Why were the US actions to end the Vietnam War unsuccessful?

The USA and Vietnam:

Failure Aboard and

at Home 1964 - 1975

US Optimism• In the start of 1968 the US were optimistic about

winning the war in Vietnam– Over ½ Million troops in Vietnam– ARVN seemed to be in control of the cities– The countryside quiet over 100,000 Vietcong had been killed in

1967– North Vietnam was experiencing blanket bombing

The Tet Offensive• 31st January 1968• The day of the Vietnamese (Tet) New Year celebrations,

the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) launched attacks throughout South Vietnam.

• Cities and US military bases were targeted in a carefully coordinated plan.

• It was a new tactic as it was a direct attack on a stronger enemy

• The communists thought that the Tet Offensive could end the war as they believed the South Vietnamese would support them and over throw the government

The Tet OffensiveSuccesses Failures

• Took USA and ARVN by surprise

• Communists took the US Embassy and Radio Stations

• Over 100 places were attacked

• Support in Saigon from the people didn’t happen

• 30,000 Vietcong were killed, never recovered losses

• North agreed to Peace talks• US and ARVN repelled the

attack in 48 hours

Peace talks• In November 1968 Republican Richard Nixon was elected

as the new American President. His victory was a result of his promise to end the Vietnam War

• Peace talks between North Vietnam and the US lasted 5 years

• Despite the peace talks the US continued to keep pressure on the N.Vietnam by continuing the war and the bombings

Invasion of Laos & Cambodia• North Vietnam continued to use the Ho Chi Minh trail

through Cambodia and Laos• In 1970, Nixon ordered an invasion of Cambodia with the

‘limited’ objective of destroying the trail• This extension of the war was unpopular in the USA. It

was one of the reasons for the Kent State University Protests.

• It also failed to close the supply route

Withdrawal• Bombing raids in North Vietnam continued, aimed at

keeping pressure on North Vietnam at a time when US troops were being withdrawn.

• By 1970 only 150,000 US troops remained from a previous total force of over half a million. Those who remained were less than enthusiastic about the war and morale was low

• “1971 saw a series of stories revealing the massive heroin problem, the staggering desertion rate and the number of combat refusals among US troops. GI’s were photographed carrying peace symbols or smoking pot

from a gun barrel”

Further Bombing Campaigns• In 1972 the NVA, who had now recovered from their

losses in the Tet Offensive, took advantage of the reduced number of US troops by launching an invasion of South Vietnam. The only way America could fight back was by massive use of air power

• April 1971: Nixon orders Operation Linebacker, a massive air attack by B52 bombers on strategic targets in N.Vietnam such as roads, railways and ports

• 1972: bombing continues as unsuccessful peach talks drag on in Paris

• Christmas 1972: Over 200,000 bombs dropped on the major cities of North Vietnam in 11 days

Madman theory• The madman theory was used to put pressure,

N.Vietnam to return to peace talks.• The idea was:

– Let it be known that Nixon was mentally unstable and if the war continued he would use Nuclear Weapons

• The bombing campaigns aimed to show the North Vietnamese that America would not abandon South Vietnam. Eventually they succeeded in January 1973 peace talks restarted in Paris

• Talks were done by Henry Kissinger, President Nixon’s National Security adviser, and Le Duc Tho, the North Vietnamese governments lead negotiator at the talks

Vietnamisation• Process of handing over of services and power from

the US to the AVRN• From 1969 Nixon ordered a gradual withdrawal of

troops, that would be replaced by the AVRN, that had been trained by US forces

• This decision was unpopular with US commanders who still thought that they could win the war.

• It is also likely the Nixon knew that Vietnamisation would not end the war by bringing victory to South Vietnam and that defeat fro the USA was the likely outcome.

• However it would mean that US losses were reduced.

Vietnamisation• At first the policy of Vietnamisation seemed to be

working. There was little communist activity from 1968 to 1972.

• However the reason for this was that the Vietcong was recovering from the setback of the Tet Offensive.

• The calm ended in 1972 when the NVA armed with Soviet tanks, invaded the South.

• The advance was held up largely as a result if the increased bombing attacks on North Vietnam throughout 1972

• Both sides began to realise that the war could not be won outright. This opened the way for peace talks.

• In Jan 1973 a ceasefire and peace agreement was reached, signed by USA and North Vietnam

Paris Peace Conference• US armed forces were to withdraw completely from

Vietnam• US prisoners of war were to be released by North

Vietnam• North Vietnam recognised the government of South

Vietnam, but the NAV could remain in areas of South Vietnam that they controlled at the time of the ceasefire

• Elections would be held in the future to decide if Vietnam could again be united

• Le Duc Tho probably achieved more for North Vietnam than Henry Kissinger did for the USA

After Withdrawal• The ceasefire gave time for NVA to re arm and prepare

for another assault• By April 1973, all US troops had left Vietnam. Only a

small number of advisers remained. • In return, North Vietnam released 600 prisoners of

war – though the USA claimed that there were far more than this.

• In 1974, fighting between North and South restarted. No US military help was given to South Vietnam. Congress passed laws to prevent the bombings by the US of targets in Vietnam and Cambodia. The amount of financial support was also limited. North Vietnam was to take advantage of this almost complete US withdrawal

Fall of Saigon 1975• North Vietnam continued the offensive into South

Vietnam in 1975• A three pronged attack through Laos and Cambodia,

this divided the ARVN forces.• Major cities fell to the communists. • South Vietnamese troops deserted in droves. Refugees

from the north began to flee southwards towards Saigon and to what they thought was safety

• Saigon was not long in falling to the Communists. By the end of April 1975, they were in control of the capital

• Many citizens of Saigon stayed to greet the conquerors. Other tried to escape as best they could – by road or by sea

Fall of Saigon 1975• As for the remaining US officials, they were airlifted by

helicopter from the roof of the US embassy to awaiting warships

• In this dramatic way the US presence in Vietnam came to an end