Richard Nixon and the Vietnam War: The End of the American Century [Hardcover]

Drawing on recently declassified documents and recordings from Nixon administration, historian Schmitz provides a revealing analysis of the 37th Presidents handling of the Vietnam War. Schmitzs findings illustrate that victory was imperative for Nixon, who didnt wish to become the only president to lose a war. With the objectives of containing communism, and preserving American credibility among the nations of the world, Nixon was willing to do anything to insure South Vietnam ended the war as an independent democracy, including carrying out covert missions and bombings, deceiving the American people, and even feigning insanity. Direct quotations from speeches, publications, and behind-closed-doors conversations are juxtaposed with the events that occurred at the time, providing a startling contrast that emphasizes just how often Nixon said one thing and did another. Schmitz concisely lays out Nixons war strategy while pinpointing the controversial twists in the foreign policy from the years 1971 to 1973, and draws finely tuned conclusions about the larger impact on years to come. This strong, scholarly study will find its readership among both academics and American history buffs.Schmitz has written extensively on US foreign relations, e.g.?The United States and Right-Wing Dictatorships, 1965-1989?.?His most recent book focuses on Richard Nixons foreign policy with respect to the Vietnam War, especially Nixons first three years in office (196971), noting that this period has received little attention in the historiography of the conflict.?The author argues that during his first two years in office, Nixon attempted to achieve a conventional military victory on the battlefield to preserve US credibility and power.?Contrary to what Nixon and National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger argued, the administration never seriously attempted to extricate US forces from Vietnam and pursue d?tente until 1971, after it became apparent that military victory was unattainablĂB