How Did Richard Nixon Achieve Peace Or Honor

In January 1973, Richard Nixon and his Government, brought an end to American participation in the Vietnam War, by signing the Paris Peace Accords. Nixon described this agreement as ‘peace with honour’. Public opinion was swaying towards anti-war protesting throughout the United States. Nixon even commenting himself on the public pressure before his presidency, ‘the war has imposed severe strains on the United States… socially and politically as well.’ So Nixon’s pursuit for ‘peace with honour’ within the agreement did gain popular support with his promise, there would always be a free and independent South Vietnam and the American prisoners of war would be returned safely; however the agreement is viewed by many as ‘peace with dishonour’

The outcomes of agreement however, unravelled with South Vietnam surrendering to communism on 30th April 1975 , as a result of the United States relentlessly stepping back watching their previous ally be destroyed, which many deemed ‘dishonourable’. Many historians argue that there was “neither peace nor honour” and revisionists believe it was a “lost victory”. This essay will look into this and discover whether Richard Nixon did achieve ‘Peace with Honour’ in 1973, by looking into how he this gained this ‘peace’ through Vietnamazation and the following withdrawal of troops and also looking at the bombing campaigns to make the North come to ‘peace’ with the United States and if these were ‘honourable’; at the same time as looking into the terms of the agreement and their subsequent results and whether they were considered ‘honourable’. Whilst also looking into the nature behind the agreement with the possibility Nixon knew there would be an interval gap before Vietnam would become communist and then it would not be an American

The United States offered extensive military power to ensure South Vietnam was not conquered, whilst their troops gradual withdrew from South Vietnam. Nixon knew the South Vietnamese Army was weak and corrupt and needed to be strong enough to essentially win the war, which led to huge funding to make the South Vietnamese have a clear military advantage. However the South Vietnamese army still relied on American air power. Vietnamization as a policy had the potential to succeed if a promise of a viable South Vietnam had been brought into effect 15 years prior to the agreement, not 3 years before which showed its shortcomings Vietnamization, it culminated with the Spring Offensive of 1972, where the South Vietnamese army successfully repelled the invading North. This possibly gave Nixon the hope that he could transfer the responsibly for South Vietnams defences back to the South Vietnamese Government. This victory foreshadowed the possibility of an independent South Vietnam, however ‘there was doubts about it’ . Even though the Spring Offensive sent a strong message to the North to stay away, it relied on American air support and it would not be around forever, which was a major problem for Vietnamization and the Thieu Government. The hopeful successes of Vietnamization gave Nixon