Conflict & Tension in Asia: escalation if conflict in vietnam Flashcards
Before the Second World War he was fighting and ruled by
France
During the war who conquered Vietnam
how did this country treat the Vietnamese ppl
which resistant movement emerged as a result
Japan
Vietnamese people treated savagely by the Japanese
as a result a strong anti-Japanese resistance movement (Vietminh) emerged under the leadership of Communist Ho Chi Minh
After the Second World War what occurred for Vietnam And why was this good for the VietMinh
VietMinh entered the city of Hanoi in 1945 and declared Vietnamese independence
What occurred soon after Ho Chi Minh declared that Vietnam was independent in September 1945
Fighting between French forces and the Vietminh began
What was this period of conflict between the French forces and the VietMinh known as
when did it take place
The first Indochina war
1946-54
what tactics did the Vietminh use in the first Indochina war
guerilla tactics
what was a major turning point in the first Indochina war & When did it take place
spring 1954
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
What occurred at Dien Bien Phu
A small French Air Force Base at Dien Bien Phu Occupied by 10,000 French soldiers
was surrounded by 50,000 Vietminh troops
What did the Vietminh destroy in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The Vietminh destroyed the runway by bombing attack the trapped French troops and bombarded them with rockets and shells
What happened as a result of the Vietminh’s involvement in the battle of Dien Bien Phu
the French soon run out of water and medical supplies
Americans & British wouldn’t help so on my May 7, 1954 the French surrendered
What happened after the battle of Dien Bien Phu on May 1950
Britain and France China USSR USA and Vietnam met in Geneva Switzerland
to decide the future of Vietnam
What Was decided in the Geneva agreement in 1954
-name 7 points
That Vietnam would be divided at the 17th parallel appoint roughly halfway down the country
North Vietnam would be ruled by Ho Chi Minh (Communist)
south Vietnam would be ruled by Ngo Dinh (non-Communist)
French troops would withdraw completely from Vietnam
Vietminh would withdraw from South Vietnam
Vietnamese people could freely choose to live in North Vietnam yourself it now
Layoffs and Cambodia would become independent nations
What occurred after the Geneva agreement of 1954
who did Diem receive help from
A non-Communist government was set up in South Vietnam under President Diem
Diem received The support of the US government simply because he was anti-Communist
Did Diem set up a non-Communist government after the Geneva agreement
Diem was reluctant to accept the division of Vietnam as he wanted a united Vietnam
What was formed in 1960 with the support of Ho Chi Minh
National Liberation front (NLF)
How did DM react to the formation of the NLF and what happened as a result of this
Diem reacted with scorn calling its members the Vietnam communists (Vietcong)
NLF demanded the removal of the Diem and started a campaign of guerilla warfare
What occurred by 1961
By 1961 there were over 20,000 Vietcong guerillas in South Vietnam
What was the NLF
NLF was a guerilla movement trained in the art of conducting ambushes, surprise attacks laying traps and using the cover of the jungle
it had much support in North Vietnam and a considerable amount in the south
What name were the NLF also referred to as
The Vietcong
Is the Ho Chi Minh Trail when was it created and why was it created
created in 1959 to carry supplies from the north to the south
How did the Vietcong set out to win more support
By working with the local population, treating them well and winning their respect
what theory did the US come up with as a way to prevent the spread of communism throughout Asia
The Domino theory
Why did the US come up with the domino theory
President Eisenhower was convinced that China and the USSR were planning to spread communism throughout Asia
What was the idea behind the Domino theory
That if Vietnam fell to communism then Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma and even India might also fall
just like a row of dominoes
How did the US help South vietnam and prevent the spread of communism under Eisenhower
Eisenhower provided aid to South Vietnam
$1.6 billion between 1954 and 1960
Military advisors were sent
US became involved in Vietnam without clear aims or a clear plan
When was Kennedy elected president and what did he want for South Vietnam
wanted a solution in South Vietnam that would avoid a large-scale military commitment by US forces
so he was happy to support the ARVN in their fight against the Vietcong
What was the Strategic Hamlet Programme
It was an attempt to ‘win the hearts and minds’ of the south Vietnamese people
-it was to stop the Vietcong influencing the peasants in their villages
& cut off the support the peasants gave the Vietcong such as food and intelligence about the South Vietnamese army ARVN
Who was the Strategic Hamlet programme introduced by
Diem
When was the strategic Hamlet programme introduced
1962
Under which American president did the US involvement in the war and opposition in the US reach its peak & why
President Johnson
As the brutalities of the war became evident on TV screens and in news reports
When was the USA ready to commit to a full scale conflict in Vietnam to prevent the spread of communism
After the assassination of President Kennedy in November 1963
the newly elected Johnson was more prepared than Kennedy to commit the USA to a full-scale conflict in Vietnam
What occurred in August 1964
North Vietnamese patrol boats opened fire on US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin
Who passed the Tonkin Gulf resolution and why
The US Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf resolution
As it gave Johnson the power to take the USA into a full scale war if he felt it was necessary
What was the name of the massive Bombing campaign approved by Johnson
Operation Rolling Thunder
approved in February against North Vietnam
What occurred on March 8, 1965
3,500 US Marines came ashore at Da Nang
Why did the Vietcong used guerrilla tactics
As Vietcong- heavily outnumbered and outgunned by South Vietnamese forces and US allies
so Ho Chi Minh believed that superior forces could be defeated by guerrilla tactics
Why were guerrilla tactics effective
The principles were simple
Why was guerrilla warfare a nightmare for the US Army
-name 5
Guerrillas didn’t wear uniform
they had no known base camp or headquarters
they worked in small groups with limited weapons
they were hard to tell apart from the peasants in the villages
they attacked and then disappeared into the jungle into the villages or into their tunnels
What was the aim of guerrilla attacks
To wear down the enemy soldiers and wreck their morale
What occurred in the guerrilla attacks
Booby-traps such as tripwires or Pittsfield with sharp and bamboo staves
bouncing Bettys
How did Ho Chi Minh and the Vietcong win the support of villagers
Vietcong fighters often helped the peasants in the fields during busy periods
Vietcong used terror Tactics to make sure that villagers did what they wanted
How was operation Rolling Thunder effective
It damaged North Vietnam’s war effort and it disrupted some supply routes
it enabled the USA to strike at Communist forces even when it was reducing US ground forces in Vietnam after 1969
How was operation Rolling Thunder ineffective
US air power could not defeat the Communist’s it could only slow them down
the financial cost of the air war was horrendous
The communists shot down 14,000 US and South Vietnamese aircraft
Which policy was developed by General Westmoreland
Search and destroy
What was the policy of search and destroy
Americans would search villages for Vietcong soldiers and if they found any they would destroy the village as a warning to the South Vietnamese who supported the Vietcong
How was the policy of search and destroy ineffective
-name 6
The raids were often based on inadequate information
inexperienced US troops often walked into traps
Innocent villagers were mistaken for Vietcong strongholds
Civilian casualties are extremely high in these raids
Search and destroy tactics made the US and South Vietnamese forces very unpopular with the peasants
It pushed peasants towards supporting the Vietcong
What were the US troops like in the early stages of the war
Majority of US troops were professional soldiers who had volunteered for the forces as a career
generally their morale was good
they stood up well to the condition
What were the US troops like later in the war
After 1967 and increasing number of troops in Vietnam had been drafted
many were very young men who had never been in the military before
they often cared little for democracy or communism and just wanted to get home alive
What was the My Lai massacre
massacre occurred when American soldiers were on a search and destroy mission
and killed nearly 400 civilians in the village of My Lai
What was the name of the US soldiers that took part in the My Lai massacre
Charlie company
Why did Charlie company attack My Lai
It was reported that a Vietcong base containing around 200 Vietcong guerrilla was operating in the My Lai area
local villagers in the area were supplying food weapons and support to the Vietcong fighters
What was the aim of the search and destroy mission in My Lai
To destroy all crops livestock wells and food stores around My Lai
What happened to villages in My Lai area
Any villagers that tried to run away with shot or stabbed
no armed retaliation from the villagers
Villagers were tortured and raped
What’s the news about the My Lai massacre widespread
No news of the massacre was kept quiet
Was that my life massacre seen as a success to the Americans
Yes
US troops killed 90 Vietcong fighters
America only had one casualty
When did the My Lai massacre take place
1968
When was operation Rolling Thunder launched by the US
7th of February 1965
What happened 18 months after the My Lai massacre
The American press got hold of the story
as a result lieutenant William Calley was sentenced to life imprisonment for personally killing 22 villages
What happened when the US public found out about the My Lai massacre
US public refused to believe the story at first
seemed original aim of war to contain communism had been lost
Mistrust of the army and government increased after My Lai- ppl didnt believe what they were being told
opposition to war increased
What occurred in November 1969 shortly after the US public had found out about the My Lai massacre
Almost 700,000 anti-war protesters demonstrated in Washington DC
was the largest political protest in American history
What attack occurred in early 1968 against the US
The Tet Offensive
What was the Tet Offensive
During Tet New Year holiday
Vietcong fighters attacked over 100 cities and US military bases
Vietcong also attacked the US embassy building and General Westmorland headquarters in Saigon capital of South Vietnam
How was the Tet offensive ineffective for the communists
people of South Vietnam didn’t rise up against their government and the Americans in their country and drive them out
Vietcong lost around 10,000 experienced fighters and were badly weakened by it
hoped that a large US defeat would result in fewer Americans in the USA supporting the war
How was the Tet Offensive seen as a turning point in the war
US public became increasingly disillusioned with the war- realised politicians and generals were wrong when they said victory was close
Vietcong had been able to attack the US embassy in Saigon
US used enormous amount of artillery and AirPower during the Tet offensive
war costing 30 billion a year and over 300 US troops being killed every week
Huge numbers of Vietnamese civilians were killed during the offensive
ancient monuments and cities were destroyed During the Tet Offensive
