Vietnam War: Nixon's Role

• The Vietnam War was a conflict fought from the mid-1950s to 1975.
• The official dates of the war are considered to be 1955-1975.
• The war occurred during the administrations of five presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Gerald Ford.
• The war was between communist North Vietnam and democratic South Vietnam, which was supported by the United States.
• The U.S. supported South Vietnam due to the Domino Theory, fearing that if South Vietnam fell to communism, other nearby countries would follow.
• The Vietnam War was unpopular with the American public.

Nixon Inherits the War

• Richard Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969-1974.
• Nixon inherited the Vietnam War, similar to Lyndon B. Johnson.
• During the 1968 election campaign, the Tet Offensive occurred, a major military operation by North Vietnam against South Vietnam and American forces.
• The Tet Offensive influenced the U.S. decision to withdraw from Vietnam.
• Nixon pledged to end the Vietnam War with "peace with honor" and promised to end the draft.

Nixon and Vietnam

• The Vietnam War was highly unpopular when Nixon took office, with many American soldiers being killed.
• Nixon adopted the "madman theory" to make himself appear unpredictable to North Vietnam, hoping they would negotiate.
• The North Vietnamese remained committed to their goals, and anti-war sentiment in the U.S. led them to believe the U.S. might withdraw.
• Nixon secretly authorized covert operations, such as Operation Menu, involving the bombing of Cambodia and Laos from 1969-1970.
• Despite military success, these bombings did not deter the North Vietnamese.
• Nixon implemented troop withdrawals and ended the draft in 1973.
• The American government was losing hope of winning the war.
• The Vietnam War officially ended under President Gerald Ford in 1975.
• Richard Nixon was instrumental in winding down the war, realizing it was not worth fighting and initiating its closure.