Nixon’s presidential campaign led many to conclude he had a secret plan to end the Vietnam war. Some historians believe he was actually determined to win the war. Others say he planned a negotiated withdrawal from the beginning. We do know he had a secret. He sabotaged Johnson’s peace talks to prevent an agreement from threatening his election.
Acting on a tip, President Johnson ordered an FBI wiretap on South Vietnamese Embassy phones. This cable confirmed that Nixon was indeed interfering with the peace talks.
Nixon had sent an emissary, Anna Chennault, to tell President of South Vietnam Thieu, “Hold on, we are gonna win.” The implication was clear: Thieu should not sign the peace agreement President Johnson was currently negotiating. When Nixon became President, he would negotiate a peace deal that left Thieu in a more powerful position.
