U.S.-North Vietnam Paris Negotiations And The End Of The Vietnam War (1969-1975)

Through utilizing many kinds of archives and documents from U.S.,North Vietnam, South Vietnam,China and Soviet Union,the dissertation focuses on U.S.-North Vietnam Paris Negotiations, especially on the secret negotiations between them. It analyzes President Nixon and President Ford's Vietnam Policy and probes the effect on the end of the Vietnam War. Apart from preface, the dissertation is divided into four chapters.Chapter One discusses the background and the origin of U.S.-North Vietnam Paris Negotiations. President Johnson made the decision to escalate the Vietnam War, but it couldn't solve the Vietnam problem. So Johnson turned to get through it by negotiations with North Vietnam. The government of North Vietnam, whose attitude had been strongly affected by China for a long time, had rejected to end the war by negotiations at first. However, the failure of the Tet Offensive changed its mind. North Vietnam government realized that its goal of the War shouldn't be to defeat the American. In such case, U.S.and North Vietnam began to negotiate in Paris.As the ineffective negotiations in public, they held secret negotiations.Chapter Two approaches U.S.-North Vietnam Paris Secret Negotiations from 1969 to the Watergate Scandal.During this period, Nixon and Kissinger made concessions to North Vietnam bit by bit. Sino-U.S.detente changed Chinese attitude towards US-North negotiations. But North Vietnam was confused with the change of Chinese attitude and not comfortable with the Kissinger and Nixon's visit to China. Following Nixon's visit, North Vietnam took the Easter Offensive. However, North Vietnam was defeated again.Chapter Three goes into the U.S.-North Vietnam Paris Secret Negotiations after the Easter Offensive. Because of the failure of the Easter Offensive and U.S.'s secret promise, North Vietnam changed its attitude in negotiations. U.S.and North Vietnam made secret agreement to end the war. As result of South Vietnam's rejection and American presidential election in 1972, U.S.and North Vietnam couldn't sign Paris Agreement at the end of 1972. After the reelection, Nixon accelerated Paris Negotiations and forced South Vietnam to accept Paris Agreement.Chapter Four enquires into U.S.'s Vietnam Policy after signing Paris Agreement and the unification of Vietnam. Nixon gradually deserted South Vietnam after Paris Agreement. Nixon's resignation did not change the trend of U.S.'s Policy. President Ford acceded to Nixon's Vietnam policy. U.S.government had no effective reaction to North Vietnam's military offensive. Finally, North Vietnam defeated South Vietnam and unified Vietnam.