The US Withdrawal

What was the US withdrawal from Vietnam?

Nixon had been elected as president on a promise to withdraw America from Vietnam and to secure an 'honourable peace'. During his presidency he worked to bring all US soldiers home from the conflict and end the war in Vietnam.

When was the US withdrawal from Vietnam?

Nixon began working on the process of withdrawal from January 1969 and the last American soldiers left the region in March 1973.

Why did the US withdraw from Vietnam?

There were a number of reasons the USA withdrew from Vietnam, including:

• ❖ The Americans realised the war was unwinnable. Their tactics had failed against the guerrilla warfare of the Vietcong.
• ❖ The morale of American soldiers in Vietnam was incredibly low, making it difficult to continue fighting.
• ❖ The economic cost of the war was proving too high. By the late 1960s it was costing $30 million a year, to the detriment of domestic programmes such as improving education and healthcare.
• ❖ When the conflict began the American people bought into the idea of saving South Vietnam from communism. However, by the end of the 1960s, they did not believe in the war any more. They felt it was not the USA's business, and money should not be spent on it while people suffered at home.
• ❖ Opposition to the war was reaching breaking point with incidents like the Kent State University shootings. Political opposition was also increasing and trust in the government was at an all-time low.
• ❖ The role of the media hugely influenced public opinion about the war and was largely negative about America's involvement in Vietnam.
• ❖ The American people felt the war was immoral. Media coverage meant they witnessed the atrocities being committed in Vietnam by US forces, and they believed the killing of innocent people was wrong.

What was Nixon's approach to the US withdrawal from Vietnam?

Nixon's approach to the US withdrawal from Vietnam included the following:

• ❖ A key policy was Vietnamisation, introduced in 1969. The idea was for that training from US forces would enable the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) to become self-sufficient in fighting the Vietcong, meaning Nixon could bring American troops home.
• ❖ He used his political experience to encourage the South Vietnamese government to reach a compromise with North Vietnam. He also used improved relationships with the USSR and China to persuade them to pressure Ho Chi Minh to bring an end to the war.
• ❖ He used his National Security Adviser, a particularly talented politician called Henry Kissinger, to try and negotiate a ceasefire with North Vietnam.
• ❖ He increased the bombing of North Vietnam and expanded the targets to include Vietcong supply routes in Cambodia and Laos. He hoped this would force Ho Chi Minh to the negotiating table and bring an end to the war.

What were the key events in the US withdrawal from Vietnam?

The key events in the US withdrawal from Vietnam included the following:

• ❖ In January 1969, Nixon sent Henry Cabot Lodge to Paris to begin peace talks with the North Vietnamese government representative, Le Duc.
• ❖ In March 1969, US forces carried out a bombing campaign in Cambodia to destroy the Ho Chi Minh trail and cut off the Vietcong from South Vietnam.
• ❖ 25,000 troops were withdrawn from Vietnam in June 1969 as part of the policy of Vietnamisation.
• ❖ In August 1969, Henry Kissinger conducted secret talks with Le Duc. It was thought if the talks were kept secret, people could talk more openly and honestly. However, they did not result in any progress.
• ❖ By December 1969 a further 60,000 troops were withdrawn from Vietnam. Cabot Lodge resigned after the final public peace talks did not lead to any progress.
• ❖ In February 1970, there were further secret meetings between Kissinger and Le Duc.
• ❖ In April 1970, US forces launched a ground invasion of Cambodia and Nixon announced 150,000 troops would be required in Vietnam, prompting further protests in the USA.
• ❖ An invasion of Laos, led by the ARVN and supported by US military, was launched in February 1971.
• ❖ In January 1972, Nixon announced that Kissinger had achieved a 'peace with honour' through secret negotiations with North Vietnam.
• ❖ Nixon undertook a symbolic visit to China in an attempt to improve relations in February 1972.
• ❖ North Vietnam carried out an attack on South Vietnam in March 1972. In retaliation, US forces bombed Hanoi in North Vietnam.
• ❖ In May 1972, Nixon visited the USSR to improve relations there, and to encourage the Soviets to pressure Ho Chi Minh to end to the war.
• ❖ In October 1972 there was a significant turning point in negotiations in Paris.
• ❖ The Paris Peace Accord was signed on 27th January, 1973.
• ❖ In March 1973, the last US soldiers left Vietnam.

What did Nixon promise to South Vietnam once the US had withdrawn?

While Nixon was committed to America's withdrawal from Vietnam, he still firmly believed in the Domino Theory. In order to ensure South Vietnam did not fall to communism once the USA had left, he promised it support with money and weapons.

What happened to South Vietnam after the US withdrew?

The following happened to South Vietnam once the final troops left in March 1973:

• ❖ The money and weapons promised by Nixon did not materialise. It was felt far too much money had been spent on the war and the US government refused to send further support to what it saw as a corrupt and cruel regime.
• ❖ In December 1974, North Vietnam attacked the town of Phuoc Long in South Vietnam. This marked the beginning of an extensive campaign of attacks that saw the North Vietnamese occupy a number of cities and military bases.
• ❖ In April 1975 the capital city of South Vietnam, Saigon, fell to communism and was renamed Ho Chi Minh City.

What were the consequences of US withdrawal from Vietnam?

There were 2 important consequences of American withdrawal from Vietnam:

• ❖ An end to the war after decades of conflict.
• ❖ After the fall of Saigon in 1975, North and South Vietnam were united as a communist nation.