In 1969, the "Guam Doctrine" was proclaimed. It was called the "Guam Doctrine" because where it was originally proclaimed. It stated the United States position on an outbreak of war by communist-lead countries in Asia. If a communist incursion was to occur in Asia, the United States would support the threatened nation, but the nation was to take responsibility for its own defense. The doctrine was later applied to entire world and renamed the "Nixon Doctrine." This was released as a result of the American failure to eradicate North Vietnamese forces from South Vietnam. The doctrine was Nixon's excuse for removing American forces from Indochina. The doctrine still asserted the United States' responsibility to deter nuclear warfare.