History - Vietnam Flashcards
Early Involvement - Cold War
Key Information
- America were worried about communism spreading in Asia
- Many Americans and leaders believed in the Domino Theory
- This believed that every country that falls to communism would make it stronger and more appealing for other nations
- It believed if one nation falls it leads to a “domino” reaction
- American Policy during the Cold war was based on Containment of Communism
- Believing if they could limit it to the USSR then they would be okay, This was called the Truman Doctrine
Early Involvement - Dien Bien Phu
Key Information
- After WW2 Japan Lost control of Vietnam
- French wanted to regain control as it was prior to WW2
- They fought in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
- Vietnamh Revolutionists surrounded the French and forced them to leave the country of Vietnam
- This made the USA think they needed to regain Capatlist control in Vietnam
- The Revolutionists used tactics such as encirclement as the Frenches camp was in a valley they used artillery’s on hills and mortar’s to attack
- They also used Guerrilla Warfare for the first time which was against conversational Schemes that the French Knew
Early Involvement - Geneva Conference 1954
Key Information
- Took place to settle the dispute over land in Vietnam
- Decides that Vietnam will be split along the 17th Parrelle into North and South Vietnam
- The USA would send 1.6 Billion Dollars To fight against Communism
Early Involvement - Ngo Dinh Diem
Key Information
- Dwight Eisenhower supported Diem for President of the south
- Diem was very Anti Communist and refused to hold elections to reunite the country with the communist’s North 1956
- Diem is a Catholic with Extreme Buddhist hate
- Vietnam is majority Buddhist Country
- Creates anti- Buddhist laws in the South Leading to Oppressions and Deaths
- JFK orders the assassination of him
- Weakens USA control and support by the Vietnamize people
Early Involvement - Increased US presidential Involvement
Key Information
- Each Presidents Policy was different on Vietnam
Eisenhower
- Installs Diem as the Leader
- Creates SEATO, Peace Keeping Organization
Kennedy
- Sent 16,000 Military advisors to Vietnam
- Increases Spending
Johnson
- Sent troops into Active Combat
- approves bombing continuously
Nixon
- Introduces Vietnamization
- Passes the war responsibility to the South
- Begins Bombing Laos and Cambodia
Later Involvement - Gulf Of Tonkin Incident
Key Information
- Tensions are rising between the North and South
- A North Vietnamese Gunboat Attacks USS Maddox
- No official sighting just audios believed to be from guns
- Believed it wasn’t actually shot at
- Johnson uses this to declare a full fledged war on the North
- Begins sending ground troops to War
Later Involvement - Operation Rolling Thunder
Key Information
- Soon after Johnson Won1964 Election by Landslide
- Ordered Sustained Bombing of North Vietnam
- Lasted over 3 years
- Many Civilians hit
- Heavy foliage so hard to aim direct hits mainly just bomb and hope
Later Involvement - Tet Offensive 1968
Key Information
- Vietcong used the cover of the Vietnamese New Year
- Changed tactics going to conventional war and launching huge attacks on South Vietnamize towns and cities and US bases
- Attacks included the US embassy in Saigon
- Ultimately driven back by the US Armed forces
- Showed the US that no matter the Money, soldiers or weapons sent the VC would still be there to attack and Communism was powerful
- First attack on American Land since the battle of Independence
- Huge Motivation and shock factor to people back at home
Tactics - Vietnamisation
Key Information
- Nixon comes into power in 1969
- Argued that the South Vietnamise should be responsible for the War
- Troops sent began to be reduced and training of the ARVN began
- ARVN were unhappy with this as they were used to the support aspect
- US Generals claimed the South Couldn’t fight alone
- Issues with translations, usage as well as lack of interest lead to this being a failure
Tactics - Ho Chi Minh Trail
Key Information
- Supply Trail that ran the length of Vietnam
- Hidden by undergrowth and was extremely booby trapped
- Surrounded by mines and spikes
- Used to transport resources from the North to the War in the South
- Many routes were only wide enough for one truck
- Supplied the war in its Entirety
- Went around the 17th Parrelle
Tactics - American Side
Key Information
- America Used Several tactics to try combat the Guerilla type of warfare being used.
- Napalm used as a bomb but emitted a lot of fuel leading to fire with the intent of covering as much space as possible with its usage
- Bombing Aimed at VC and VC Supply lines to distribute the war or there ability to get troops to the front lines and ambush there guys
- Agent Orange A defolage which means it removed leaves aimed at making the VC more visible however was leading to human Birth Defects in Vietnam
Tactics - Vietnam Side
Key Information
- Guerilla Warfare Not Conventional Scheme of Warfare usually meant hiding and killing 1 or 2 enemies at a time. Had a massive mental impact on the American Troops who claimed they could hear voices in trees
- Ambushes Arranged ambushes near camps, water sources, grassy plains and areas that were open and that they could use the terrain to there advantage
- Traps Including the spiky traps which meant when you stood on your dropped into a spike pit, not intended to kill you just to injury you until you died from the lasting effects of disease.
VC tactics were mainly aimed at mentality out lasting the USA and there attempts to combat them as the US never knew where or who they were fighting
Opposition to War - Draft
Key Information
- A system of Compulsory Military Participation.
- 1/3 serving in Vietnam were from the draft
- Men were drafted from the age of 16, until around 28
- People believed that the age was too young as they couldn’t drink alcohol but could go fight a war miles away from home about a country many hadn’t ever heard of.
- Many US Soldiers were fed up with the war so began “Fragging” there Commanders which meant they killed them so they didn’t have to follow the orders
Opposition to War - Cost
Key Information
- Johnson Estimated it would cost 10 Billion Dollars by 1967 Instead it costed over double.
- Congress repealed the Gulf Of Tonkin Resolution after the bombing of Laos and Cambodia
- 1970 Limited the Amount of troops who could be sent to the War
- 1971 final Withdrawal date from Cambodia
Opposition to War - Counterculture
Key Information
- 5.9 Million Students in 1965
- 8.6 Million in 1970
- Joined Counterculture movements which opposed parental norms and the expectations thy were to follow.
Opposition to War - Media Attention
Key Information
- First Televised War
- Reporters were regularly allowed tom document the conflict
- Reports were not censored
- 1968 the government claimed the Tet Offensive was a success but CBS news reporter came back and said it was a stalemate and that it was just an unneeded cost.
- Public were able to view the lack of progress the US were making in this war from there Tv and got to see an Uncensored view.
Opposition to War - My Lai Massacre
Key Information
- Charlie Company tasked with a “Search and Destroy” in The village
- Charlie Company began killing women and children
- No official report was found
- Reported by a solider who was told by word of mouth
- 500 Unarmed Civilians shot dead
- LT William Calley is the only one arrested for the Massacre
- Sentenced to Life imprisonment, showed no remorse claiming that they were his orders
- Released after 3 Years.
- Media covered the whole thing and the US Army tried covering it up
Opposition to War - Kent State
Key Information
- A series of Shootings by National Guard at Anti- War protesters.
- Killing of young People spurred the Nation Wide Anti-war Movement
- National Guard Claims students shot first however believed otherwise and believed it was just because of lack of command and a miss fire from the National guard which began there barrage
- Unarmed Students shot was Seen Internationally
- Showed the conflict was taking a tole even back at home
Support for the War - Silent Majority
Key Information
- Nixon’s Silent Majority who continued to vote for the continued war.
- Usual every day working people who were scared of Communism
- Idea of Domino Theory used as Propoganda
Support for the War - Hard Hats
Key Information
- Protesters by working class
- Construction class usually people with trade who were fighting for the war
- Favored the war
Support for the War - Politicians
Key Information
- Many US politicians were split as in what to support
- Some valued the war and the support it brought
- Others did not want the US to be embarrassed by withdrawing
End of Vietnam - Negotiating Peace
Key Information
- 1972 the VC launched an Easter Offensive it proved that war could rage on for years to come
- Pushed Both sides into negotiating terms to the end of the war
- In 1972 an Official Agreement was produced in the Paris Peace Talks
- South Vietnamize President refused to sign as it gave him no part in the future of Vietnam
- North Vietnam Claimed that the US used his refusal to back out of the talks which would have embarrassed the USA
- China and USSR were pushing for a peace deal as they were starting to feel the burden of war.
- Nixon Began bombing the north again
- Finally a Peace deal was accepted
- To get the Souths leader on board the USA promised large quantities of weapons and Supplies which would be replenished each year
- US didnt for fill this which made it an easy choice to side with communism who had stuck to their word.
End of Vietnam - Terms of Peace
Key Information
- 1973 all US troops had left Vietnam Leaving only Officials and Advisors
- Paris Peace Talks started in 1973 to bring a full end to the war
- North then attacked the South Via Laos and Cambodia during 1975
- A VC tank rolled through the gates of the Palace in Saigon Signaling the fall of the south
- Saigon renamed “Ho Chi Minh city” in a reunited communist country
- Civilians chose to accept communism or to flee
- US had lost resources for nothing.
End of Vietnam - Cost of the War
Key Information
- Financial Cost 167 Billion Dollars
- Total Deaths: 58,220 US solders
- 850,000 Survived with mental trauma
- 75,000 Severely disabled
- US lost international face
- 1975 All of Vietnam was communist
- Many lost faith that the US could work on a national stage for the prevention of Communism
