Nixon Extends the War, 1970-1972 (Edexcel GCSE History): Revision Note

Summary

Despite being voted into office to end America's participation in the Vietnam War, Nixon extended the involvement of American servicemen in Southeast Asia. Under Nixon’s presidency, America became involved in wars in Cambodia and Laos and increased its bombing campaign in North Vietnam.

The attacks on Cambodia, 1970

• In April 1970, US and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) troops invaded Cambodia to support its government in its struggle with North Vietnam.

  • The invasion sparked outrage in the US Congress which immediately revoked the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution of 1964

  • Congress demanded that American troops should come home earlier

  • It also reduced the amount of money available to Nixon to fight the war

The attacks on Laos, 1971

• In February 1971, the US provided air support (aerial bombing) to the ARVN when 20,000 of its troops invaded Laos

  • The invasion was intended to stop communists from coming to power in Laos and to close the section of the Ho Chi Minh trail that passed through that country 

• The invasion was a disaster, the ARVN troops performed very badly and the Ho Chi Minh Trail remained open

  • The ARVN sustained huge casualties when the North Vietnamese Army launched a counterattack in March 1971

  • The counterattack drove the ARVN out of Laos

The Easter Offensive, 1972

• The poor performance of the ARVN in Laos also convinced the North Vietnamese leaders that an invasion of South Vietnam would be successful

  • That invasion was launched in the Easter of 1972 and involved 120,000 North Vietnamese troops

The bombing of North Vietnam, 1972

• Nixon responded to the Easter Offensive by launching an enormous bombing campaign against North Vietnam known as Operation Linebacker

• It lasted from April to October 1972 and the bombing was so intense and wide-ranging that it caused extensive damage to:

  • The city of Hanoi

  • The port of Haiphong

  • North Vietnam’s radio communications

  • North Vietnam's supply chains with China and the USSR

• Operation Linebacker II ran for 12 days in December 1972 and killed over 16,000 civilians

  • The combined effect of the operations caused the USSR and China to pressure North Vietnam into peace negations with America