk, is overthrown by General Lon Nol
• Khmer Rouge, North Vietnamese and NLF push towards capital Phnom Penh

• April 1970
- 20,000 US ground troops committed; Nixon promises to withdraw 150,000 within one year

• May 1970
- 4 students killed at Kent State

• June 1970
- US Senate votes to remove Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

• February 1971
- Operation Lam Son 719

• Prior to 1972
• Nixon worries about massive communist push
• 1972 year of presidential election

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2
Q

What were Nixon’s aims in Cambodia?

A

• To pressurise North Vietnam to accept a peace settlement so
US could achieve ‘peace with honour’
• To compensate for planned Vietnamisation programme to retain confidence and commitment of South Vietnam
• To sever supply lines within Ho Chi Minh Trail
• To prevent communist Khmer Rouge from taking power

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3
Q

Why did Nixon fear communist control in
Cambodia?

A

• Communist control would undermine Vietnamisation as US forces needed to counter pro-North assaults from Cambodia

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4
Q

Operation Menu

A

• March 1969
- Bombing offensive on parts of Cambodia considered safe to NLF and North Vietnamese Army

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5
Q

When was Operation Menu initiated?

A

• March 1969

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6
Q

Prince Norodom Sihanouk

A

• March 1970, Cambodia’s Head of State, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, was overthrown by pro-US General Lon Nol
• North Vietnam supported anti-Nol Communist Party, Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot

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7
Q

Who is the Cambodian Head of State that is overthrown? When is he overthrown? Who was he overthrown by?

A

• March 1970
• Prince Norodom Sihanouk
• Overthrown by pro-US General Lon Nol

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8
Q

Who led the Khmer Rouge?

A

• Pol Pot

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9
Q

What is the capital of Cambodia?

A

• Phnom Penh

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10
Q

Phnom Penh

A

• March 1970
• Khmer Rouge, North Vietnamese and NLF push towards capital, Phnom Penh
• Nixon fears possibility of communist regime being established in Cambodia as Khmer Rouge

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11
Q

When did Khmer Rouge, North Vietnamese and NLF push towards Phnom Penh?

A

• March 1970

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12
Q

Cross-border raids

A

• AVN troops with US air support carried out cross-border raids into Cambodia

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13
Q

US troops in Cambodia

A

• April 1970, 20,000 US ground troops in
Cambodia
- Negated by announcement in same month that 150,000 US troops would be withdrawn from South Vietnam within one year

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14
Q

How many ground troops did the US commit to Cambodia? When were they committed?

A

•20,000
- April 1970

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15
Q

When did Nixon announce that more troops would be withdrawn from South Vietnam? How many troops did he aim to withdraw and by when?

A

• April 1970, same month as 20,000 troops were committed to Cambodia
• 150,000 to be withdrawn within one year

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16
Q

What were the consequences of extending the war into Cambodia?

A

• Strategic
• Ability of NLF to operate in Cambodia undermined as large areas of jungle destroyed
• Possibility of major North Vietnamese offensive undermined due to losses in Cambodia
• No strategic gains achieved by US

• Commitment
• Presence of North Vietnam and US in Cambodia increased
• North strengthened support for Khmer Rouge
• US had to safeguard Lon Nol and Saigon regime

• Anti-war movement
• US domestic opposition increased
• Kent State Massacre (May 1970)
• Removal of Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (June 1970)

17
Q

Kent State

A

• May 1970
• Cambodia incursion sparks student protests
• At Kent State University, 4 students were killed by US National Guard
• Fuelled nationwide protests

18
Q

When was the Kent State Massacre? How many students were killed?

A

• May 1970
- 4 students

19
Q

When did the US Senate vote to remove the
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?

A

• june 1970

20
Q

How did the aftermath of the incursion into Cambodia affect
Nixon’s later policies?

A

• Nixon still determined to ensure ‘peace with honour’ despite negative impacts on US
• Extended war by further attacking Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos

21
Q

What did Nixon fear in 1972?

A

• Feared a massive communist push
- 1972 was year of presidential election

22
Q

Operation Lam Son 719

A

• February 1971
• Assault into Laos carried out by AVN with US air support
• Aimed to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines along Ho Chi
Minh Trail
• Aimed to prevent invasion of South Vietnam
• ARVN faced superior North Vietnamese force
• President Nguyën Van Thiëu ordered that when forces reached 3000 casualties, they should stop
• ARVN got halfway towards its targets

23
Q

When was Operation Lam Son 719?

A

• February 1971

24
Q

What did President Nguyën Van Thiëu order as part of Operation
Lam Son 719? Did the ARVN reach its targets?

A

• President Nguyën Van Thiëu ordered that when forces reached 3000 casualties, retreat
• ARVN only got halfway towards target

25
Q

Who was leader of South Vietnam?

A

• President Nguyên Van Thiêu

26
Q

What was the significance of Operation Lam
Son 719?

A

• Highlighted ARVN could only have slim chance of matching
North Vietnamese with US air support
• Invasion spurred North onto an offensive rather than defensive
• Vietnamisation and ‘peace with honour’ failing