9. international relations- the vietnam war Flashcards
What was the division of Vietnam after the Geneva Conference?
Vietnam was divided into North and South.
Who controlled the north and south of Vietnam during the war?
The Viet Minh controlled the north, and the French controlled the south.
What was the outcome of the French involvement in Vietnam?
France pulled out of Vietnam in 1954.
Why were elections not held in Vietnam after the Geneva Conference?
The USA feared that Communist leader Ho Chi Minh would win a huge victory.
Who did the USA support instead of Ho Chi Minh?
The USA supported dictator Ngo Dinh Diem, who set up the Republic of South Vietnam.
What was the nature of Diem’s regime?
Diem’s regime was corrupt and unpleasant.
What was the Viet Cong?
The Viet Cong were a mixture of North Vietnamese Army soldiers and South Vietnamese people who wanted to fight against Diem’s regime.
What did the USA do to support the South Vietnamese Army?
The USA sent advisers to train the South Vietnamese Army (ARVN).
What happened to Diem due to his unpopularity?
Diem was overthrown by his own generals.
What was the USA’s first direct intervention in Vietnam?
The USA’s direct intervention started at the Battle of la Drang in November 1965.
What tactics did Ho Chi Minh use against the USA?
Ho Chi Minh used guerrilla warfare, had the support of the people, used the Ho Chi Minh trail for supplies, and had committed fighters.
Ho Chi Minh trail- a network of secret supply routes used by North Vietnam during the Vietnam War to send troops, weapons, and supplies to the Viet Cong fighting in South Vietnam.
What unpleasant tactics did the USA use in Vietnam?
The USA used bombing, search and destroy missions, and chemical weapons like napalm and Agent Orange.
What event led to a change in American support for the Vietnam War?
The Tet Offensive, where Viet Cong fighters attacked over 100 cities in south vietnam, led to a change in support.
How did the media influence American attitudes towards the Vietnam War?
The media became more critical of the US position in Vietnam after the Tet Offensive.
What was a key point about the Cold War events in Vietnam?
Events of the Cold War played out in foreign ways which were costly failures for both the USA and USSR.
What happened in the My Lai massacre?
US forces killed 300-400 civilians in the village of My Lai.
This atrocity led Americans to question whether the USA was fighting on the right side.
What was the impact of the peace movement on the Vietnam War?
The change in support ultimately led to an end to the conflict as the peace movement gained strength.
What action did President Richard Nixon take regarding the Vietnam War?
He worked to end US involvement in the war, and in January 1973 a peace agreement was signed.
What happened to South Vietnam within two years after the peace agreement?
South Vietnam had fallen to the Communists.
