Whoever wins the upcoming election and becomes President of the United States, will have to face
the considerable challenge of pacifying Iraq. Although the war has officially ended four years ago,
there still is no peace in sight. No one seems to know how long the U.S. soldiers will have to stay
in Iraq and up to now, no candidate has been able to present an elaborated plan.
In a way, the current events bear some striking similarities to the situation in 1968 when the most
urgent question was, how to end the war in Vietnam. In June of 2007, the approval ratings of the
present office holder George W. Bush fell to 26 percent. There has been only one President who
has ever received an even worse rating. His name was Richard Nixon and he was the man who
won the 1968 election. He was supposed to bring peace to Vietnam. However, this conflict can
only be seen and examined in the context of the Cold War. In order to understand the measures
which Nixon took in Vietnam, one has to take a closer look at his overall concept of foreign policy.
Nixon was one of the most influential and formative politicians of the Cold War era; a key figure
for almost thirty years who essentially defined the politics of his time “by his successes and by his
failures” Much has been written about him and his presidency but nevertheless, Nixon remains a
mysterious character, full of contradictions and open questions.
The aim of this term paper is to respond to the following questions: Who was this man who
polarized the United States like hardly any other president of the 20th century? What were the
cornerstones of his policy? What were his motives, what were his goals? And in which way did his
personality influence or even derogate his actions?
Table of Contents
Introduction
1 Richard Nixon
1.1 Short Biography
1.2 Aspects of Nixon’s Personality
2 History of the Vietnam War (1945-1968)
3 Richard Nixon’s Cold War Policy
3.1 The 1968 Election Campaign
3.2 The Initial Position
3.3 The Nixon Doctrine
3.4 Détente with the Soviet Union and China
3.5 Vietnamization and U.S. Withdrawal
3.6 Cambodia and Laos
3.7 Negotiations with North Vietnam
3.7.1 Nixon’s Carrot and Stick Policy
3.7.2 The Paris Peace Accords
4 The Aftermath
Conclusion
Objectives and Core Topics
This paper examines Richard Nixon’s foreign policy during the Vietnam War, analyzing how his unique personality, complex motives, and Cold War strategic framework shaped the U.S. approach to the conflict. It specifically explores the contradictions between his public goals and his controversial methods, such as the "madman theory," and evaluates the ultimate consequences of his actions for the United States and Vietnam.
- Biographical influences and psychological aspects of Richard Nixon’s leadership style.
- The evolution of the Nixon Doctrine and its impact on the Vietnam War.
- Strategic shift towards détente with the Soviet Union and China.
- Implementation and failure of the Vietnamization policy.
- The role of the Paris Peace Accords and the aftermath of the conflict.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3 The Nixon Doctrine
During a press conference in Guam on July 25, 1969, Nixon outlined his new foreign policy for the first time. Later that year he presented the Nixon Doctrine, a concept he had worked out in close collaboration with Henry Kissinger. Literally, Nixon gave the following statements:
− “First, the United States will keep all of its treaty commitments.
− Second, we shall provide a shield if a nuclear power threatens the freedom of a nation allied with us or of a nation whose survival we consider vital to our security.
− Third, in cases involving other types of aggression, we shall furnish military and economic assistance when requested in accordance with our treaty commitments. But we shall look to the nation directly threatened to assume the primary responsibility of providing the manpower for its defense.”34
Nixon had recognized the United States’ changing role in the world and its limits of power.35 With his doctrine, he tried to reduce the “expectation-capability gap created by American over-extension”. 36 During the 1968 election campaign, he had declared that “economically, diplomatically, militarily, the time has come to insist that others must assume the responsibilities which are rightly theirs”.37 Or, as Dobson puts it:“it was no longer accepted that every battle had to be won, or even fought [by the United States], to maintain the East-West balance.”38
The doctrine thus marked the end of the United States’ status as the “world’s policeman”. Instead, national interests came to the fore, new priorities were set and ideology made room for pragmatism which was one of the common characteristics of Nixon and Kissinger. It also meant the renunciation of the “domino theory” and laid the groundwork for Nixon’s détente policy.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the historical context of the Vietnam War and presents the central research questions regarding Nixon’s influence on U.S. foreign policy.
1 Richard Nixon: Provides a biographical overview and an analysis of Nixon’s complex, often contradictory, personality traits.
2 History of the Vietnam War (1945-1968): Reviews the origins and escalation of the conflict up to the turning point in 1968.
3 Richard Nixon’s Cold War Policy: Investigates the overarching strategy of the Nixon administration, including election tactics, diplomatic shifts, and military actions.
4 The Aftermath: Examines the long-term consequences of Nixon’s policies and the eventual conclusion of the Vietnam War.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, reflecting on Nixon’s failure to achieve his goals and his ultimate historical legacy.
Keywords
Richard Nixon, Vietnam War, Foreign Policy, Cold War, Détente, Nixon Doctrine, Vietnamization, Paris Peace Accords, Henry Kissinger, Madman Theory, Containment, U.S. Presidency, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Southeast Asia, Foreign Relations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
This paper examines how Richard Nixon navigated the Vietnam War and the Cold War, focusing on his foreign policy concepts and how his personality influenced his decision-making.
What are the core thematic areas discussed in the work?
Key themes include the Nixon Doctrine, the shift in Cold War power dynamics, the failure of Vietnamization, and the diplomatic maneuvers taken by Nixon and Henry Kissinger to end U.S. involvement.
What is the central research question?
The paper asks who Richard Nixon was as a leader, what motivated his policies, and how his personality contributed to his controversial actions during his presidency.
Which scientific or analytical method is used?
The author uses historical analysis, synthesizing primary source materials like speeches, government documents, and scholarly interpretations of Nixon's career.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The body covers Nixon's biography, his election campaign of 1968, the specific implementation of the Nixon Doctrine, détente with China and the Soviet Union, and the negotiations leading to the Paris Peace Accords.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
The work is defined by terms like Nixon Doctrine, Vietnamization, Détente, Cold War diplomacy, and Presidential character flaws.
How does the "madman theory" relate to Nixon’s war strategy?
The "madman theory" was a strategic attempt to convince North Vietnam that Nixon was irrational and unpredictable, potentially willing to use nuclear weapons, to force them into peace negotiations.
What role did Henry Kissinger play in Nixon’s foreign policy?
Henry Kissinger served as a key collaborator and National Security Advisor, helping to develop the détente policy and orchestrating diplomatic maneuvers while managing the balance of power between the U.S., China, and the Soviet Union.
Why did Nixon pursue a "decent interval" in the peace negotiations?
Nixon sought a "decent interval" between the U.S. withdrawal and the likely fall of South Vietnam to ensure the United States could exit the war without losing face or appearing defeated, thereby preserving national honor.
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- Andreas Thum (Autor:in), 2007, Nixon’s War in Vietnam - A new approach to foreign policy, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/198006
