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History - The Cold War - Part 4 > 13 - Confrontation In The Vietnam War > Flashcards

13 - Confrontation In The Vietnam War Flashcards

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1
Q

When was the Indochina War?

A

C.1945 - 1954

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2
Q

When did the Vietnam War begin?

A

1955/6

When the re-election of a Vietnamese leader to form a united Vietnam didn’t happen

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3
Q

Who were the USSR + China supporting in the Vietnam War?

A

N.Vietnamese communists

VietMinh under Ho Chi Minh

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4
Q

Who were the US supporting in the Vietnam War?

A

S.Vietnamese capitalists

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5
Q

Give a brief summary of Eisenhower’s policy in Vietnam

A
  • Committed to supporting S
  • Tried to prevent Vietnam falling to communism (+ then the rest of Asia through domino theory)
  • Focused on supplying aid + massive retaliation
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6
Q

Give a brief summary of Kennedy’s policy in Vietnam

A
  • Committed to supporting S
  • Continued providing aid
  • A middle course (not extreme commitment)
  • More focused on a flexible response (not massive retaliation) e.g. counterinsurgency training
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7
Q

When was Kennedy assassinated?

A

22nd Nov 1963

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8
Q

Who became President after Kennedy?

A

Johnson

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9
Q

How did Johnson become President? How did this influence his policy in Vietnam?

A
  • Raised up from vice after Kennedy’s death (not elected in)
  • Felt he needed to continue Kennedy’s policy at least until the next election in 1964 (because this was what the people had chosen)
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10
Q

What was Johnson’s initial policy in Vietnam?

A

Continue Kennedy’s policy of commitment in Vietnam, but not extreme commitment (middle course + flexible response)

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11
Q

What was Johnson’s personal opinion on how Vietnam should be dealt with after Kennedy’s assassination?

A

He was patriotic + wanted US success in Vietnam (so was tempted to increase support to the S)

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12
Q

What was the general US gov opinion on how to approach Vietnam after Kennedy’s assassination?

A

Mixed (some wanted increased support + others to remove all involvement)

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13
Q

Give an example of Johnson’s initial action to continue Kennedy’s policy in Vietnam

A

Continued providing military ‘advisers’ to train in counterinsurgency etc
(Increased from 16,300 to 23,000)

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14
Q

What did foreign powers think about US involvement in Vietnam?

A

Many disapproved
E.g. Charles de Gaulle - warned Johnson that he should end involvement Vietnam or was risking a similar defeat to French at Dien Bien Phu

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15
Q

What three events happened in 1964-5 that changed Johnson’s approach to Vietnam?

A
  • Golf of Tonkin Incident + Resolution (authority to change policy)
  • Election victory (had support of public as was rightful president)
  • Pleiku Incident (US clearly not currently successful in Vietnam)
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16
Q

When was the Golf of Tonkin Incident?

A

2nd August 1964

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17
Q

Outline what happened in The Gulf of Tonkin Incident

A
  • USS Maddox (US navy vessel) was moving through international waters when 3 N.Viet patrol boats fired torpedoes at it (but missed)
  • USS Maddox responded by calling for air support + managing to destroy 1 of the boats and damage the other 2
  • 2 days later US mistranslated N.Viet radio traffic + concluded a military operation threat was being planned
  • Johnson ordered bombing of N.Viet naval bases
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18
Q

When was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed?

A

7th Aug 1964

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19
Q

What was the name of the first US pilot shot down over N.Vietnam?

A

Lieutenant Everett Alvarez

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20
Q

Why did Congress pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?

A

Felt threatened by the N.Vietnamese after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident (attack + ‘plans for future military operation’)

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21
Q

What was The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?

A

Bill passed by Congress giving the President (Johnson) permission to take any action considered necessary to resist armed attacks on the US without consulting Congress

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22
Q

What did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution mean for Vietnam?

A

Johnson had the presidential authority to increase military commitment in Vietnam without consulting Congress

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23
Q

Why was the situation in Vietnam deteriorating for the US up to 1965?

A
  • Viet Cong had strengthened their position in many parts of the South
  • PAVN was moving down the Ho Chi Minh Trail
  • Viet Cong had gained foreign support (China + USSR)
  • Rise in anti-US feeling amongst people of Vietnam
  • ARVN were declining: low morale, poor leadership, poor training, low pay
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24
Q

What was the Ho Chi Minh Trail?

A

Supply route of men + equipment through Laos + Cambodia to N.Vietnam

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25
Q

What was the Pleiku Incident?

A
  • Feb 1965
  • Viet Cong attacked US army barracks + helicopter base at Pleiku (Camp Holloway)
  • 8 US killed, 126 US injured
  • Representative of the worsening situation in Vietnam for the US
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26
Q

What change to policy did Johnson decide to make to Vietnam on 7th April 1965?

A

Increase US military commitment to the Vietnam War

Americanisation

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27
Q

Give 3 examples of Johnson’s 1965 change to policy in Vietnam (increasing US commitment)

A
  • Operation Rolling Thunder
  • First official combat troops sent to Vietnam
  • Rapid increase in number of US troops in Vietnam
28
Q

What counteroffer to Johnson’s increase in US commitment did the N.Vietnamese propose the day after?

A
  • US withdraw
  • No Vietnamese side allowed to enter alliance with foreign power
  • Peaceful reunification to be settled by people of Vietnam
29
Q

How did Johnson react to the N.Vietnamese counteroffer to Americanisation? Why?

A

Rejected it

Thought South would fall to communism without US help

30
Q

What was Operation Rolling Thunder?

A
  • Bombing campaign (mainly B-52 bombers)
  • Expanded gradually, lasted until 1968
  • Aimed to destroy N.Vietnamese economy + supplies
  • Limited success: few industrial targets, N.Vietnam adapted using underground tunnel systems, N.Vietnamese supplies replenished by PRC+USSR
31
Q

Give a statistic to support the Americanisation of the Vietnam War by Johnson after 1965

A

US ground troops:
1965 = 185,000
1968 = 535,000

32
Q

When and what was Ia Drang?

A

Nov 1965

  • 34 day battle between US and N.Viets
  • One of the first significant direct conflicts post-Americanisation
  • US saw as win: they inflicted 10x more casualties
  • Vietnamese saw as win: they prevented the US seizing area permanently
33
Q

What was the result of the 1965 Americanisation?

A
  • US prevented the imminent S.Vietnamese defeat

- Stalemate began, as N.Vietnamese were able to match the escalation

34
Q

List some US tactics in the Vietnam War

A
  • Bombing: Operation Rolling Thunder, Operation Ranch Hand, Napalm
  • Search and Destroy
  • The Secret War
35
Q

What was Operation Ranch Hand?

A

Tactic used by US.
Aircraft dropped toxic chemical defoliants (e.g. Agent Orange)
- Aimed to deprive N.Viet guerrillas of forest cover + crops
- Destroyed 1/2 S.Vietnam’s woodlands
- Agent Orange associated with causing deformities in children
- Stopped in 1970

36
Q

What was napalm?

A

Tactic used by US.
Dropped bombs containing highly flammable sticky jelly, then set on fire
- Aimed to act as a physical weapon (adding to defoliation and destruction of supplies + troops) and psychological weapon (hell on Earth)

37
Q

What was War of Attrition?

A

Aim to win the war by gradually wearing down the enemy so they were the last ones standing

  • US thought they could win: had superior resources + money
  • N.Viet thought they could win: more determined
38
Q

What was Search and Destroy?

A

Tactic used by US.
US fly in + raid villages suspected of harbouring Viet Cong
- Often destroyed villages, livestock, crops + innocent villagers in the process

39
Q

What was the Secret War?

A

Tactic used by US.
War in Laos + Cambodia at same time as Vietnam (less publicised)
- US tried to support appropriate forces in order to cut off communism in these countries + end any support (e.g. via Ho Chi Minh Trail) from them

40
Q

What was the US’ most bombed country?

A

Laos

41
Q

What were some strengths of the US in Vietnam?

A

Better economy

  • Could give constant provision of supplies to S.Vietnam (1 million supplies sent per month)
  • High quality technology + military equipment (e.g. helicopter)
  • Money to replenish + keep going in War of Attrition
42
Q

What were some weaknesses of the US in the Vietnam War?

A

Lack of support

  • ARVN were poorly trained + badly led so had low morale
  • Vietnamese peasants didn’t want to support (consequence of search + destroy and strategic hamlet programme)
  • US public objection beginning in 60s + increased after Tet

Inexperience in fighting in that environment against guerrilla tactics + with few actual bombing targets

43
Q

List some tactics used by the N.Vietnamese in the Vietnam War

A
  • Guerrilla tactics
  • Ho Chi Minh Trail
  • Peasant support
44
Q

What were guerrilla tactics?

A 
Tactic used by N.Vietnamese.
Using irregular warfare that involved techniques based on intelligence, deception and ambush, by a small group of mobile combatants, to fight a less mobile traditional military 
- Complex tunnel systems
- Booby traps
- Small ambush troops
45
Q

What was the Ho Chi Minh Trail?

A

Tactic used by N.Vietnamese
Supply route through Laos and Cambodia into Vietnam to provide forces with men + equipment
- Regular target of US attacks but never fully destroyed

46
Q

What was Peasant Support?

A

Tactic used by N.Vietnamese.
Modelled Mao’s methods to gain support/help from the peasants + prevent them supporting the US
E.g.
- Don’t destroy land/crops
- Always: keep word, respect peasants, support peasants

47
Q

What were strengths of the N.Vietnamese in the Vietnam War?

A
  • High determination + morale
  • Knew the area well
  • Well equipped by the PRC + USSR
    (Had 300,000 Chinese troops + supplied with weapons)
48
Q

What were the weaknesses of the N.Vietnamese in the Vietnam War?

A
  • Weaker economy that was heavily reliant on PRC + USSR in order to keep going for a sustained time
  • Weaponry still didn’t match the advanced US
  • No guaranteed support among S.Vietnamese peasants
49
Q

What was Tet?

A

The Vietnamese celebration of Lunar New Year

Most important festival

50
Q

What was expected to happen at Tet in Jan-Feb 1968? What actually happened?

A
  • Expectation: cease fighting for celebrations

- Reality: Tet Offensive

51
Q

What was the Tet Offensive?

A

Plan by the Viet Cong to start an offensive against the US during Tet, aiming to gain popular support + trigger a mass uprising against the US

52
Q

Why did the N.Vietnamese choose the time of Tet to launch the offensive?

A
  • Tet would provide a cover for unusual planning activity

- US determination appeared to be failing (stalemate + public becoming anti-war)

53
Q

How long did the Tet Offensive last?

A

26 days

54
Q

Briefly outline the N.Vietnamese plan for the Tet Offensive

A

PRE
- Bolster S.Vietnamese public support through propaganda
- Improve weaponry, sneaking it into cities in agricultural vehicles + coffins
DURING
- Khe Sanh (act as diversion battle to exhaust US at start)
- Main offensive (67,000 VC divided between 6 major targets in Saigon)
- Extra target of Hue (culturally significant + part of ally supply chain)

55
Q

What actually happened during the Tet Offensive?

A
  • US fell for the Khe Sanh diversion battle
    (Became the biggest, bloodiest battle so far: 10,000 comm dead + 500 US dead)
  • Main offensive failed as targets weren’t successfully captured (VC were ordered to attack + hold but reinforcements never came)
  • Hue conflict lasted 26 days + resulted in destruction of the city and highest deaths were of citizens and VC (over 5,000 each)
56
Q

Did the US suspect the Tet Offensive?

A

Yes (but didn’t tell US public)

  • Saw N.Viets changing tactics
  • E.g. VC 273rd regiment tried to hold position in Oct 1967 (training for Tet - traditionally attacked then retreated)
  • US shortened the agreed holiday ceasefire to just 36hrs
57
Q

What were the consequences of the Tet Offensive for the N.Vietnamese?

A

Military loss

  • 25,000 VC killed
  • 5,000 VC captured (many of whom were important figures)
58
Q

What were the consequences of the Tet Offensive for the US + S.Vietnamese?

A

Military win BUT ARVN suffered greatly
- ARVN desertion rates increased from 10.5/1000 to 16.5/1000

Psychological loss

  • Demonstrated the strength + determination of the N.Viets
  • Demonstrated the ineffective escalation strategy in winning the war
  • Walter Cronkite gave TV report that the US had reached a stalemate + should withdraw
  • Caused strong anti-war reaction from the public
  • Johnson announced in March 1968 he wouldn’t run for reelection
59
Q

Outline the role of each of the superpowers in the Vietnam War

A

US: Directly involved. Allied with S, battling against N in attempt to contain spread of communism.

USSR + PRC: Indirectly involved. Provided assistance to N through sending aid (USSR) and aid+ 300,000 troops (PRC) in attempt to expand communism in SE Asia.

60
Q

Define Quagmire Theory

A

Theory that the US are trapped in the Vietnam War quagmire + can’t leave due to their investment in it

61
Q

What was the Battle of Ap Bac?

A

Major 1963 battle in Vietnam War. Significant defeat of US + ARVN

62
Q

What was the difference between the approaches to Vietnam of Eisenhower -> Kennedy -> Johnson -> Nixon?

A

Eisenhower - Chose to support S.Vietnamese through aid

Kennedy - Middle course + limited war (limited conflict through aid provision as was necessary at time without completely destroying enemy or exhausting own resources)

Johnson - Escalated involvement through Americanisation

Nixon - Continued involvement but through supporting Vietnamisation to achieve ‘peace with honour’ for America

63
Q

Define Americanisation

A

Increased involvement of Americans fighting in Vietnam

Done under Johnson

64
Q

Who was Robert McNamara?

A

Johnson’s Secretary of Defence

Helped escalate US commitment to Vietnam through programs such as Operation Rolling Thunder

65
Q

Who was Vo Ngyuen Giap?

A

N.Vietnamese general + politician who worked with Ho Chi Minh

History - The Cold War - Part 4 (4 decks)

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