Vietnamization (1969-1973)
Vietnamization was a policy addressed by President Nixon of the United States on November 3, 1969 due to the 1968 Tet Offense which was the bloodiest military campaign launched between the Communist North Vietnam and the Non-Communist South Vietnam. However, the policy didn’t go into effect until February 1969; it terminated in 1973. The purpose of the Vietnamization policy was to encourage South Vietnam to take more of an initiative to fight in the war to defend itself from turning communist rather than always depending on the United States for backup. It was also designed to expand, equip, and increase the training of the South Vietnam troops (the Army of the Republic of Vietnam) so that they would be better prepared for the war. This way if South Vietnam learns to gain confidence in itself, the United States would be able to withdraw its hand to hand combat troops from South Vietnam and thus withdrawing them from the war as well. Yet, US Air Force Units would continue to support South Vietnam’s troops. Furthermore, the Vietnamization of the Vietnam War was divided into two components; the first of these components being to advance the South Vietnam Armed Forces in numbers, equipment, leadership, and combat skills. The other component was extending the Pacification Program in South Vietnam. It was a program designed to support South Vietnam’s government from becoming communist by defeating those who oppose it from staying non-communist and promoting economic development and political reforms. Vietnamization was significant to the war in that it marked the beginning of the end of U.S involvement in the Vietnam War and led to the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam. Furthermore, Vietnamization turned out to only be a fail because by the time the Vietnam war ended in 1975, North Vietnam had already defeated South Vietnam and had united them under a communist rule.
Return to Homepage or Vietnam War Timeline
Return to Homepage or Vietnam War Timeline