Conflict and tension in Asia, 1950–1975, Part two: Escalation of conflict in Vietnam Flashcards
What was Indochina?
A french colony comprised of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
Why did France lose Indochina?
They were beaten by the Nazi regime. The Japanese take control of Vietnam.
Why did the USA support the french in taking control of Indochina?
The US wanted to ‘contain’ communism.
How much of the war was the US funding in 1953?
By 1953, the US was paying 80% of France’s war in Vietnam.
When was the battle of Dien Bien Phu?
May 1954
When were the Geneva Agreements?
July 1954
What were the main reasons the french were defeated at Dien Bien Phu?
- Terrain suited the Vietminh
- French did not expect the Vietminh to have artillery and ani-air guns.
How many french casualties were there by the end of the battle?
8000 men had died
What was the French government’s response to defeat in Dien Bien Phu?
- The French prime minister resigned.
- The parliament voted to end the war and leave Vietnam.
What were the conditions of the Geneva Agreement?
(Five conditions)
- Vietnam divided
- Ho Chi Minh leading the North. Ngo Dinh Diem leading the South.
- French leave Vietnam. Vietminh leave South Vietnam.
- People could decide on which side they wanted to live on.
- Elections to be held in 1956 to unite the country.
What were the main reasons for the civil war in South Vietnam?
- Diem refused to have elections.
- Diem persecuted Buddhists, in a Buddhist country.
- Diem jailed his political opponents.
What was Diem’s religion?
Diem was Catholic.
What did NLF stand for?
National Liberation Front
When was the NLF created?
1960
Why was the NLF created?
To fight against Diem’s regime to unify Vietnam.
What did ARVN stand for?
Army of the Republic of Vietnam
When was the ARVN created?
1955
Why was the ARVN created?
Created to protect Diem’s regime from communists, the NLF, and Buddhists.
How did Diem persecute communists?
He made a law in 1959 that meant military courts could execute anyone found being part of a communist organisation e.g. Vietminh.
How was Diem corrupt?
He used his power to benefit his family - controlling businesses and trade.
What were the main reasons Diem was so unpopular?
- Persecution of communists
- Corruption
- Nepotism
- Persecution of Buddhists.
- Relocation of peasants
When did Diem’s rule start and end?
1954 - 1963
What referendum was there in 1955?
In 1955, the people of South Vietnam voted for Diem or his rival, Bo Dai. Diem won with 98.2%. He cheated.
Why did the US stop supporting Diem?
- He was too corrupt.
- He was too unpopular. The Buddhist persecution made supporting him impossible.
What were the aims of the Vietcong?
To overthrow Diem’s regime and unify Vietnam.
What made the Vietcong so popular with the peasants?
- They were forbidden to mistreat them.
- Diem taxed and relocated many peasants. The Vietcong fought to end Diem’s regime, which the peasants wanted.
What guerrilla tactics did the Vietcong use?
- Ambushes
- Sabotage
Who supported the Vietcong?
North Vietnam, China and the USSR.
Where was the Vietcong based?
Mainly in South Vietnam.
In what year did the Truman Doctrine start?
1947
What was the Truman Doctrine?
America’s commitment to containing communism.
What did Domino Theory state?
That if one nation becomes communist, the neighbouring countries will follow in a domino effect.
What year did Diem’s regime collapse?
1963
Why did the US decide to increase involvement after Diem?
At the time of Diem’s assassination, the South was at its weakest.
In what ways was the USA limited in the extent to which it could get involved in Vietnam?
- It didn’t want another Korea
- It didn’t want the USSR or China to get involved.
When was Eisenhower president?
1953-60
How many military advisers did Eisenhower send to the ARVN to help them win the civil war?
700 military advisers
What did Kennedy do to get involved?
- Sent thousands more military advisers
- Economic assistance to Diem’s government
What were ‘strategic hamlets’?
Fortified villages defended by the ARVN.
Why was the strategic hamlets programme so unpopular?
It forced peasants out of their native villages. Ancestors’ graves were spiritually important.
By how much did the the strategic hamlets programme increase Diem’s unpopularity?
it tripled his unpopularity rating
How many strategic hamlets were set up?
5000
How much money did the USA send in economic aid by 1961?
$136 million economic aid
How much money did the USA send in militaristic funding by 1961?
$65 million for equipment
$40 million to train ARVN
How many military advisors were there in Vietnam by 1963?
Over 16000
When was Diem killed?
November 1963
How was Diem killed?
ARVN plotted to kill him in coup d’etat.
When was the USS Maddox attacked?
2nd August 1964
When was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed?
Presented to Congress on the 7th August 1964. Passed on the 10th.
Vietcong strength, 1963 and 1964.
Vietcong had 23,000 fighters in 1963, 60,000 in 1964.
Why was LBJ eager to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
He wanted the US to get more involved in Vietnam. LBJ was criticised for being too soft. After the resolution passed, he won the election easily.
What was the US’s mass bombing campaign called?
Operation Rolling Thunder
How big was the Ho Chi Minh trail?
16,000km
It what ways did North Vietnam support the Vietcong?
The North Vietnamese army gave weapons and training to the Vietcong soldiers. Sometimes the North Vietnamese army would join Vietcong divisions.
When did Operation Rolling Thunder start?
March 1965
What was the aim of Operation Rolling Thunder?
- Make N.Vietnam stop supporting the Vietcong.
- Destroy industries and transport links bringing supplies to the south.
How long did the bombing campaign last? How long was it originally intended to last?
It was expected to succeed in eight weeks. It lasted three years.
How many bombs had been dropped on Vietnam?
900,000 tons of bombs dropped. 90,000 people killed as a result
(by November 1968)
Was Operation Rolling Thunder a success?
- Most of the Vietcong’s supplies came from China
- USSR and China provided air cover. 745 US airmen were shot down.
How did the US deal with the Ho Chi Minh trail?
It burned entire forests with Agent Orange, and dropped cluster bombs and napalm to kill the people walking along it.
How did the Vietcong defend against the air strikes?
They built hundreds of underground shelters along the Ho Chi Minh trail.
What were Search and Destroy missions also referred to as?
‘Zippo raids’ Zippo being a lighter brand they would use to light up villages.
Who was the General in charge of US military in Vietnam?
General Westmoreland
How many US troops were there by the end of 1965?
By the end of 1965, there were 200,000 US troops on the ground.
What was the essence of Search and Destroy tactics?
US troops would go to villages in small groups and search for Vietcong members and weapons. They would then kill them.
What was the success of Search and Destroy tactics in the first month?
1100 Vietcong killed
only 100 US troops died
Why did the initial success of Search and Destroy not continue?
- It was hard to tell civilian from Vietcong
- Burning down villages made the US troops unpopular
- It also made 4 million refugees by the end of the war.
What was the My Lai massacre?
The murder of over 347 women and children by US troops.
What was the impact of the My Lai massacre?
The public were horrified and support for the war rapidly declined.
What day was the My Lai massacre?
16th March 1968
What was Charlie Company?
The Charlie Company were the troops involved in My Lai.
How long did the army cover up what had happened?
Over a year
What did the My Lai Massacre show about the effectiveness of Search and Destroy?
It showed that it increased conflict and tension. Charlie Company was told to kill Vietcong; women and children could be part of Vietcong.
What was the Tet Offensive?
A Vietcong attack in over 100 South Vietnamese cities.
What day was the Tet Offensive?
30th January 1968
Who was in control of North Vietnam in 1968?
Le Duan
What year did Ho Chi Minh die?
1969
Why did Le Duan launch the Tet offensive?
He believed that a major attack would lead to South Vietnamese people rising up and overthrowing the Southern regime, leading to the unification of Vietnam.
Why was the Tet offensive a surprise attack?
It happened on a holiday. The US military thought that the Vietcong would rest, as most of them were Buddhists.
What were the consequences of the Tet Offensive for the war?
For the VC
- US took back control quickly. Some cities were left in ruins. e.g. Hue
- The people had not risen up and the Vietcong suffered major losses.
What were the consequences of the Tet Offensive for US public opinion?
- 20 million people watched on television
- People started realising the war was going on without any progress
Troops to be sent to Vietnam March 1968?
In March 1968, LBJ stated another 200,000 troops were to be sent to Vietnam.
LBJ approval ratings 1968.
Dropped from 40% to 26%
How many Americans watched the Tet Offensive on TV?
20 million Americans watched the television coverage of the Tet Offensive.
What were the main Anti-war protests?
December 1964: 25,000 people march in DC
October 1969: two million people demonstrated across the USA
Why were there more student protests?
- They were more liberal
- The draft conscripted 18-26yo’s. This meant students had friends in Vietnam.
What was a common chant at Anti-war demonstrations?
‘Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?’
How much was the US spending in Vietnam in 1967?
$30 billion a year
What did MLK say about the war?
King declared he was against the war. That the government should not spend so much whilst there were so many domestic problems.
