Richard Nixon Speech on Vietnam

Richard Nixon Speech on Vietnam

Throughout history there are a number of different speeches that have been given to sway public opinion in one way or another. In Richard Nixon's address to the nation on Vietnam in April 1971, he was attempting to sway public opinion about an escalation of the war, so that the objective of peace with honor is achieved. This is because American forces had secretly been attacking North Vietnamese supply lines in Cambodia and Laos. However, both countries were considered to be neutral. This stoked fears that by escalating the war, it is possible that Vietnam's two neighbors could become engulfed in conflict. To calm these fears, Nixon gave this speech highlighting a number of different points. Where, he emphasized a variety of different actions that were occurring, supporting his pledge to end the war with this strategy. It is through examining these different points along with analyzing his arguments; that will determine if the points made are factually sound. Once this takes place, everyone can have a greater appreciation for the overall effectiveness / ineffectiveness of this speech.

The speech starts out with Nixon saying that he wants to clarify what has been said in the press, about the current situation. Where, the President claims that escalating the war into both Laos and Cambodia allowed American forces to be able to go after key supply lines, command / control facilities, NVA staging areas along with various training bases. According to Nixon these short incursions have severely reduced the North's ability to wage war against the South. Then, he talks about how American efforts to train South Vietnamese forces are proving to be effective, as they can successfully fight against the best elements of the NVA. Because of this, Nixon announces that the total number of American troops will be reduced to half of what they were when he took office in 1969. This is illustrated with a chart showing the troop reduction that has occurred since he has been President. ("Address to the Nation on Vietnam," 1971)

Next, Nixon shift gears and begins talking about what Vietnam will look like in the future. With him reiterating his call for the North to engage in serious peace negotiations with the United States and end all hostilities. Where, American forces will continue to be withdrawn, but not on the time table that many have asked for. This, Nixon feels would undermine the U.S. efforts to secure the release of American POW's and would reduce any bargaining position of the United States. Instead, the President is urging Americans to support the current policy, for this will bring about the best outcome of the war. Where, America will support those people who choose to embrace the ideas of democracy over communism. ("Address to the Nation on Vietnam," 1971)

When you look at the different arguments that are made by Nixon, it is clear that they are sound to a certain extent. Where, the escalation of the war into Cambodia and Laos would help reduce the NVA's ability to fight. However, this did not bring peace to either one of these countries; as both would experience civil wars because of this escalation. In the case of Cambodia, the civil war would bring about the brutal genocide that would occur during the 1970's. In the short-term, Nixon is correct in this strategy has reduced the NVA's ability to fights. Yet, in the long-term, this only caused the effects of the war to be devastating on Vietnam's neighbors. ("Cambodia and Laos," n.d.)

Then, when Nixon begins talking about peace negotiations with the North, is when he is providing a glimpse into a shift in strategy. Where, the U.S. will play China and the Soviet Union against one another. This is important because, American forces were restricted from conducting air strikes in the North. The ability to forge an alliance with China allowed Nixon to begin bombing Hanoi. This is significant because the Christmas bombings of Hanoi (in 1972) were arguably one element that helped pushed the North Vietnamese to sign the Paris Peace Treaty of 1973. ("Linebacker II Bombing Raids," n.d.)

In one aspect, Nixon is correct in that the future of his strategy will bring the North Vietnamese to the bargaining table. However, the North would not give up on their ambitions for a unified Vietnam, as they would wait until Nixon was no longer in power. At which point, they would test the new President and Congress' resolve for renewing the war once again. What all of this shows, is that the arguments made by Nixon were correct in the short-term. Yet, in the medium to long-term, the different actions that were encouraged by Nixon only made the situation worse.