Cold War 7 & 8 Flashcards
Indochina and the Vietnam War
What was the name of Ho Chi Minh’s army?
The People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN)
How many peasants were killed by the PAVN in 1956?
6000
What were the stated aims of the NLF?
To free South Vietnam from US imperialism
Who led the NLF?
Nguyen Huu Tho
What was recommended by General Maxwell Taylor in his November 1961 report in regards to Kennedy’s approach to Vietnam?
Some strategic bombing of North Vietnam - sending up to 10,000 ground troops to South Vietnam - greater training for the South Vietnamese Army (ARVN)
In 1962 Kennedy authorised Operation Ranch Hand, what was this?
Use of chemical defoliant such as Agent Orange to kill crops and destroy the jungle
Although Kennedy refused to send in ground troops to Vietnam he increased the number of personnel in SV, to what number?
11,300
What were the aims of the 1962 Strategic Hamlet Program?
To create armed stockades which would house South Vietnamese peasants and isolate them from the Vietcong
By September 1962 how many people lived in the hamlets?
4 million
What were 2 issues with the Strategic Hamlet Program?
1) It often led to higher amounts of Vietcong recruits
2) Officials stole money meant for supplies
What triggered the Buddhist Crisis in May 1963?
Buddhists in Hue were banned from flying flags for the Buddha’s birthday whilst Catholics were encouraged to fly papal flags the previous week
Which Buddhist leader did the military try and stop people hearing a speech from?
Tri Quang - 9 killed
In June 1963 a Buddhist self immolated in protest to the Buddhist oppression in South Vietnam, what was his name?
Quang Doc
By October 1963 what was the Kennedy administration’s plan regarding Diem?
Remove him in a coup and quickly build relations with his successor
On what date were Diem and Nhu assassinated?
November 2nd 1963
What happened in Dallas on November 22nd 1963?
JFK was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald
When did Lyndon B Johnson come into the executive?
November 22nd 1963
What was LBJ’s aim in Vietnam upon becoming president?
Achieve a quick victory and avoid any long term conflict
When was OPLAN 34A finalised?
December 1963
What was OPLAN 34A?
Covert action to progressively increase pressure on the NLF to “desist from its aggressive policies” through gradually increasing punishment on North Vietnam
What did French Prime Minister Gaulle warn of?
The US was heading towards a repeat of the French-Indochina war
When was the Gulf of Tonkin incident?
August 2nd 1964
What was the Gulf of Tonkin incident?
Three North Vietnamese patrol boats torpedoed two US navy ships
Which US ships were hit in the Gulf of Tonkin?
The USS Maddox and the USS Turner Joy
When was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed?
August 7th 1964
What did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution do?
It gave LBJ the ability to use ‘any means necessary’ to prevent further attacks on US forces
What was Operation Rolling Thunder?
A bombing campaign between 1965 and 1968 in North Vietnam including the use of explosives, Agent Orange and napalm
By December 31st 1967 how many tonnes of bombs had been dropped with Rolling Thunder?
864,000 - CIA estimated 30,000 civilian deaths
When was Operation Rolling Thunder active?
March 2nd 1965 - November 2nd 1968
Why was Rolling Thunder started?
In retaliation to a Vietcong attack on US army barracks and helicopter base in Pleiku - 8 US soldiers killed, 126 wounded and 10 aircrafts destroyed
What did LBJ send into Vietnam on July 28th 1965?
2 marine battalions - an air squadron - 20,000 troops
How many US troops were in Vietnam by July 1965?
75,000
How many tonnes of supplies were arriving into Vietnam monthly by 1967?
1 million
What was Agent Blue used for?
Killing crops to starve the Vietcong
What did MLK believe about the Vietnam War?
It distracted from LBJ’s commitment to social reform
What guerrilla tactics were used by the Vietcong?
Complex tunnel systems to hide in during the day - booby traps hidden in the jungle (spike pits, trip wires to set off grenades, mines, ambush groups)
How many guns did China supply the Vietcong with in 1964?
80,000
By 1969 how many guns were China sending the Vietcong?
140,000
By 1971 how many gallons of herbicides had been sprayed over Vietnam and Laos in Operation Ranch Hand?
19 million
What was the Search and Destroy strategy?
Ground forces would be dropped into hostile territory, eliminate the enemy and immediately withdraw
When was the Tet Offensive?
January 31st - February 24th 1968
What was the Tet Offensive?
During the Vietnamese holiday of Tet, the Vietcong launched attacks on US soldiers in over 100 towns and cities across Vietnam - events televised - largest attack in Hue
What did the Tet Offensive demonstrate?
The US and Vietcong were in stalemate
How many protestors attended the October 1967 Washington DC anti-war demonstration?
Over 100,000
What did the group Vietnam Veterans against the War (formed in 1967) do to protest?
Threw away army medals on live TV
When did the first Draft Lottery take place?
December 1st 1969
How was the Draft Lottery decided?
Every man born between 1944 and 1950 was given a number between 1-366 according to their birthday, these numbers were then drawn from a lottery machine
What was the first birthday picked by the Draft Lottery?
258 (birthday of September 14th)
How many attended Woodstock in 1969 where many prolific musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and The Who criticised the Vietnam war?
Around 500,000
When was the Kent State University Massacre?
May 4th 1970
What was the Kent State University Massacre?
The Ohio National Guard killed 4 college students protesting the war expansion into Cambodia with another 9 injured
When did Richard Nixon become president?
January 20th 1969
What was Nixon’s aim with Vietnam?
Peace with honour - quick withdrawal - ensure South Vietnam remains independent
What was Vietnamisation?
Withdrawal of US troops and replacing them with trained South Vietnamese forces
How many US troops were in Vietnam in June 1969?
543,000
How many US troops were in Vietnam in January 1972?
155,000
How many US troops were in Vietnam in June 1972?
47,000
What was the impact of Vietnamisation?
The ARVN became more competent
How many tonnes of bombs were dropped as part of Operation Linebacker 1?
150,000
When was the Gulf of Tonkin resolution removed by the Senate?
June 1970
When did the US enter Cambodia?
March 1969
Why did the US enter Cambodia?
To disrupt Vietcong trade routes
When was the Paris Peace Agreement finalised?
January 27th 1973
What was the Paris Peace Agreement?
An agreement which ended the US’ role in Vietnam
When did the last US troops leave Vietnam?
March 1973
When did the US stop bombing Cambodia?
August 1973
When was Vietnam united as a single country?
April 1975
