Confrontation in the Vietnam war Flashcards
When does Lyndon B Johnson become president?
November 1963
When did US Congress agree the Gulf of Tonkin resolution?
August 1964
When did the Pleiku incident occur?
February 1965
When did Operation Rolling Thunder start?
May 1965
When was the Battle of la Drang Valley?
Novemeber 1965
When was the Tet offensive?
January-February 1968
When did Johnson announce he decision not to stand for re-election?
March 1968
What were Johnson’s aims in Vietnam?
- To achieve a quick victory without the war becoming ‘Americanised’
- Continue with the increase of numbers of military advisors
- continue with the counterinsurgency strategy
How did European allies view Johnson’s approach?
They were not convinced.
France- General Charles de Gaulle warned that increased involvement could lead to a repeat of France’s failed experience in Indochina and instead advised neutralism. Resulting in Johnson delaying involvement.
What was the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?
1964 An attack on a US naval vessel, the USS Maddox and the Turner Joy by a North Vietnamese force in the Gulf of Tonkin.
What was the Gulf of Tonkin resolution?
In response to the incident, Congress agreed to grant Johnson the power to take whatever action he felt necessary to resist any armed attacks against the US. Giving Johnson absolute freedom in Vietnam without having to consult congress.
What did Johnson say the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was like?
‘Grandma’s nightshirt’ It covered everything
By the end of 1964, why was the situation in Vietnam deteriorating for the US?
- China agreed to provide military supplies to North Vietnam.
- The USSR established firm diplomatic links with the National Liberation Front
- The first North Vietnamese military forces moved down the Ho Chi Minh trail
- The vietcong has strengthened their positions in many parts of the South
- Became clear that the bombing response to the Gulf of Tonkin incident had failed to bolster South Vietnam’s government- rise in Anti-american feelings
-The ARVN was in a state of low morale due to poor leadership, training and low pay
Why didn’t Johnson want to move towards a diplomatic settlement?
He believed that faced with the economic and military might of the USA, the North Vietnamese would back down
What happened during the Pleiku attack?
The Vietcong attacked an army barracks and a US helicopter base in Pleiku
What did Johnson order in response to Pleiku?
Operation rolling thunder
What did Operation rolling thunder demonstrate?
-Marked the Americanisation of the war and it’s escalation in terms of US involvement
- Failure of American tactic of attrition- basic aim was to destory North Vietnam’s economy by bombing key industrial ares of production but North Vietnam was mainly an agrarian country with few industrial zones
1965, Johnson delivered a speech, what did North Vietnam offer in response?
A four point proposal:
- US troops much withdraw from Vietnam
-Neither North or South Vietnam may enter into a military alliance with another power whilst Vietnam is divided
- South Vietnam’s internal affairs must be settled by the people without external interference
- The peaceful reunification of Vietnam must be settled only by the people of both zones
What was Johnson’s response to the four point proposal?
- Rejected it- feared it would lead to a unified communist Vietnam
- Instead he ordered 2 marine battalions, an air squadron and 20,000 troops to be deployed in Vietnam
-Publicly announced his decision to escalate the USA’s military role on 28th July 1965
How many troops have the USA deployed by July 1965?
75,000
The North Vietnamese saw this as a clear indication that the USA was not merely preparing for the defence of South Vietnam
Where did the first significant engagement between the US and North Vietnamese forces take place?
November 1965 in the la Drang Valley in the Central Highlands
Why did both sides see La Drang Valley as a victory?
The USA because they only suffered 300 casualties versus The North with 2000-3000 casualities
The North Vietnamese because they held their position
Strengths of the USA
- Economic strength
- Had airfield and helicopter landing pads constructed across the country
- helicopters crucial in ambushing, recovering troops etc
- Had roughly one million tons of supplies arriving into South Vietnam each month
-The North had a degree of dependency upon both the USSR and China and could not sustain a prolonged war
Strengths of North Vietnam
- Had few centres of industrial production which could be bombed
-North Vietnam’s lost resources were soon replaced through the aid from both China and the USSR - South Vietnamese army was largely uncommitted to fighting against the struggle and it’s troops were not well trained
-Troops were highly determined and could easily increase in numbers by recruiting anti-american rural peasantry in South Vietnam
-Better understanding of the country
-adopted a wide range of sophisticated guerrilla tactics such as complex tunnel systems to hide Vietcong troops and booby traps were adopted to make up for their inability to engage in conventional warfare.
