Nixon
Vietnamization was a policy of the Richard Nixon administration to end U.S. involvement in the Vietnam Warthrough a program to "expand, equip, and train South Vietnam's forcesand assign to them an ever-increasing combat role, at the same time steadily reducing the number of U.S. combat troops. The name came from Secretary of DefenseMelvin Laird.
US troops were in Vietnam as early as 1945, as a result of the ending of World War II. Lt. Col. A. Peter Dewey, head of an American OSS mission, was killed by Vietminh troops and became the first American soldier to die in Vietnam. It is believed he was mistaken by the Vietminh to be a Frenchman. The Eisenhower administration provided South Vietnam with money and advisers to help stop the threat of a North Vietnamese takeover. Eisenhower and Kennedy continued to send advisers to South Vietnam. Following the passage of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, President Johnson sent in 3,500 Marines, the first official troops, to South Vietnam. By the end of 1965, there were 200,000 US troops in Vietnam.
Some troops were withdrawn under Nixon, but the final evacuation was ordered during Ford's presidency (April, 1975).
Small numbers of advisers and trainers 1959-1965. The major build up of Marine and Army Divisions came in 1965-66. The draw-down began in 1971, and all combat troops were out of the country by the end of April, 1973.
Nixon began as soon as he took office in '69. Finished most of the ground troops by '72, but left the air power until '73. But Nixon himself was removed from office in '73/'74 (Watergate), so Ford had to deal with any remaining US Military Forces in Vietnam. Ford had to deal with the fall of Saigon in April 1975.
Conventional forces in large numbers began arriving in country in '65.
American involvement began in 1955. The first combat troops arrived in 1965, and we fought the war until January 1973.
2001.
I believe that was Lyndon B. Johnson. America's involvement in Vietnam was limited until he became president. According to Wikipedia, "It was Johnson who began America's direct involvement in the ground war in Vietnam." See the Related Links below for more information.
I believe it was Richard Nixon in 1973 who began pulling out troops out of VietNam but the final pullout of American troops was in March of 1975. So between 1973 and 1975 we still had soldiers and possibly missions going on in VietNam. I myself am a veteran who served from 1973 to 1976 although I never went into VietNam, I feel justified in being recognized as a VietNam era veteran. Am I wrong in thinking that way ?? This I ask to those who went into VietNam?!?!? Please give me your comments
Vietnamization was a policy of the Richard Nixon administration to end U.S. involvement in the Vietnam Warthrough a program to "expand, equip, and train South Vietnam's forcesand assign to them an ever-increasing combat role, at the same time steadily reducing the number of U.S. combat troops. The name came from Secretary of DefenseMelvin Laird.
President Johnson began the troop draw-down in late 1969, while Nixon was running for President with the promise to bring "Peace with honor." by April, 1973, all U.S troops had left South Vietnam. Two years later, the country fell to the communists, unifying the country as a dictatorship.
Australia began exiting the war in Vietnam in 1970 and most all troops were out of the country by 1973. They did briefly send troops back in 1975 to help Australian embassy workers evacuate during the Fall of Saigon.
US troops were in Vietnam as early as 1945, as a result of the ending of World War II. Lt. Col. A. Peter Dewey, head of an American OSS mission, was killed by Vietminh troops and became the first American soldier to die in Vietnam. It is believed he was mistaken by the Vietminh to be a Frenchman. The Eisenhower administration provided South Vietnam with money and advisers to help stop the threat of a North Vietnamese takeover. Eisenhower and Kennedy continued to send advisers to South Vietnam. Following the passage of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, President Johnson sent in 3,500 Marines, the first official troops, to South Vietnam. By the end of 1965, there were 200,000 US troops in Vietnam.
President Kennedy sent additional US Advisers & Special Forces (Green Berets) to Vietnam in 1961 up thru 1962. Regular US combat troops did not arrive (officially) until 1965 under President Johnson. Since JFK had troops covertly already arriving in Vietnam by March or April of 1961, he must have ordered them about on his inauguration day of Jan.20, 1961, since it takes a month or two at best/quickest for that to happen...
Some troops were withdrawn under Nixon, but the final evacuation was ordered during Ford's presidency (April, 1975).
Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War was to stop the spread of communism. What began as a limited engagement of a few troops ended with more than 60,000 troops in Vietnam and the title as Australia's most costly war.