1 / 21

Nixon’s War

Nixon’s War. 1969-1975. What was the problem in Vietnam?. His policy team said the problem was Laos and Cambodian neutrality Nixon decided to expand war to these countries, mainly to try and cut off NVA/VC supply route. Westy replaced!.

azura
Download Presentation

Nixon’s War

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Nixon’s War 1969-1975

  2. What was the problem in Vietnam? • His policy team said the problem was Laos and Cambodian neutrality • Nixon decided to expand war to these countries, mainly to try and cut off NVA/VC supply route.

  3. Westy replaced! • Westmoreland is made Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff • Replaced by General Creighton Abrams in 1968

  4. Operation Menu • Covert bombing of communist bases in Cambodia

  5. Hamburger Hill • May 10, 1969 to May 20, 1969 • Ten days of intense fighting • 50 US soldiers killed • 630 NVA were killed • Faulty logic emerged – after taking the hill the US simply abandoned it • This allows for the enemy to reoccupy

  6. Hamburger Hill

  7. Nixon’s new policy • Conduct war with a minimum of US casualties • Vietnamization – US forces would withdraw while training and preparing a larger South Vietnamese army to take over the bulk of the fighting • June of 1969 withdrew 25,000 troops from Vietnam

  8. US invades Cambodia - 1970 • Disrupt the plans of the NVA/VC • Buy time for Vietnamization • Overall it was very successful -US lost 383 -NVA/VC lost 11,000

  9. Backfire on the home front • Saw the invasion of Cambodia as needless escalation -catalyst for protest at Kent State – May, 1970 • Credibility Gap grew • Congress repealed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Congress forbade US of troops in Cambodia but left open air attacks

  10. Operation Lam Son 719 - 1971 • South Vietnamese troops with some US ground troops and major air support invade Laos to disrupt NVA/VC supply bases • Each side claimed victory • Nixon claimed Vietnamization a victory • Showed heavy dependence on US air support • NVA – 20,000 – South Vietnam – 1,700 – US – 1149 and 108 helicopters

  11. Operation Eastertide - 1972

  12. Eastertide Offensive – March to October 1972 • NVA massed 20 divisions – 200,000 troops • Three pronged attack into North, Center, and South Vietnam • Initial success but all attacks were pushed back and cities retaken • Lack of success of NVA due in part to spreading forces too thin • NVA suffered 100,000 casualties and lost half of tanks and heavy artillery

  13. Pushing Peace in Paris • Nixon claims Vietnamization is working and provides basis to get out • Launches Operation Linebacker on North Vietnam- air strikes • Felt South Vietnamese could hold out with US air support • At conference North Vietnamese stall and Nixon launches “Christmas Bombing”

  14. January 27, 1973 – Paris Peace Accords • North Vietnam – cease-fire in S. Vietnam and release all prisoners • US- halt operations and remove US forces from S. Vietnam and dismantle bases, commit to reconstruction of N. Vietnam • South Vietnam – agree to reunification by peaceful means, allowed for NVA occupation of certain S. Vietnamese areas

  15. Case-Church AmendmentJune 1973 • Demanded an end to US involvement in South and North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. • No more funds would be available after August 15, 1973 • Nixon did not have enough support to prevent his veto from being overridden

  16. Fall of South Vietnam – April 30, 1975

  17. The figures • US – 58,000 killed and 300,000 wounded • For the 1st time the US failed in its war objectives • South Vietnam – 400,000 killed • NVA/VC – 1 million killed

More Related