Nixon’s Policies In Vietnam Flashcards
(8 cards)
3 aims of vietnamisation
- Bring the boys back home by replacing American troops with south Vietnamese troops.
- Mad man theory, bombing campaigns in Cambodia and Laos (eradicate HCM trials) to strengthen his negotiating position- intimidate- force into submission
- Strengthen support for the war and his domestic position.
The impact of vietnamisation
1972, NV launched its Spring Offensive which served as a critical test of vietnamisation. The ARVN was supported by US air support in operation linebacker saw 150,000 tons of bombs dropped on NV- suffered 8000 casualties whereas the north suffered almost 5 times that number. Victory with us support.
ARVN morale was low, levels of desertions was vey high amongst ARVN troops, not patriotic and remained a political force than an effective fighting force since members were recruited based on their loyalty to thieu’s regime and nepotism. VERY RELIANT ON THE US.
Operation Menu
March 1969
Sever HCM trials
Strong negotiating position.
Prevent spread of communism
By April 1970, the US committed 20,000 ground troops to Cambodia how were later that month, Nixon said that 150,000 US troops would be withdrawn from south Vietnam.
What was the series of coups in Cambodia?
In march 1970, prince norodom Sihanouk was overthrown by pro-us general Lon Nol. NV became involved by supporting the Khmer Rouge led by pol pot in a communist movement.
Opposition to the war at home increased
Nixon describe it as an ‘incursion’. The Wall Street journal warned against ‘deeper commitment’ in SEA. This cemented the protest mood bc in may 1970, Kent state uni protest led to 4 students being shot.
Led to the US senate voted to remove the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution but this didn’t deter Nixon as he extended war by attacking HCM trials in Laos.
Laos
Feb 1971, Nixon activated Operation Lam Son 719 to support ARVN invasion of Laos with us air support.
Inadequate force of 30,000 ARVN attacked but its leaders were more intersected in pleasing thieu so when they reached 3,000 casualties they retreated. Stanley Karnow comments ‘the prospect of Vietnamisation seemed bleak.’ Pushed the north into an offensive rather than defensive position, peace with honour failed
Relations with china
Nixon realised that china was a developing nuclear power. China was communist and independent of the SU.
‘Artichoke’ approach e.g removed some trade controls and relaxed some travel restrictions, Nixon also talked to countries who were friends with china like France, Romania and Pakistan.
Mao realised that there was a changing balance of power and so the ussr as the greater threat to china so formed an alliance with the USA.
Cambodia delayed developments and Kissinger failed to persuade china to pressurise north v into engaging in a peace process.
Lin biao’s death strengthened Mao and Zhou’s ability to improve us relations : organised trip to china
Paris peace talks
Under LBJ, talks to stop bombing but j wont commit bc he was sceptical that the north was not fully committed to negotiations.
Unresolved issues like the NLF would be represented which the south would not accept.
NV worried bout looking weak after TET
In feb 1970, Kissinger met secretly w/ Le Duc Tho who insisted that the removal of thieu, which the USA cannot agree to, but the NV later moderated their position on thieu’s removal from power in 1972.
1975 the VC overpowered the ARVN and the last chopper out
