The devastating Christmas bombing succeeded in bringing North Vietnam to the negotiating table for a serious discussion this time, no more games. The relentless ‘Dogs of War” bombardment convinced Hanoi to settle. Nixon’s last-ditch gambit focused their attention on coming to terms. He took the risk of collective condemnation at home and abroad for the […]
The Vietnam War Revisited- Part XXIII – Widening the War
When the media exposed that Nixon had secretly extended the war effort into Cambodia, authorizing our combat troops to eradicate enemy sanctuaries, lawless outrage erupted in the U.S. The anti-war activism gained momentum in reaction to an invasion of a supposedly neutral country in Indochina. The public uproar, fanned by mostly negative press, accused Nixon […]
The Vietnam War Revisited- Part XX – “Vietnamization”
“Vietnamization” – That was the title of Nixon’s nationally televised address delivered in hopes of settling the crescendo of public discord over Vietnam; a war dividing the country angrily into “Hawks” and “Doves.” That speech required maneuvering through a political minefield, a history of failed negotiations, pervading media hostility and anti-war bias, plus fake news. […]
The Vietnam War Revisited- Part XVIII – More of the Same?
They don’t play beanball in Washington, D.C. Politics is a blood sport. LBJ was a political animal who recognized reality- Vietnam was a dead end for him, the war dividing the Nation, losing popular support, and threatening the demise of the Democratic party. Losing a reelection in November 1968 would be the ultimate humiliation. So, […]
The Vietnam war Revisited- Part XVII – LBJ Out, Nixon In
To see all of the posts in this series, please scroll to the bottom of this post. In a nationally televised address attempting to quell growing public dissent by explaining his administration’s failed efforts at negotiating “peace” with North Vietnam, LBJ shocked the world by announcing he would not run for reelection in November, 1968. […]
