Richard Nixon claimed to have achieved ‘peace with honour’ after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1973 which ended American involvement in Vietnam. In reality the Agreement only secured peace for the United States while South Vietnam was left weakened and exposed by American withdrawal and the failure of Nixon’s Vietnamization program. In addition, the powerful anti-war movement had a much more significant impact on the President than he would have you believe and, on at least one occasion, directly altered his Vietnam Policy. While Watergate is perhaps Nixon’s legacy, the Vietnam War and his handling of it was just as important in accessing Richard Nixon’s Presidency.
Searching For Honor: Richard Nixon and the Vietnam War 1969-73
Originally published as my dissertation.