An Analysis Of Withdrawing From Vietnam: How America Left A Long And Lost War

During his lecture at Mississippi State, “Withdrawing from Vietnam: How America Left a Long [And Lost] War,” Dr. Gregory Daddis provided an interesting viewpoint of the United States Campaign in Vietnam. Dr. Daddis thesis states that the dysfunctional relationship between military commanders in Vietnam and stateside leadership, was due largely in part to the unascertainable demands of the President back home, and the failure of United States politicians to understand the capabilities of the military overseas. He began by discussing President Nixon’s objectives for the military in Vietnam, and how these objectives, accompanied by promises and assurance from General Abrams, were the start of an unsuccessful relationship. President Nixon believed
Abrams believed that achieving security would increase support for the campaign and increase military success. Further, he complained that he could not be successful if the President continued to remove troops from the country. When the war was expanded into Cambodia in 1971, a hasty plan was put into place that received criticism for its lack of forethought. Kissinger did not approve of Abrams plan, and began to tell President Nixon that Abrams was incapable of handling US withdrawal, prompting Nixon to consider relieving him of
Abrams believed that air power should be used to support ground troops, not to destroy areas currently not under siege. As political ideals continued to contradict military focus, Abrams and Nixon relationship faltered more and more, and never were repaired. A portion of this could also be contributed to Nixon’s knowledge of Abrams alcoholism, which further lessened the trust between the Commander in Chief and his military commander overseas. In the conclusion of his speech, Dr. Gaddis stated that the ending of the war in Vietnam had less to do with things such as strategy and funding, but more on the South Vietnamese inability to develop a peacetime idea during a time of war. He also stated that it was hard for the US to understand or explain what it means to be Vietnamese. Abrams inability to build a political community was largely due to this point. Further, he discussed some of the lessons that can be learned from our campaign in Vietnam such as the limits of military