President Nixon announces 45,000 more U.S. troops will withdraw from Vietnam before Feb. 1, leaving 139,000 there as peace aid 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 12 1971)

1970s, U.S. Presidents, Vietnam War


Video: 'CBS Evening News - 1971-11-12'

(Friday, November 12, 1971, 4:02-4:09 p.m. EST; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — U.S. President Richard Nixon announced today that he would withdraw 45,000 more American soldiers from South Vietnam by Feb. 1, 1972, retaining a force of 139,000 men to strengthen his hand in seeking a negotiated settlement of the war.


Video: 'Vietnam: A Television History (1983) – Ep 9/13: Cambodia and Laos' (Nov. 12, 1971, at 30:17)

At an unscheduled news conference in the White House, the President said that a decision on future withdrawals would be based in part on progress in obtaining the release of American prisoners of war and on the prospects of a cease-fire throughout Indochina.

But he emphasized that he could not now foresee a “striking breakthrough” at the deadlocked peace talks in Paris and that he could not offer “false encouragement” to the prisoners’ families.