"Peace with honour" - the Vietnam War under President Nixon.
1. The Vietnam war - a short overwiew:
The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, military struggle fought in Vietnam from 1959 to 1975, involving the North Vietnamese and the National Liberation Front (NLF) in conflict with United States forces and the South Vietnamese army. From 1946 until 1954, the Vietnamese had struggled for their independence from France during the First Indochina War. At the end of this war, the country was temporarily divided into North and South Vietnam. North Vietnam came under the control of Vietnamese Communists who had opposed France and who aimed for a unified Vietnam under Communist rule. The South was controlled by non-Communist Vietnamese.
The United States became involved in Vietnam because American policymakers believed that if the entire country fell under a Communist government, Communism would spread throughout Southeast Asia. This belief was known as the "domino theory." The U.S. government, therefore, helped to create the anti-Communist South Vietnamese government. This government's repressive policies led to rebellion in the South, and in 1960 the NLF was formed with the aim of overthrowing the government of South Vietnam and reunifying the country.
In 1965 the United States sent in troops to prevent the South Vietnamese government from collapsing. Ultimately, however, the United States failed to achieve its goal, and in 1975 Vietnam was reunified under Communist control; in 1976 it officially became the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. During the conflict, approximately 3.2 million Vietnamese were killed, in addition to another 1.5 million to 2 million Lao and Cambodians who were drawn into the war. Nearly 58,000 Americans lost their lives. (Atwood, Paul, http://encarta.msn.com)
2. "Peace with honor"
During the Presidential campaign of 1968, Nixon understood the key issue was the war in Vietnam. In a low-key campaign, Nixon promised to bring peace...
More North American Presidents
essays:
President Nixon and the watergate scandal
... of North Vietnam and to increase US military involvement. Nixon campaigned against the war, and brought US soldiers back home. He developed the Nixon doctrine, stating that the United States would continue helping Asian nations combat Communism, but ...
Nixon Policy and Vietnam.
... the Vietnam War. Essential to this argument were the original points stressed by both the American and North Vietnamese (NV) governments and ...
Nixon and the watergate scandal
... with North Viet Nam to end American involvement in Indochina. Nixon's Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, negotiated disengagement agreements between Israel and its opponents, Egypt and Syria. President Nixon appeared to have a strong first term ...
Impeachment or witch hunt
... David S Broder and Dan Baiz of the Washington Post national Weekly edition) wrote it "helped in widening a gap between Washington D.C and the American people." They argue that President Clinton personal likeability took a ...
Agree or Disagree: "President Truman did not take effective action to prevent the spread of Communist influence following World War II."
... as communism became more popular. His government was also inefficient and corrupt. Mao Tse Tong, the leader of the communists made great advances as he marched to North China ...
Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States, who steered the Union to victory in the American Civil War and abolished slavery.
... Civil War. When Lincoln countered with a call for 75,000 volunteers, the North responded with enthusiasm, but the upper South seceded. Military Leadership ...
The American Change An analyse of Lyndon B. Johnson's Inaugural Address
... S. military, due to the communist threat, that America had felt since the 1950s. Johnson probably mentions this, as a well hiding argument to begin the war in Vietnam. He ...
These notes list the first 11 presidents with brief reviews of their presidencies.
... to lapse. Also that year William Henry Harrison fought Native Americans led by Chief Tecumseh at Tippecanoe, near Indianapolis. In 1812 war was declared on England on June 18 after England continued ...