Barbara Tuchman’s analysis of the Vietnam War in her book The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam is the inspiration behind this series of posts. All of the previous posts in the series can be found at the bottom of this post.
Despite the ongoing domestic chaos and anti-war activism, Richard Milhouse Nixon won the November, 1972 Presidential election in a landslide, carrying 49 of 50 States. Many issues contributed to his reelection. As with almost anything associated with the Vietnam War, the factors leading to his landslide victory involved complicated dynamics.
Nixon’s Democrat opponent, George McGovern, was a weak candidate. He promised to “go on his knees” to Hanoi to end the war. He promised $1000 welfare checks. That obeisant attitude, and his timeworn “chicken-in-every-pot” campaign ploy turned off moderate and independent voters. Even if they disagreed with some of the war policies, the ‘silent majority’ clung to traditional values and mores, especially patriotism. While they may have harbored reservations regarding Vietnam, they still supported the military.
While anti-war activism eroded patriotism, it was still was a big part of America’s heartland who promoted it. They did not buy McGovern’s political trope or the unruly mobs of protesters. That triggered a backlash. Voters came out of the woods. Funny how that works. Contrary to poll predictions, no one anticipated a sweep by the biggest margin to date in U.S. elections.
A second factor, predominant numbers of voters rejected the secular, counter-culture revolution personified by long-haired hippies in tie dyed shirts featuring ‘ban the bomb’ logos. Their flaunting of traditional norms was getting old, to some intolerable. For years they’d watched clips of hippies on their black and white TV boxes, the old ones with the aerials on top, and turned the TV off in disgust.
These family oriented, religious voters scorned the drug craze, and the hedonistic manners of the ‘flower children’ marching in anti-war protests carrying signs, “Make Love, Not War.”
Many peaceful protests broke down into destructive conduct. Paired with militant anti-war marchers’ unruly behavior, conversations about the breakdown of law and order played a major role in Nixon’s resounding victory. Anarchy does not play well in the USA. Folks were fed up.
A third and very significant factor – Most of our ground combat troops were home by the November elections. Nixon kept his phased withdrawal promise outlined in his Vietnamization Doctrine speech. From a peak of 549,000 troops during the ’68 Tet offensive, only 69,000 American Forces remained in Vietnam before the Presidential election, mostly Air Force, Special Forces to guard our bases and to serve as military advisors to ARVN. That dynamic played well in America, boosting Nixon’s support. Keeping campaign promises counts. Never underestimate the memory of the man in the street; a man’s word better be his bond, especially if a politician.
A fourth factor contributing to Nixon’s election to a second term involved two positive geopolitical events. In May, 1972 America signed a SALT agreement with Russia (USSR) to limit strategic ICBM’s. The net effect of the nuclear missile détente lessened Cold War tensions. Russia welcomed Nixon and Kissinger to Moscow, a historic event. Nixon was the first American President to visit Russia’s capital. He actually got good press. Brezhnez later advised Hanoi to come to negotiation terms with America. The signature event became the high point of Nixon’s Presidency and legacy… His nadir, Watergate, yet to come.
The second major event was a spinoff of Nixon’s visit to Russia, augmenting détente. China wanted to dampen the ongoing conflict in Vietnam and play the U.S. off against Russia. Mao advised NLF (VC) leaders to back off their negotiation sticking point that General Thieu, South Vietnam’s president, must be overthrown. Mao pointed out the deal he made with Chiang Kai-shek in the late 1940’s as a parable. Mao ended the fight with Nationalists who retreated to Burma, then Taiwan to form their own government. Hanoi understood the allegory, but remained obstinate and negotiations again stalled.
Few understand the impact of these historic, background developments. Half of our population was not born during the Vietnam War and have no knowledge. Many who lived through the period may not recall the details or have since died. These were momentous geopolitical matters that helped turn the tide of the war. The aggregate mood changed for the better. Cold War tensions naturally lessened when the threat of mutual nuclear annihilation diminished.
Nixon interpreted the landslide as a mandate. He exerted increased pressure on both North and South Vietnam to negotiate, urging a settlement by foregoing their sticking points: Hanoi must remove all NVR forces from the South and the North must allow Thieu to govern in Saigon. These two issues had repeatedly blocked any peaceful agreement. Nixon put Thieu on notice that time for American support was running short. That the U.S. would make its own settlement with Hanoi, if he remained recalcitrant.
Nixon assured Thieu that the Paris Agreement did not dictate withdrawal of the Air Force, only U.S combat troops. He promised Thieu swift retaliation using air power from bases in Thailand, Taiwan, and from aircraft carriers in Yankee Station in the North China Sea. If the North violated any negotiated settlement, they would pay a heavy price, Nixon guaranteed Thieu.
Thieu balked at the proposal once again, stubbornly refusing. Nixon again made it clear he must agree, otherwise the U.S. would go it alone.
Stalemate…
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If you’ve read all 25 blogs, you probably think the ten-year war is almost over. It’s 1972, but there’s more to come… Much more.
If you’ve missed any blogs they are posted below. If you want a deep dive into Vietnam and the aftermath, read my historical narrative, RECALL. If you have more time, read Tuchman’s comprehensive documentary. Her book offers many insights into the history and folly of war.
Comments welcomed if civil.
/RLawson
In case you missed any of the previous blogs, here they are:
The Vietnam War Revisited
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part II – It Did Not Have to Be That Way
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part III – Misgovernment
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part IV – Was It Worth It?
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part V – What If’s
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part VI – Ignoring Expert Advice
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part VII -A War of Attrition
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part VIII – Backing a Losing Horse?
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part IX – JFK’s Dilemma
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part X – No Easy Answers
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XI – Two Earthshaking Events
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XII – Why Revisit?
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XIII – LBJ Becomes POTUS
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XIV – It Starts Hitting the Fan
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XV – No Way Out
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XVI – Coming Apart at the Seams
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XVII – LBJ Out, Nixon In
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XVIII – More of the Same
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XIX – Nixon’s Early Challenges
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XX – Vietnamization
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XXI – Vietnamization Speech Reactions
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XXII – Nixon’s Policy in Action
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XXIII – Widening the War
The Vietnam War Revisited- Part XXIV – Upping the Ante
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XXV – Nixon Landslide
The Vietnam War Revisited – Part XXVI- It’s Not Over Yet
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