Vietnamization Process in Nixons Foreign Policy (Essay Sample)

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Failures and Success of the Vietnamization process in Nixon’s Foreign Policy
The Vietnamization process included the 1970 invasion of Cambodia that triggered immense anti-war protests across America. Nixon’s actions on Cambodia, a neutral country in the war, were aimed at keeping pressure on the adversary until the Vietnamization strategy took effect. However, his actions were harshly criticized and incited anti-war demos in the US. Caldwell (633) states that the responses within the American society threatened domestic stability compared to any other period since the depression. By bombing Cambodia as well as Laos, Nixon had widened air and land wars, and facilitated the resumption of the bombing of North Vietnam. Bombing North Vietnam had earlier been suspended in 1968 by President Johnson (Caldwell, 641). One of the resultant demonstrations in the US at Kent State University ended disastrously when soldiers fired into the protesting crowd. The chaos led to the death of four people and nine wounded.
Vietnamization led to lowered morale among American troops who were being withdrawn from Vietnam. Nixon announced the removal of 25,000 American troops in June 1969 and later in September, publicized the withdrawal of more troops. Although the ARVN were inexperienced and lowly trained to take over responsibility for their own defense, the withdrawals were massively popular in the US. Pach (555) argues that some critics in the media complained that the withdrawal was too slow and the media houses were accused of disloyal reporting. However, these removals affected the morale of the remaining troops by highlighting the pointless nature of the war. Mahini et al., (1283) state that morale and governance issues were evident through drug abuse, theft in the barracks, self-mutilation, increased racial cases, and the murder of officers by their own soldiers. Officers were dismayed, angered and bitterly disappointed (Pach, 555). Boylan (978) states that the My Lai Massacre, that involved the mass murder by American troops on hundreds of civilians, was publicized in 1969. It undermined the conviction about the uprightness of the US efforts in Vietnam (Boylan, 978). Back home, the majority Americans simply failed to believe in the occurrence of the massacre and even insisted on its justification.
The strategy successfully marked the end of America’s participation in the ground war. It also offered an opportunity for training and equipping South Vietnam in order to assume military responsibility for its defense. These actions had been included in the 1973 peace negotiation where the United States agreed to remove its troops within sixty days. In return, there would be an instant ceasefire, and returning American hostages of the war. According to Smith (27), the Vietnamese strategy had been established for this reason: reducing American participation in the Vietnamese war. Goh (475) further argues that Nixon’s reconciliation with China was not only his greatest achievement but also reduced international tensions and America’s foreign defense participation in the post-Vietnam period. Zysett (157) argues that Nixon and Kissinger constantly adjusted their strategy for the implementation of policy that favored their political goals. Nonetheless, his power to wage violent and dangerous reactions to North Vietnam were checked by the American Peace Movement.
South Vietnam eventually yielded to the communist forces of North Vietnam in 1975. This was despite the 1973 peace negotiation between Nixon and North Vietnam. The agreement required that North Vietnam acknowledge the legality of the South Vietnamese government. Moreover, the issue of releasing the prisoners of war remained controversial for decades as it was suggested that US prisoners were held secretly in Vietnam (Smith, 27). A “postwar war” occurred when the communists and South Vietnam accused one another of being in constant violation of the peace pacts’ terms. Nixon’s capacity to influence the events in Vietnam were particularly curtailed by Watergate revelations. Hundreds of people in Vietnam lost their lives daily and in disgrace, Nixon resigned at a time when military aid to Vietnam wa