Davison History Department

How Did America get out of Vietnam?

 

• 1968 – A crucial year: My Lai Massacre, peace movement and anti-war protests in America.
• 1968: The TET Offensive: A major offensive by the Viet Cong who tried to take over 100s of cities and military bases in South Vietnam during the TET new year celebrations. A TURNING POINT, because, even though they were unsuccessful and the USA soon pushed the communists back, it deeply affected American morale psychologically. It showed the strength and commitment of their enemy (compared to their own weakened morale). Questions were asked about the validity of the war and containment. This was a new tactic for the Viet Cong who usually fought in the countryside. President Johnson realised the war could not be won militarily.
•  A peace conference began in March.
• Johnson did not stand for re-election. Richard Nixon won. He needed to get America out of Vietnam without looking like they had lost.
• Nixon and his advisor Henry Kissinger used a range of strategies to get American troops out of Vietnam and contain communism.

 

• Pressure on China and the USSR. China and the USSR fell out in 1969 so both tried to improve relations with America. Nixon began SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) with the USSR and asked them to encourage North Vietnam to end the war. Nixon visited China and asked them to pressure North Vietnam into ending the war.
• Peace negotiations with North Vietnam. From 1969 Kissinger had meetings with Le Duc Tho (Vietnamese negotiator)
• Vietnamisation: building up South Vietnamese troops and supporting them with American training, equipment and money. Withdrawing American troops at the same time. Between 1969 & 1971 400,000 America troops left.
• Bombing: Nixon increased bombing campaigns against North Vietnam. He also invaded Viet Cong bases in Cambodia.

 

• 1972: North Vietnam attacked South Vietnam, but was unable to gain control.
• January 1973: Peace agreement signed in Paris (immediate cease fire, release of all war prisoners within 60 days, withdrawal of US troops and bases, accounting of those missing in action, self determination for South Vietnam – they remain an independent country).
• Nixon was delighted. By March 1973 all America troops had left Vietnam.
• Nixon promised continuing financial & military support to South Vietnam but congress refused (it was a waste of money especially as the south Vietnamese government was corrupt and lacked the support of the south Vietnamese people.)
• 1974: Nixon was forced to resign over the Watergate scandal. Gerald Ford took over.

April 1975: After a major attack by North Vietnamese forces, Saigon fell to the communists. Desperate people tried to escape. After 30 years of conflict in Vietnam the communists had won.