did Nixon want to achieve "peace with honor" in Vietnam?

Question

yes or no?

Answer 1

Nixon did achieve, or at least attempted to achieve, peace with honor in Vietnam. He did a whole lot more, which will be revealed as Nixon administration documents are declassified over time. Nixon kept his promise to get U.S. combat troops out of South Vietnam. This was brokered with the North Vietnamese and the NLF (a.k.a. Viet Cong) using an iron fist at times. Most will believe the Nixon administration actions directly against foes in the Vietnam War was all that happened to broker a peace treaty and effectively end U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War. What many don’t realize is the newly formed friendship with China during Nixon’s administration had a lot to do with ending the Vietnam War and possibly ending the Cold War.

U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia started in the 1950’s when the Soviet Union and China were allies. Both countries were supporting North Vietnam well before Johnson started sending combat troops to South Vietnam and both countries ramped up support while Johnson was in office. However, the Soviet and Chinese relationship was also deteriorating from the beginning.

The relationship between the Soviet Union and China wasn’t worth the piece of paper it was written on by the end of the 60’s, which opened the door for a relationship between the U.S. and China. This relationship was critical as it shifted the balance of power in the Cold War against the Soviet Union. Numerous secret meetings between Kissinger and Chinese officials brokered the friendship agreement that led to Nixon’s famous visit to China and the start of peaceful relationships between the U.S. and China that continues today.

Part of the deal for friendship was U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia. Basically, China wanted the U.S. out of Southeast Asia. By that time, democracy and capitalism had enough time to mature and sustain itself against communism in several Southeast Asian countries without direct support from the U.S., and there was no need for the U.S. to continue supporting interests against communism in the region with China as a U.S. ally. All of this was crucial for the U.S. to be able to leave South Vietnam without much issue and with some dignity.

Both North and South Vietnam were practically forced to negotiate a peace treaty. At the time, the peace treaty was a monumental event that was to end years of hostility in Vietnam. The Vietnam War may have ended there if Nixon did not resign from office. North Vietnam initiated a short campaign to invade the Northern part of South Vietnam as a test to see how far the U.S. will go in supporting South Vietnam after Nixon left office. Despite Ford’s pleas to congress to resume bombing of North Vietnam in retaliation, the U.S. did not react and the NVA quickly took over the rest of South Vietnam.

In my opinion, the fall of South Vietnam overshadows much of the Nixon administration accomplishments with the Vietnam War. The question you asked would be a matter of fact that Nixon did get the U.S. out of Vietnam with honor had it not been for the final outcome of the Vietnam War. Peace with honor was replaced with defeat and humiliation, which the U.S. faced the rest of the world with for years after the Vietnam War ended.

Answer 2

Peace With Honor

Answer 3

Yes. I remember his speech. Many people wanted to get the troops out of Vietnam- protests happened all the time, far beyond what we see today.
Nixon wanted the US to set the South Vietnamese so that they could defend themselves. Soon after we got most of the troops out and S. Vn was on its own, the North invaded with tanks, etc and overran it quickly.
oops...

Answer 4

Yes....



Dr. Tommy Skelton

Answer 5

Yes, he did get a peace agreement.

Answer 6

He wanted victory, and setteled for peace with spin.

Answer 7

That is arguable and there are actually several potential answers to this question...

Answer 8

Was curious on the answer to this as well