American Presidents showed weakness in Vietnam. Vietcong launched Tet Offensive in 1968 but American troops defeated them in resulting battles and ousted Vietcong from the strategically important A Shau Valley in 1969 (Operation Apache Snow), but President Johnson ordered American troops to withdraw from A Shau valley. President Johnson's surprisingly irresponsible decision made it possible for the Vietcong to recover and launch Easter Offensive in 1972. This time, USAF came up with a plan to cripple Vietcong in a way like never before (Operation Linebacker II), and Vietcong came to the negotiation table. But President Nixon did not take advantage of this shift to negotiate independence of South Vietnam but chose to withdraw American troops instead. Vietcong recovered from the latest blow and annexed South Vietnam in 1975.
Maybe this wasn't the right time to fight this war due to its lack of appeal and racial tensions in US mainland? Or the war was lost due to corruption at the top? I find the latter reasoning more convincing. President Nixon resigned due to Watergate scandal in 1974. This is how this man went down in history.
USAF demonstrated impressive technology and strategy in Operation Linebacker II. I wonder if Pakistan could convince President Nixon to help defeat Indian forces in Bangladesh?
History of the region might have been different if President Nixon had shown some spine.
US stood its ground and preserved South Korea against all odds in 1953. South Korea has become one of the most advanced countries in the world and remains close to the US.
Sometimes the Public does not understand how the country can benefit from a strategic move. It shows later.
But an interesting development is that Vietcong and US are warming up to each other. Vietcong on the whole. Time will tell.
@RescueRanger
@PanzerKiel