• Episode 10: Fighting While Talking

    The North Vietnamese “Spring Offensive” and the American “Christmas Bombing”

    Black and white photograph of soldiers on a tank in the field

  • The bastards have never been bombed like they’re going to be bombed this time. - President Richard Nixon, 1972

    In February 1970, Henry Kissinger began back channel negotiations with North Vietnam. Hoping to gain an edge in these deliberations, North Vietnam sent 122,000 main force units to attack South Vietnam in March.  Nixon was enraged by the “Spring Offensive.” It threatened his reelection and his budding relationship with the People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union, whom he hoped might abandon North Vietnam for the promise of improved American relations. 

    In October, a defeated North Vietnam made concessions and Kissinger announced “peace is at hand.” But South Vietnamese President Thieu balked at the agreement and demanded changes. When Kissinger attempted to renegotiate, the talks collapsed. Nixon blamed North Vietnam and ordered a massive “Christmas Bombing” to bring both sides back to the table.

  • In a CBS interview with Dan Rather, President Nixon said the resumption of bombing  had been “very, very effective.” The next day, he scrawled, “K. We have had 10 years of total control of the air  in Laos and V.Nam. The result = Zilch,” on the top of this memo.

    Typewritten memo with red and black stamps and handwritten text in black ink across side of document

    Memorandum from Nixon to Kissinger, January 3, 1972. National Archives, Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum

  • Although the North Vietnamese Army scored early victories in their “Spring Offensive,” the South Vietnamese Army rallied with the help of U.S. air power and advisers on the ground.

    Black and white photograph of soldiers on top of a tank

    North Vietnamese T59 Tank captured by South Vietnamese 20th Tank Regiment in Quang Tri Province, 1972. National Archives, Records of the Office of...Read more

    North Vietnamese T59 Tank captured by South Vietnamese 20th Tank Regiment in Quang Tri Province, 1972. National Archives, Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer


     

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  • Nixon and Kissinger were each secretly recording their conversations. In this transcription of one of Kissinger’s tapes, he and Nixon revel in the destruction caused by the recent bombing campaign.

    White document with black typewritten text

    “Telcon” between Nixon and Kissinger, April 15, 1972. National Archives, Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum​

     

  • Key Dates

    • March 30, 1972: Hanoi’s Spring Offensive begins
    • April 16, 1972: U.S. resumes bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong
    • May 9, 1972: Nixon orders Operation Linebacker I bombing
    • May 26, 1972: Watergate scandal, arrest of five White House operatives
    • October 26, 1972: Kissinger declares “peace is at hand”
    • November 7, 1972: Nixon is reelected in a landslide
    • December 13, 1972: Breakdown in peace talks between the North Vietnamese and the Americans
    • December 18, 1972: Nixon orders Operation Linebacker II
  • Black and white photograph of soldiers on a tank in the field
    • Typewritten memo with red and black stamps and handwritten text in black ink across side of document
    Black and white photograph of soldiers on top of a tank
    White document with black typewritten text
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