Theme 5

Vietnamisation- US troops would begin to return home, 1969 in the summer the US pulled out around 60,000 troops

Nixon announced the Nixon Doctrine and that they would honor its current defence commitments but would not commit troops anywhere else and would take part in the paris peace talks to avoid a humiliating defeat.

Vietnamisation strategy did not work because Nixon ordered the bombing of Cambodia

1968, there was no progress made as there were silly disagreements, including south Vietnamese communists as a separate negotiating group, and each side wasn’t prepared to move from their stance

Kissinger set up secret negotiations with the North Vietnamese only, but both continued military action to improve their negotiating position- Thieu was left out of these talks to prevent leaks.

The US, China and USSR

  1. Exploiting the rivalry between China and the USSR meant both would pressure the North to come to an agreement

  2. A closer relationship with China undermined North Vietnam’s support network

Kissinger wanted to find a solution that worked for both North Vietnam and the US, whereas Le Duc Tho wanted the best outcome for his country

Thieu refused to accept the October Agreement in 1972 since he didn’t want coalition government and he knew the US would abandon him.

Terms of the Paris peace accords:

  1. Ceasefire

  2. Withdraw of US troops

  3. Release of prisoners of war

  4. political future of south Vietnam

  5. Reunification of Vietnam

Why did the communists win in Vietnam?

  1. Guerrilla Warfare Tactics of the Viet Cong and NVA

  2. Communist Motivation and Determination

  3. Popular support for the communists

  4. Lack of popular support for the south Vietnamese government

  5. Ho Chi Minh Trail and External support

  6. US military strategies and limitations

  7. US public opinion and anti-war movement

  8. the nature of the terrain and climate