Indochina 1945-1967 Flashcards
Why did the French fail in Vietnam?
Strength of the Viet Minh [6] *
- Popular leader Ho Chi Minh (80% wanted him to rule)
- Used guerilla warfare in Jungle = advantaged
- 2 million Vietnamese died because of French - famine
- Ho Chi Minh was a war hero
- Jungle terrain, can’t use tanks.
Why did the French fail in Vietnam?
Dien Bien Phu 1954 [6]
- 1954, French-built a fortress at Dien Bien Phu
- Viet Minh won
- 40,000 Viet Minh
- French defeated in Indochina
- Viet Minh gets all of Vietnam north of the 17th parallel.
- Failed to anticipate thousands of peasant volunteers
Why did the French fail in Vietnam?
Weaknesses of the French [4]
- Viet Minh General Vo Nguyen Giap made the French weak + won over ordinary people.
- Giap commanded 250,000 soldiers in 1952
- French military was urban-based
- French underestimated Viet Minh
Why did Johnson continue and then escalate the Vietnam war?
Johnson and his advisors * [4]
- Abhorred appeasement - recalling the appeasement of Hitler in the 1930’s “he’ll rape your wife in your own bed” - hated bullies.
- Believed in the Domino Theory - didn’t want Vietnam to fall to Communism
- Kennedy was assassinated 1963 - ‘Commitment trap to reaffirm his policies’
- Told Lodge (Ambassador to SV) he wasn’t going to lose Vietnam
Why did Johnson continue and then escalate the Vietnam war?
Weaknesses of South Vietnamese State [4]
- Military commanders e.g. ‘Big Minh’ in charge - only lasted Nov 63- Jan 64 before being disposed
- By 1965 Communists controlled 1/2 of SV
- Prime Minister Khanh begged for more US aid
- Dec 63 PAVN sent increasing no. to strengthen Viet Cong
Why did Johnson continue and then escalate the Vietnam war?
Attacks on US forces [4]
- Air Force Chief Curtis LeMay: “bomb Vietnam back to the stone age”
- Nov. 1964 100 VC attacked US military base
- Feb 1965 - VC launched attack at Camp Holloway - military base in SV, killing 8 Americans
- Gulf of Tonkin incident 64’
Why did Johnson continue and then escalate the Vietnam war?
US public support for the war
- 67% of Americans approved Operation Rolling Thunder
- Johnson won landslide election
- No political candidate doesn’t want war
- ‘Daisy’ advert collection -> Act now or death
Who bore a greater responsibility for the continuation of the Vietnam War?
Truman (2nd) [3]
- Sides with the French to defend against Communism - x support Ho Chi Minh
- US helped drafting HCM’s independence speech in 1945 - undermined Ho Chi Minh
- 80% of French bill for ruling Indochina paid by USA
Who bore a greater responsibility for the continuation of the Vietnam War?
Eisenhower (1st) [4]
- Domino Theory - convinces the US public to become more involved -> Commitment trap established
- Support for establishing SV under Diem - nepotism, Catholics, no land reform (1% of people own all SV land)
- NV shares land SV doesn’t -> led to poor turning to Communism
- 1500 advisors sent in - half political, half military
Who bore a greater responsibility for the continuation of the Vietnam War?
Johnson (4th) [5]
- Maintains Kennedy’s policies
- Added 2,400 advisers by Summer of 1964
- Secured Gulf of Tonkin Resolution - ‘grandma’s nightshirt’ - President authorised to take all neccessary steps to defend SV freedom
- May 1965 - $700 million granted by Congress
- 200,000 soldiers in Vietnam by end of 1965 -> peaked at 550,000 early 1968
Who bore a greater responsibility for the continuation of the Vietnam War?
Kennedy (3rd) [4]
- Leader when Diem gets assassinated 1963 = political commitment trap
- US military involvement escalates - 12,000 ‘advisors’ by 1962, 16,000 by 1963
- Failure at Ap Bac - US losses deepen commitment trap, strategic hamlets programme
- Commitment trap means it would be political suicide to leave
Why did the US fail to get support in Vietnam from 1964-1967?
Actions of US army* [3]
- Search and destroy missions: Operation Junction City, killed 720 guerrilla’s - portrayed to neutral villagers how ruthless the US were, made them inclined to join Communists
- My Lai massacre: over 500 raped & killed, women & children. Alienated Vietnamese, making them turn to communism
- ARVN: Army was corrupt and General Westmoreland was unwilling to use their aid, mean that morale was low and many deserted to become Communists
More significant as they were unable to win over hearts and minds of SV - no viable state!
Why did the US fail to get support in Vietnam from 1964-1967?
US bombing campaigns [3]
- Operation Rolling Thunder: 64% of Americans approved of heavy bombing, however, bombing alienated Vietnamese resulting in an increase in Communist support
- Agent Orange: The defoliant got into the water & spread illness through the Vietnamese, turned against US
- Napalm: 388,000 tonnes dropped in Vietnam from 1963-73, mass publicity for the devastating effect ‘Napalm girl’ photo
