Fighting The War - Reading Quiz Flashcards
Saturation bombing
The dropping of a large concentration of bombs over a certain area.
Land mine
An explosive device planted in the ground.
Fragmentation bombs
A type of comb that, upon explosion, causes pieces of it’s thick metal casings to be thrown in all directions.
Agent Orange
An herbicide used as a chemical weapon during Vietnam War to kill vegetation and expose enemy hiding places.
Napalm
When dropped from airplanes, this jellylike substance splattered and burned uncontrollably; stuck to people’s bodies and seared off their flesh.
Escalation
Expansion of the war.
Ho Chi Minh Trail
A supply route that passed through Laos and Cambodia.
Hawks
Those who supported the war.
Doves
Those who opposed the war.
Tet Offensive
1968 attack by Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces throughout South Vietnam.
James Webb
Served as role platoon and company commander in An Hoa Basin near Da Nang
Advantages of Americans when arriving in Vietnam
Superior arms and supplies
Viet Cong advantages in Vietnam
Familiar with swamps and jungles; could find protection across border in Cambodia and Laos; could often count on support of local population.
Americans trying to defend?
Freedom of southern Vietnamese
Kit Bowen
First infantry division
Ron Kovic
Marine from Long Island; worried about communist threat. 1) accidentally killed U.S. Corporal; 2) shot at shadowy figured in village hut only to learn his unit had killed and wounded innocent children; 3) and sniper’s bullet entered his spine and paralyzed from chest down (wrote about in book Born on the Fourth of July
Guerrilla warfare attacks?
Working in smell groups to launch sneak attacks and practice sabotage.
Punji trap?
Camouflaged pit filled with razor sharp stakes that were sometimes poisoned.
B-52
Introduced by Americans; smashed roads and heavy bridges in both Vietnam; could drop explosives over large areas.
Election winner of 1954?
Johnson
Nguyen Cao Ky
Leader in task of propping up south Vietnamese govt.
Viet Cong attack Pleiku Attack
Killed 8 Americans; injured 126; Johnson responded by authorizing bombing of north Vietnam
General William Westmoreland
Commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam
War goal?
Not conquer north Vietnam. Just enforce enemy to stop fighting. War = stalemate
Operation Rolling Thunder
Relentless bombing campaign that continued for almost three years. Failed to stop Viet Cong
Senator J. William Fulbright
Democrat and leading dove; questioned expansion of war; Senate of Foreign Relations Committee
Dean Rusk
Secretary of State; defended american involvement in Vietnam
George Kennan
Helped draft U.S. foreign policy after WWII; opposed involvement in Vietnam
Nguyen Van Thieu
Succeeded Ky as president of south Vietnam; he and Ky were more effective than Diem had been, but remained authoritarian
Tet
Vietnamese New Year; climax (turning point) Viet Cong and North Vietnamese launched major offensive
South Vietnamese capital
Saigon
William L. Calley, Jr.
Lieutenant. In charge of of clearing out village of My Lai (because of massacre)
Massacre at My Lai
Hugh Thompson= pilot who helped villagers (told Lawrence Colburn to aim machine guns at Americans to shot villagers; testified against Calley’s conduct
Calley - served time (reduced 20 years; let out three years earlier on good behavior
Tet Offensive (perspective of Viet Cong)
Heavy losses, but won psychological victory.
