Working for Peace
In October 1972, Nixon’s National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger,
concluded a secret peace agreement with North Vietnam’s Le Duc Tho.
After reviewing the agreement, President Thieu demanded major
alterations to the document. In response, the North Vietnamese
published the details of the agreement and stalled the negotiations.
Feeling that Hanoi had attempted to embarrass him and to force them back
the table, Nixon ordered the bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong in late
December 1972 (Operation Linebacker II). On January 15, 1973, after
pressuring South Vietnam to accept the peace deal, Nixon announced the
end of offensive operations against North Vietnam.
Paris Peace Accords
The Paris Peace Accords ending the conflict were signed January 27,
1973, and were followed by the withdrawal of the remaining American
troops. The terms of the accords called for a complete ceasefire in
South Vietnam, allowed North Vietnamese forces to retain the territory
they had captured, released US prisoners of war, and called for both
sides to find a political solution to the conflict. As an enticement to
Thieu, Nixon offered US airpower to enforce the peace terms.
Standing Alone, South Vietnam Falls
With US forces gone from the country, South Vietnam stood alone. The
situation worsened in December 1974, when Congress passed the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1974, cutting off all military aid. This act removed
the threat of air strikes should North Vietnam break the terms of the
accords. Shortly after the act’s passage, North Vietnam began a limited
offensive in Phuoc Long Province to test Saigon’s resolve. The
province fell quickly and Hanoi pressed the attack. Surprised by the
ease of their advance, against largely incompetent ARVN forces, the
North Vietnamese stormed through the south, finally
capturing Saigon.
South Vietnam surrendered on April 30, 1975, following the fall of its
capital. After thirty years of conflict, Ho Chi Minh’s vision of a
united, communist Vietnam had been realized.
Casualties of the Vietnam War
During Vietnam War, the United States suffered 58,119 killed, 153,303
wounded, and 1,948 missing in action. Casualty figures for the
Republic of Vietnam are estimated at 230,000 killed and 1,169,763
wounded. Combined the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong suffered
approximately 1,100,000 killed in action and an unknown number of
wounded. It is estimated that between 2 to 4 million Vietnamese
civilians were killed during the conflict.
0 comments:
Post a Comment