Linebacker II resumes after Christmas pause
After a 36-hour respite for Christmas the U.S.resumes Operation Linebacker II.The extensive bombing campaign was resumed because according to U.S.
officials Hanoi sent no word that it would return to the peace talks.On December 13 North Vietnamese negotiators walked out of secret talks in Paris with National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger.President Nixon issued an ultimatum that North Vietnam send its representatives back to the conference table within 72 hours or else.The North Vietnamese rejected Nixons demand and the president ordered Operation Linebacker II a full-scale air campaign against the Hanoi area that began on December 18.
During the 11 days of Linebacker II 700 B-52 sorties and more than 1000 fighter-bomber sorties dropped an estimated 20000 tons of bombs on North Vietnamhalf the total tonnage of bombs dropped on England during World War II.Also on this day U.S.headquarters in Saigon announces that American military strength in South Vietnam was reduced by 700 men during the previous week.The reduction brought the total U.S.
forces in South Vietnam to 24000 the lowest in almost eight years.
