Vietnam Final

Pentagon Papers

Name given to a top-secret department of defense study of Unites States political and military involvement in Vietnam from 1945-1967. military analyst Daniel Ellsberg who worked on the study came to oppose the war and decided that the information contained in the Pentagon papers should be available to the American Public. He photocopied the report and gave it to the NY Times. release of the Pentagon Papers stirred nationwide and indeed international controversy because it occurred after several years of growing dissent over the legal and moral justification of intensifying actions in Vietnam Was no help and an ultimate embarrassment to the administration of President Nixon as he was preparing re-election in 1972.

invading/bombing of Cambodia

Nixon ordered secret bombing in Cambodia Hoping that by bombing supply routes in Cambodia would weaken the US enemies Lasted until Aug. 73 ordered troops to occupy Cambodia the significance was that many Americans opposed the Vietnam War. When media outlets publicized events in Cambodia, critics of the war became more vocal. College students across the US became increasingly outspoken in their opposition to the war. Ohio- Kent State University, students set fire to the Reserve Officer Training Corps building. The governor of Ohio called in the National Guard to restore order at Kent State. the National guardsmen open fired and killed four students. in conclusion, students at other college campuses in Ohio and in the rest of the US continued to protest the Vietnam War and its escalation into Cambodia.

Nixon's china Policy

Nixon's trip to china was a move calculated to drive an even deeper wedge between the two most significant communist powers (China and the Soviet Union.) The united states could use closer diplomatic relations with china as leverage in dealing with the soviets, particularly on the issue of Vietnam. in addition, the US might be able to make use of he Chinese as a counterweight to NV At best, the People's republic of China and North vietnam were strongly suspicious allies the significance of Nixon's visit to china is that its improved relations with the Soviet Union and the PRC. the main reason for opening china was for the US to gain more leverage over relations with the Soviet Union/ resolving the Vietnam War was particularly important factor. seeking relations with a communist country during the Cold War. Nixon was the first US president to visit the People's Republic of China since its establishment in 1949

Prisoner of War Negotiations

Paris Peace Accords are signed the settlement included a cease-fire throughout Vietnam. its addition, the US agreed to the withdraw of All-American combat troops and advisors and the dismantling of all-American bases within 60 days. in return, the NV agreed to release all US and other POS the significance of the Paris Peace Accords was ending direct American Military involvement in Vietnam.

Richard Nixon's Vietnam Approach

Took him 5 years to disengage from Vietnam Wanted to bring "peace with honor" reducing American casualties, by having South Vietnamese soldiers bear more of the ground fighting, a process he called "Vietnamization" defused anti-war protests by removing the military draft invaded the neighboring countries of Cambodia in hopes of cutting off the Ho Chi Minh supply line. secretly bombing North Vietnamese sanctuaries in Cambodia as well as invading Laos invoked a bloody civil war between North and South Vietnam, ultimately being ruled under communist control in the end in 1973, the US signs a ceasefire agreement, which agreeing that the United States withdraw completely from Vietnam Controversy in Extent to Nixon viewing the ceasefire to withdraw from Vietnam "with honor"

Vietnamization

War policy initiated by Nixon in June of 1969. This strategy called for a dramatic reduction of US troops followed by an increased injection of SV troops in their place. considered a success, for a drop0in troop to 24,000 by 1972 became the cornerstone of the so-called Nixon Doctrine. As applied to Vietnam, it was labeled Vietnamization. A strategy by Nixon for ending US involvement in the Vietnam war. This involved a gradual withdraw of American troops and replacement of them with SV forces, went along with the Nixon Doctrine expand, equip, and train SV forces and assign to them an ever-increasing combat role, at the same time steadily reducing the number of American combat troops

Powell Doctrine

a. 1990 i. States that military force should only be used to win an overwhelming victory in a short period of time b. United States troops should only be deployed when their political objective was clear, military advantage overwhelming, and means to disengaging secure c. The significance of the Powell doctrine is: i. In effect that developed a strategic policy 1. Powell was intimately involved with it in the Gulf War 2. Discuss it in the terms about it ii. How is American foreign policy affected by Vietnam Syndrome? 1. Corrective attempt to try to put the US in position to avoid another Vietnam a. Clarity of purpose b. Achievable end c. Clear goal

Impact of north vietnam victory

a. President Ford said that it was the saddest days of his life i. There were no parades, no celebrations, and no one talked about it ii. This war was a huge burden on the United States iii. Never ending comparisons to the gulf war, Iraqi war, and the Afghanistan war. iv. Political commentators have always brought in this comparison about arguing the title of this book Americas Longest War.

Operation Linebacker

a. Purpose of the operation was to slow down the transportation of any kind of supplies for the Easter Offensive. i. Linebacker was the first large-scale, continuous bombing effort of the Americans against Vietnam since November of 1968, when Operation Rolling Thunder ended ii. Considered to be the longest bombing effort since Rolling Thunder iii. Kissinger, "bang for the buck" did not have to deploy American ground troops because of using American airpower iv. Try to accomplish some military and political goals. b. Operation Linebacker II: i. Was conducted against targets in North Vietnam during the final period of United States involvement in the Vietnam War. The operation was given several informal names such as the December Raids and the Christmas bombings. 1. Unlike rolling thunder and linebacker I, linebacker II was a modified extension of the operation linebacker bombings conducted from May to October, when the emphasis of the new campaign shifted to attacks by B-52's rather than smaller tactical fighter aircraft. c. Significance: i. Considered a success, Operation Linebacker was critical to halting the Easter Offensive and damaging PAVN forces. An effective interdiction campaign, it began a new area of aerial warfare with the mass introduction of precision-guided munitions. ii. The significance of operation linebacker II was again striking targets to force North Vietnamese to resume talks.

Boat People

a. Refugees who fled Vietnam by boat and ship following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. b. This migration was at its highest in 1978 and 1979, but continued through the early 1900s c. Many feared the rule of their communist master from what had been North Vietnam in 1975, many in the South feared retribution once it was found out that they had fought against the North during the actual war. i. Traditional freedoms were few. It has been estimated that 65,000 Vietnamese were executed after the end of the war with 1 million being sent to prison/re-education camps where an estimated 165,000 died. ii. Many took the drastic decision to leave the country an illegal act under the communist government. As an air flight out of Vietnam was out of the question, many took to makeshift boats to flee to start a new life elsewhere. Alternately, fishing boats were utilized.

Vietnam Syndrome

a. Reluctancy of United States to get involved in foreign conflicts following the Vietnam War; caused somewhat isolationist policy. b. The reluctance of the United States to get involved in foreign affairs for fear of "another Vietnam" c. Reluctance to intervene militarily around the world; an isolationist mood caused by a downsizing of the American Dream

24. Normalization in U.S./Vietnam relations:

a. Vietnam and United States re-established formal diplomatic relations in 1995 i. Since then, the two nations have built increasingly close strategic and economic ties, to the point that Hanoi is now one of the United States closest security partners in Asia. b. In 1994, Bill Clinton lifts a 19-year-old embargo of the Republic of Vietnam. i. The embargo had been in place since 1975, when North Vietnamese forces captured the city of Saigon in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War

3rd Indochina War

a. Was a period of prolonged conflict following the Vietnam War, in which several wars were fought? The Cambodian-Vietnamese War began when Vietnam invaded Cambodia. i. Came after 1975 b. Many Vietnamese and scholars argue there were 3 indochina wars i. Against the French ii. Against the Americans iii. Vietnamese against Vietnamese (fighting after Paris Peace Accords) 1. Overwhelming North Vietnamese victory in 1975 iv. The third is in context of the first two

Paris PEace Accords 1973

a. Withdraw our own forces b. Kissinger and Nixon spoke with each other many times about taking bets with Nixon how long South Vietnam would last without United States Intervention c. Nixon promises the president of South Vietnam that it will bring back American power to help save South Vietnam form North Vietnam control. d. It is not a peace treaty; it gets the United States out of the war e. Within two years, the North has conquered South Vietnam and Saigon renaming the city to Ho Chi Minh i. The settlement included a cease-fire throughout Vietnam ii. The United States agreed to the withdraw of all United States troops and advisors and the dismantling of all United States bases within 60 days iii. North Vietnamese agreed to release all United States and other prisoners of war f. Both sides agreed to the withdraw of all foreign troops from Laos and Cambodia and the prohibition of bases in and troop movements through these countries. g. Peace accord in name only as an argument

Pacification

process of trying to "pacify" the SV people in the towns and villages to get them to support the SV government instead of the shadow of the Vietcong government. this was a joint effort by the US and SV troops in which the object was to "win the hearts and minds" of local populace. US troops did not do too much of this in the early years of the war, but in the second half (after the TET offensive) a lot more was done, and it worked in a narrow sense. The SV army, reluctant to take on Viet Cong and NV force, relied even more on bombing and shelling to retain and enlarge the gains made during the high tide of American military intervention. often, there was forced relocation of peasants remaining in the heavily contest and Viet Cong areas, destroying or burning the houses of those who refused to move closer to the military posts that had been erected so that they could be kept under close surveillance.

Kent State Shootings

4 Kent State students were killed and 9 were injured when members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a crowd gathered to protest the Vietnam War as well as the bombing of Cambodia by US military forces. numerous reasons as to why these protests took place Some of the prominent ones included former president Johnson had mislead the US public about the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which lead to the escalation of US involvement in vietnam in late 1964. another reason, having be the bombing in Cambodia and the increasing number of US causalities further angered many people. the significance was that this left the US divided. Majority of the protests were peaceful, but even then, peaceful protests sometimes turn violent. these shootings helped convince the US public that the Anti-war protesters were not just hippies, drug addicts, or promoters of free love. they also included middle and upper-class people, as well as educated people. rather than causing a decline in protests, the Kent state shootings escalated protests. many colleges and universities across the US canceled classes for the remainder of the academic year in fear of violent protests erupting on their campuses. The protests eventually ended when Nixon began to withdraw soldiers from North and South Vietnam.

Operation "Duck Hook"

Massive bombing campaign of Hanoi, Haiphong and other key areas of North Vietnam. A ground invasion of North Vietnam. mining of the harbors and rivers of North Vietnam and a bombing campaign designed to server that main railroad links to China. was never ordered by president Nixon but carried out by Henry Kissinger Drastic escalation towards the war Nixon did order certain elements of the proposal, such as the intensified bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong and the mining of NV harbors, in response to the 1972 NV easter Offensive

Defeat/occupation of South Vietnam:

a. By March of 1973, the last United States military unit left Vietnam. By that time, the communists and South Vietnamese were already engaged in what was labeled the postwar war. More or less, the other side was continuously violating the terms of the peace agreements. b. The United States maintained its program of extensive military aid to Saigon, but the president's ability to influence events in Vietnam was being sharply curtailed. i. By 1974, Nixon had resigned from office and congress cut military and economic aid to Vietnam, and the Lon Nol regime in Cambodia appeared close to defeat. c. The North Vietnamese launched a two-year offensive to secure South Vietnam. As it happened, South Vietnam's government and army collapsed in less than two months. Thousands of ARVN troops retreated in disorder. What it appeared to be the end of the Vietnam War, Thieu resigned and flew to Taiwan. NVA tanks occupied Saigon without a struggle. The remaining American escaped in a series of frantic-air and sealifts with Vietnamese friends and coworkers. In July of 1976, the country was unified under communist regime, leaving Saigon renamed as Ho Chi Minh City. At last, the 30-year struggle for control over Vietnam was over.

Invasion of Laos 1971

a. Known as Operation Lam Son 719 i. Was to disrupt the communist supply and infiltration network along route 9 in Laos, adjacent to the two northern provinces of South Vietnam ii. The mission was a disaster. The North Vietnamese pushed back, and the South Vietnamese ended up withdrawing under heavy fire. As it had done many times before, Washington overestimated the capabilities of the South Vietnamese forces and underestimated the strength of the North Vietnamese.

War Powers Act of 1973

a. Limits presidential power in sending troops b. Limits presidential authority c. President must let congress know within 48 hours of deployed troops d. President has 60 days to get an approved congressional act of war with deployment of troops i. The goal of avoiding another lengthy conflict such as the Vietnam War, its effectiveness has been repeatedly questioned throughout its history and several presidents have been accused of failing to comply with its regulations.

Doi Moi

a. Name given to the economic reforms imitated in Vietnam in 1986 with the goal of creating a socialist oriented market economy b. Relationship between Vietnam and Soviet Union i. Important to keep in mind that after Vietnam is unified in 1975, Vietnam invades Cambodia and in doing that, alienates the Chinese who had helped them significantly during the Vietnam War. ii. Vietnam is heavily reliant on the Soviet Union for supplies and support 1. Soviet Union becomes the biggest importer and exporter of Vietnamese goods 2. When the Soviet Union starts to reform, starts to play in place freedom of speech and other reforms, there is some refirbraition in other parts of Europe 3. Vietnam picks up on it, and the December of 91 the Soviet Union does not exist 4. Doi Moi introduces a liberal market economy a. Encouraging companies to produce more consumer goods b. Encourage more tourism c. Does not want a bad image of how this country was wiped out during the war 5. Tourism is one aspect and so are the other extensive reforms to liberalize the economy

Watergate Scandal

a. Nixon wins the election in 1968 b. Was still quite popular throughout much of his first term c. Into his second term, he starts to get plagued by the rumors of late spring early summer, Nixon and his administration/committee sent a team of operatives off the record to break into the headquarters of the national democratic committee i. Wanted to gather intel on the Democratic Party ii. Wanted to secure Nixon's reelection coming up d. At the Watergate Hotel i. The guys were caught by security with money and phone numbers from people that were on Nixon's committee ii. In the wake of this, Nixon becomes personally involved and attempts to cover up what happened. 1. He tells the American people I did not knowing anything about this, and denies everything 2. Not to mention, that Nixon did in fact bug the white house a. Vice President Spiro Agnew stepped down because of bribery i. Gerald Ford becomes president and loses considerably against Democrat Jimmy Carter

1972 Presidential Election

a. Nixon won in a landslide against Democratic Senator George McGovern b. Nixon, who focused on a good economy and his success in foreign affairs (especially ending American involvement in Vietnam and establishing relations with China) c. Separately, Nixon's reelection committee broke into the Watergate Hotel to wiretap the Democratic National Committee's headquarters, a scandal that would later be known as "Watergate" i. Within the next two years of the election, both Nixon and VP Spiro Agnew resigned from office, the former due to Watergate and the latter to a separate corruption charge. Nixon was succeeded by Gerald Ford

Thieu's Four No's

a. No territory or outpost would be relinquished to the enemy b. No coalition of government c. No negotiation with the enemy d. No communist or neutralist activity in the country i. The four no's doomed the RVN to a static and defensive policy, both politically and militarily ii. The political no's denied the South Vietnamese government any attempt at exploiting the political and ideological divisions between the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong, deep divisions now known to have existed. 1. Because of Thieu's orders, they could not surrender territory and abandon people to consolidate their forces and military assets. Because of Thieu's adamant stand, none of the South Vietnamese leaders could even discuss proposals to give up territory and people.

Easter Offensive 1972

a. Offensive would prove to be the coup de grace to South Vietnam. i. However, it severely underestimated the resolve of both South Vietnam and the United States to prevent a communist takeover. b. North Vietnam believed that the South Vietnamese forces, known as the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, were not capable of defending the nation. c. A Second factor included how the ARVN suffered a catastrophic loss during Operation Lam Son 719 (Invasion of Laos) i. Also backed by observation, that the United States' policy of Vietnamization, or turning the war over to South Vietnam, had not sufficiently trained the ARVN. d. The main goal of this offensive, was not to win the war directly, but to control as much territory as possible as well as destroying many ARVN units as possible to improve the North's negotiation position as the Paris Peace Accords drew towards a conclusion. e. The significance was South Vietnamese forces prevailing against invaders, but only after six months of desperate fighting that raged across South Vietnam. United States airpower proved to be the difference between victory and defeat for the South Vietnamese. i. Nixon declared that the South Vietnamese victory proved the viability of his Vietnamization program, instituted in 1969 to increase the combat capability of the South Vietnamese armed forces.