What led to the US withdrawal from Vietnam?

Answer 1

Nixon ran on that ticket "getting out've Vietnam". He got elected, he got us out. There was no particular "cause" to leave Vietnam...it was accepted that it was an un-winnable war...unless the US went nuclear or invaded North Vietnam. If the US wasn't going to use nukes or invade...then leave. The US left.

Answer 2

Although the U.S. committed enormous resources and defeated the communists in tactical engagements time and again, there was a lack of will to do the things that have to be done to win a war: Go on the offensive, advance into enemy territory, seize the military initiative, and so forth. In Korea, the U.S. advanced all the way through North Korea to China at one point, although it was later forced back. The communists worried that the U.S. might do this again, so they had an incentive to keep the truce. In Vietnam, treaties were signed, but the fighting went on. Eventually, U.S. public opinion tired of an endless, defensive war. Congress ordered an end to direct U.S. military involvement in August 1973. US financial aid to South Vietnam was cut off in August 1974 and Saigon fell to the communist North in April 1975.

History of US Involvement

Although many wars are fought over strategically important territory, this was not the case in Vietnam. U.S. policymakers felt that if the U.S. pulled out of Vietnam, Moscow would shift its resources to another conflict. The prestige of the U.S. was at stake, the loss of which might result in a "domino effect" of communist takeovers across southeast Asia. Fighting simultaneous wars in Vietnam and the Middle East seems to have overtaxed Moscow's resources, forcing a withdrawal of Russian combat troops from Egypt in 1972.

Peace treaties for Vietnam were signed by the French in 1954 and the US in 1973. But the communists weren't motivated to follow either one because they weren't worried that the U.S. would ever advance across the 17th parallel into North Vietnam. This is because U.S. was following a strategic doctrine called "containment." The idea of containment developed from a misreading of the Korean War. It was believed that China invaded Korea in 1950 because U.S. forces had crossed the 38th parallel. In fact, Mao publically announced his intention to intervene on Oct. 1, 1950 in response to the Inchon landing, a week before U.S. forces crossed into North Korea. In the 1964 U.S. presidential election, President Johnson defended containment and argued that Goldwater's focus on victory would lead to nuclear war.

The Vietnamese communists suffered devastating loses in the Tet offensive of 1968. But instead of pressing its advantage against a weakened enemy, the U.S began to withdraw its forces, a policy called "Vietnamization." This again reflected the influence of containment doctrine. As the war dragged on without result, it gradually lost public support. In the 1972 presidential election, Democrat George McGovern ran on slogan, "Come home America." Although Nixon was easily reelected, McGovern's campaign made Vietnam an intensely partisan issue. It became difficult for Democrats in the U.S. Congress to support continued U.S. military involvement. And a U.S. defeat would humiliate Nixon, a Republican.

After a peace treaty was signed in January 1973, South Vietnam made major advances. Hanoi returned POWs and for a time almost everything the U.S. had fought for was achieved. But in March 1973, Congressional leaders told Nixon that they would not support further U.S. military involvement even if the communist side resumed its aggression. Nixon concluded that Vietnam was a lost cause, although the military situation was otherwise favorable at this point.

The threats made in March became law when Congress passed the Case-Church Amendment, which ended direct U.S. involvement in Vietnam as of August 1973. The oil shock in October 1973 hit the South Vietnamese economy hard and increased costs for the South Vietnamese military. In the 1973-74 dry season, Saigon lost the territory it had gained in the previous dry season. Instead of increasing US financial aid to compensate for the increased costs, Congress voted to cut aid in August 1974, leaving South Vietnam to fend for itself. Because the aid cutoff happened in the midst of Watergate, the scandal is sometimes blamed for the defeat in Vietnam.

The aid cut off revived the hopes of the Soviets, who then poured resources into North Vietnam. From a strictly military point of view, the decisive battle of the war was Phuoc Long in January 1975. After this defeat, South Vietnamese morale collapsed and Saigon fell on April 30, 1975.

the usa simply lost the war due to guerrilla warfare by the vietnamese they were more skillfull fighters then them. however allot of the Americans having such a big army are simply embarresed so they cover it up by false facts. this is the same reason why usa cant win the afgahnistan war today becasue they are able to use guerialla warfare

Answer 3

Unfortunately, it was a war that should never have happened. The government basically covered up the truth and JFK wanted to stop the war and he was assassinated during that time and shortly after Bobby Kennedy. Then Johnson became president and Americans wanted their boys back home, but reasons only known to Lyndon Johnson and his Aides he was slow in bringing the soldiers home and many deaths occured because of his decision. It was said by his wife that President Johnson labored over his mistake and even had nightmares. It was difficult for the American Government to admit they had made a mistake and not once in history had Americans had to admit to defeat as a whole country which added insult to injury. It's an extremely complex war so it's best you go onto: www.Google.com Type in: History of the Vietnam War

Answer 4

It was unwinnable.