Richard Nixon's main strategy in Vietnam was a method considered “Vietnamization” in which American forces would train and specialize the South Vietnamese army. In this way, American forces would not have to participate in a combat role and would therefore find a solution to the issue of American troops dying for a cause that people in the United States already did not support. This approach would also look to a gradual withdrawal of troops in South Vietnam, finally allowing those troops to return home, something the American public had called for and protested during the Vietnam War. However, despite this position, Nixon was very dedicated to the cause of helping South Vietnam become independent and democratic. This was indicated when he stated, “The defense of liberty is everyone's business, not just America's. And it is above all the responsibility of the people whose freedom is threatened” (Nixon). Nixon's approach had beneficial effects in terms of American interests. In reality, his Vietnamization goals actually led to the withdrawal of American troops. His approach was effective as: “Nixon gradually reduced the number of American troops in Vietnam in stages, from a peak of 549,000 in 1969 to 69,000 in 1972” (History.com). Based solely on this perspective and goal, Nixon's Vietnamization approach was exceptional as troops were no longer stationed in Vietnam and could return home. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay On the other hand, it can be said that Nixon's strategy ultimately destroyed the South Vietnamese. The gradual American withdrawal from South Vietnam also provided many great military opportunities for Northern forces. His goal of strengthening the South Vietnamese Army, allowing it to be independent and capable of defending itself, was ultimately a failure. This can be highlighted when the South Vietnamese forces fell to the communists in 1975. Therefore, there were some positives and negatives regarding Nixon's plan for the Vietnam War. Although it led to the withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam, and ultimately satisfied American public opinion, it also did not fulfill the main premises that Vietnamization set out to achieve. These premises were to build a strong South Vietnamese force that would otherwise be strong enough to be self-sufficient and capable of defending itself from North Vietnamese forces. As evidenced by the North's victory, this obviously was not the case, making Nixon's Vietnamization a failure for the South Vietnamese.