Nixon took office at a time when America had made little progress in fighting the Vietcong or containing communism in the region. Growing demands for peace, and the realisation the US couldn't win, led Nixon to promise the war would end with an 'honourable peace' US troops brought home.

Nixon believed the USA should withdraw from Vietnam. He understood clearly that the conflict couldn't be won with traditional military tactics; neither could he engage in nuclear warfare as this would provoke China and the USSR and threaten a nuclear apocalypse. However, he had not abandoned the USA's commitment to contain communism.

There were several key influences on Nixon's strategy for Vietnam:

• ❖ Public trust in the government was low, so he had to ensure whatever course of action he took was supported by the public.
• ❖ Nixon had a double burden. He knew he had to withdraw US troops from Vietnam but, like his predecessors, he did not want to be known as the president who lost South Vietnam to communism.
• ❖ He had served as vice-president to Eisenhower and shared his views on the importance of containment. Nixon was operating in the context of the Cold War.

There were a number of key events in Nixon's involvement in Vietnam:

• ❖ On 3rd November, 1969, he announced his policy of Vietnamisation.
• ❖ By the end of 1969, 85,000 of the 540,000 US soldiers in Vietnam had been withdrawn.
• ❖ In March 1969, Nixon authorised the bombing of Cambodia. This was initially kept secret, but was later seen as a widening of the war.
• ❖ In April 1970, he authorised an invasion of Cambodia by the US Army.
• ❖ In May 1970, students protested at the Kent State University in Ohio - one of the most famous demonstrations against the war.
• ❖ In May 1970, Nixon declared 150,000 more troops were needed. This led to huge demonstrations throughout the USA.
• ❖ In February 1971, US forces launched an attack on North Vietnamese soldiers in Laos.
• ❖ In the spring of 1972, the North Vietnamese attacked South Vietnam.
• ❖ As part of a wider policy of détente (the easing of tensions between countries), the USA entered discussions with the USSR regarding arms limitations. Nixon also requested that the USSR put pressure on the North Vietnamese to end the war.
• ❖ Nixon was the first US president to be invited to communist China. During his visit, in February 1972, he also asked China to put pressure on North Vietnam to end the conflict.
• ❖ In October 1972, North Vietnam proposed an 'in place' ceasefire.
• ❖ On 27th January, 1973, the Paris Peace Accord was signed and brought an end to the conflict.
• ❖ In March 1973, the last US soldiers left Vietnam.

Nixon's involvement in the Vietnam War was significant as, under his leadership, the conflict came to an end. While it did appear for some time this might not happen - as there was an expansion of the war during his presidency - he fulfilled his commitment to bring US troops home.