Confrontation in the Vietnam War

Question 1

Johnson’s Policy in Vietnam

Answer 1

• Wanted to achieve quick victory in Vietnam without committing too many troops
• January 1964 Johnson agreed for OPLAN 34A.
• Strategy based on covert action based progressively escalating pressure
• Stuck to counterinsurgency strategy favoured by Kennedy
• Lack of any international support delayed any significant escalation in the war by mid-1964
• Another change as Vietcong attacked US helicopter base in Pleiku followed by more attacks and then Operation Rolling Thunder 1965-68
• Johnson delivered keynote speech at John Hopkins University

Question 2

Gulf of Tonkin incident

Answer 2

• August 1964 three north veitnamese patrol boats fired torpedoes at USS Maddox
• President Johnson ordered the bombing of North Vietnamese naval bases
• This gave Johnson freedom to conduct whatever policy he liked in Vietnam

Question 3

Escalation

Answer 3

• By end of 1964 situation in Vietnam was deteriorating for the US:
  
  • China agreed to supply military supplys
  • USSR establish firm links with NLF and sent military equipment
  • First North Vietnamese military forces (PAVN) moved down Ho Chi MInh trail
  • Vietcong had strengthened in the South
  • South Vietnamese Army (ARVN) due to state of low morale, poor leadership and low pay

Question 4

Operation Rolling Thunder Bomb Tonnage

Answer 4

1965 - 63,000
1966 - 136,000
1967 - 226,000

Question 5

What was the North’s four-point proposal

Answer 5

• US troops must withdrawal from South Vietnam in align with Geneva agreements
• Neither North or South enter an alliance with a foreign power during division of Vietnam
• South Vietnam’s affairs must be settled by the South Vietnamese people
• Peaceful reunification must be settled by the people of both zones
• Johnson rejected proposal instead he ordered two marine battalions, an air squadron and 20,000 troops to be deployed in Vietnam
• By July 1965 USA deployed 75,000 ground troops

Question 6

Ground Troops in Vietnam

Answer 6

1965 - 185,000
1966 - 385,000
1967 - 485,000
1968 - 535,000

Question 7

USA Strength’s in Vietnam

Answer 7

• Bombing:
  
  • Operation Rolling Thunder
  • B-52 Bombers
  • US 7th fleet controlled sea
• Search and Destroy:
  
  • Zippo raids lead by inexperience soldiers so often killed civilians

Question 8

US Weaknesses

Answer 8

• By 1968 strengths outweighed by weaknesses as the methods used by the opponent
• Back home horrors being broadcast
• Martin Luther King reinforced growing opposition to the was

Question 9

Operation Rand Hand

Answer 9

• Involved spraying jungles with chemicals to remove cover (Agent Orange)
• Agent Blue was sprayed over crops to deprive the enemy of food
• Deployed anti-personnel bombs thousands of pellets in every direction
• Destroyed 1,000,000 hectares of forest

Question 10

North Vietnam Strengths

Answer 10

• Peasant support
• Because of NLF principles
  
  • do not destroy land or crops
  • always keep your word
  • show respect to peasants
  • always support the peasants
• Guerrilla tactics
  
  • complex tunnels aimed to hide troops
  • booby traps to kill/injure US troops

Question 11

Ho Chi MInh Trail

Answer 11

• Primary supply route for the North
• Passed through Cambodia and Laos
• 1964 China agreed to provide military supplies to NV
• 1964-69 China’s commitment expanded
• 1964 China supplied 80,000 guns and increased to 140,000 by 1989
• USSR supplied MiG-21 jets and artillery systems

Question 12

Tet Offensive January-February 1968

Answer 12

• During Tet fighting calmed down, the Vietcong launched a series of attacks on US targets on over hundred towns and cities even US embassy not protected
• 31 January Saigon was taken over by NV
• For Vietcong Tet offensive was a failure as it didn’t get the support in the South and about 25,000 killed and 5,000 captured
• By the time of Tet US had 550,000 ground troops