Final answer:
The North Vietnamese never discussed the use of nuclear weapons in the Vietnam War. The U.S. policy of Vietnamization involved withdrawing U.S. troops and intensifying aerial attacks without considering nuclear options.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the options for addressing the escalating war in Vietnam, nuclear weapons were discussed and ultimately rejected by both military and civilian leaders in the United States. This was due in part to the horrific nature and global political consequences of using such weapons. The North Vietnamese, focused on reunification of Vietnam under communist rule, pursued strategies including guerrilla warfare, diplomatic negotiations, and had interactions involving the potential withdrawal of troops as part of peace talks. However, there is no record of them discussing nuclear weapons as a tactic in the conflict.
The U.S. strategy known as Vietnamization involved a systematic withdrawal of U.S. troops, shifting the combat responsibility to the South Vietnamese armed forces, while maintaining intense aerial attacks with the hope of weakening North Vietnam and the Viet Cong. As part of Nixon's policy, U.S. involvement in the war seemed to wind down, but the pursuit of a victory continued, partly through intensive bombing campaigns. This approach did not include the use of nuclear weapons, which remained off the table throughout the conflict.