‘ Nixon’s Policies In Vietnam Were A Relative Failure When Judged Against Their Aims’ Flashcards
(4 cards)
Intro
Nixon’s polices in Vietnam were a relative failure when judged against their aims. There are multiple policies to consider such as vietnamisation, peace with honour and the Paris peace accords. However, inorder to determine whether his policies were successful, we need clear benchmarks of success such as achieving his aim of securing his domestic position and raise support for the war, strengthen his negotiating position and bringing the boys back home. We have to recognise the significance of vietnamisation because u.s soldiers were beginning to return and the bombing campaigns in Laos and Cambodia did put him in a stronger negotiating position, but events in the spring offensive would challenge this. Likewise, Nixon did to a small extent achieve peace with honour by not backing out of war by ensuring that Hanoi enabled him to withdraw from Vietnam peacefully, but he did not prevent the domino theory from occurring in sea. Moreover, the Paris peace accords was not upheld because the VC overpowered the ARVN.
Vietnamisation
150,000 u.s troops was said to be withdrawn from south Vietnam within a year— de-Americanised the war. Operation menu did enable Nixon to position himself as a mad man and force the north into submission which paved the way for the Paris peace accords. Withdrawing troops was not the abandonment of Vietnam, but was designed to limit the USA’s engagement in foreign conflicts that were unwinnable. Therefore he poured resources into the ARVN which was updated with modern equipment like the M-16 Armalite rifle and the ARVN increased in size from 82000in 1968 to on million by 1970.
CA- the chronic problem the ARVN was low moral which led to desertions because of corruption and favouritism. ARVN was corrupt and inefficient as officers were selected based on their loyalty to thieu’s regime rather than on their ability. Operation linebacker- air support led to Stanley karnow saying ‘the prospect of Vietnamisation seemed bleak.’ Led to protests
Peace with honour
Can only win with US air support and failures of operation lam son 719 where an inadequate force of about 30,000 ARVN troops attacked until they reached 3000 casualties, and then retreated in order to pleas president thieu- more loyal to their president than loyal to capitalism so the USA’s move to peace with honour failed and looked more elusive than they first anticipated. Pol pot and domino theory. This rhetoric also became meaningless and empty without the support of its people back home. Kent state uni protests, Vietnam veterans against the war marched to Washington and threw away their medals and the Vietnam Vet Resocialisation Unit talked about their PTSD which was made public in the winter soldier investigation panels- very telling of the unpopularity of the war because to the people, there was no honour in the war.
Ca- Nixon saw the hard hat riot and used a televised speech to mention a silent majority who he said supported his approach to the war. 77% opinion poll supported the war and Nixon was president for a second term.
Paris peace accords
Did reach an agreement and paved the way for 1973 withdrawal, was able to secure a negotiation which allowed Thieu to not be removed.
CA- the north did not abide to this bc in 1975 the VC overpowered the ARVN and the last chopper out speaks volumes about the failures of containment.
