What were the reasons behind the US government’s decision to withdraw troops from Vietnam?
C. Summary of Evidence
During this time period many protests were made against the war by civilians, as shown in Appendix A1, to the
point where “anti-war demonstrations became almost commonplace.”2 There were many different motivations
behind the protests. Many believed the economic cost of the war was too high3. Others were angered by the draft and
felt it was unfair and a burden forced upon American youth4. Blacks believed the war was distracting government
attention from the Civil Rights Movement5. Others simply believed “the war was taking too heavy a toll and must be
ended.”6 Altogether, the protests had a strong impact on the war. Many citizens held the protests as the reason why
the government chose to withdraw troops as they believed the antiwar movement undermined the war effort7. Some
debate surrounds this view, as the antiwar movement began to lose members as the effectiveness of the movement
came into question8 and many Americans began to oppose the movement as it was lead by “hippies” whose lifestyles
they disagreed with9.
Morale decreased while disobedience increased among troops during the war. Many soldiers became
disillusioned with the war, causing them to suffera sense of loss10. As soldiers began to view the war as a lost cause,
they became less willing to risk their lives, and there was a decrease in discipline, causing an increase of drug use,
racial tensions, desertions, court-martials, fraggings11, and acts of insubordination12. Soldiers also were known to kill
innocent Vietnamese13, as soldiers began to form a sense of contempt for all the Vietnamese14. All the problems
caused by the lack of morale “was serious enough to warrant the withdrawal of combat troops in order to save the
United States from monumental failure in Vietnam.”15
Political pressures were high during this period as well, both from civilians and political figures themselves.
According to Cold War historian, John Lewis Gaddis, “In the United States…opposition to the Vietnam War had grown
1In
Pictures: The Vietnam War . Web. 6 Sep. 2010. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/3858023.stm>.
2Yancey,
Diane, ed. The Vietnam War. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 2001. Print
3Wells, Tom. "The Anti-War Movement in the United States." Modern American Poetry. n.d. Web. 6 Sep. 2010.
<http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/antiwar.html>.
4Yancey
23
5
Lawrence, Mark A. The Vietnam War: A Concise International History. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.
6
Lawrence 151
7
Lawrence 176
8
Wells
9 Barringer, Mark. "The Anti-War Movement in the United States." Modern American Poetry. n.d. Web. 6 Sep. 2010.
<http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/antiwar.html>.
10Marin,
Peter “What the Vietnam Vets Can Teach Us” The Vietnam War: Opposing Viewpoints. St. Paul, MN: Greenhaven Press, 1984.
Print
11
Lawrence, “Attacks against officers by their men, often using grenade fragments” 151
12
Neu, Charles E. America’s Lost War: Vietnam, 1945-1975. Wheeling, IL: Harlan Davidson, 2005
13
Yancey 21
14
O'Malley, Michael. "The Vietnam War and the Tragedy of Containment." History 122. n.d. Web. 6 Sep. 2010. <http://chnm.gmu.edu/
courses/122/vietnam/lecture.html>.
15Kolko,
Gabriel “Crisis in the Military” Ending the Vietnam War: A History of America’s Involvement in and Extrication from the
Vietnam War. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2003. Print.
so intense that all sources of authority…were under siege”, including the government16. This pressure also came from
other politicians who had begun to question the validity of the war17. During President Johnson’s term Undersecretary
of State George Ball warned the president “against further military involvement in Vietnam”18. During President
Nixon’s term, The McGovern-Hatfield Amendment was voted on by the Senate, which would force Nixon to withdraw
troops from Vietnam, as well as other votes made in both the House and the Senate pushing for withdrawal,
increasing pressure on the president19. President Nixon found that his power and ability to accomplish things in
Vietnam depended on the public, whose opinion of the president rested on how the Vietnam War ended20. During this
time period, Nixon’s approval ratings went below 50 percent for the first time, indicating that people’s opinion of
Nixon depended on the state of the war21.
Vietnamization provided the United States with means to withdraw troops, at least in theory. Vietnamization
was a process in which the United States attempted “to create strong, largely self-reliant South Vietnamese military
forces,” which would allow the withdrawal of half a million U.S. soldiers22. The process allowed the US to gradually
remove troops and let the South Vietnamese army take over the fighting23. President Nixon believed Vietnamization
would eventually result in the complete withdrawal of U.S. soldiers in Vietnam, as South Vietnam would no longer
need our military assistance24. Officials also believed that Vietnamization was the only way the United States would be
able to leave Vietnam while still maintaining its honor25.
16Gaddis,
John L. The Cold War: A New History. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2005. Print.
17
Yancey 22
18
Barringer
19
Neu 178,185
20
Karnow, Stanley Vietnam: A History. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1983
21
Neu 178
22American Military History. Chapter 28: The U.S. Army in Vietnam. Web. 6 Sep. 2010. <http://www.history.army.mil/books/amh/
amh-28.htm>.
23
Yancey 24
24
Nixon, Richard M. “Vietnamization Will Shorten The War” The Vietnam War: Opposing Viewpoints. St. Paul, MN: Greenhaven Press,
1984. Print
25
Clark, Mark W., The Vietnam War: Opposing Viewpoints. St. Paul, MN: Greenhaven Press, 1984. Print.