Intro to Vietnam War Flashcards
What did our strategy and numbers look like at the beginning of the war?
Very small military
When did our military first grow in Vietnam? How many did we have then?
In 1963, when Kennedy implemented the Strategic Hamlet program, we rose to 16,000.
In 1965, how many Green Berets did we have in Vietnam?
25,000
How many Green Berets were in Vietnam by the end of 1965?
184,000
How many Green Berets were in Vietnam by 1967?
485,000
How many Green Berets were in Vietnam by 1968?
543,000
Why did our numbers escalate in Vietnam so much so quickly?
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident
What is the Gulf of Tonkin?
Body of water off coast of North Vietnam, tucked between North Vietnam and China
What was our main ship at Tonkin?
USS Maddox
What was the USS Maddox’s purpose at the Gulf of Tonkin?
It zigzags its way up the coast, meanders around the coast, usually for purpose of intimidation as a threat.
What was our goal with the USS Maddox?
- saber-rattling
- conducting raids at North Vietnam coast
- deny a route from North Vietnam to China
How did the USS Maddox saber-rattle the Vietnamese?
It could make them worry about us and our power
How did the USS Maddox deny the Vietnamese a route to China?
We can keep supplies coming in from their Communist ally, China getting into Hanoi and beating us with those war supplies.
How was the USS Maddox used for conducting raids on the North Vietnamese coast?
We are dropping off ARVN, who is doing military raids, drop them off at night, they go out raid town, pickup and provide security for them
Why did Johnson want to keep fighting in Vietnam?
He felt we would win easily and wanted to go down in history as one of the greats by winning this war.
When was the USS Maddox attacked?
August 2, 1964
What happens at the attack on the USS Maddox?
Vietnam sends three patrol boats to attack it. Not very big boats, but contain torpedoes on them, they fire a torpedo at it, misses it.
How did the Maddox fight back at the Vietnamese after the near attack?
Maddox sinks one boat, fires at the other two and damages them. It was a confirmed attack.
After the attack at the Maddox, how did Johnson respond?
He sends another destroyer to Tonkin one day later
What was the second ship’s name at Tonkin?
USS C. Turner Joy
After the attack on Tonkin, what else does Johnson send in?
An aircraft carrier called the USS Ticonderoga
Why did Johnson send in the USS Ticonderoga?
It is not very close, just for providing assistance in the war and moving supplies and holding aircrafts.
What happened on August 4, 1964?
Maddox and CTJ are in same spot where Maddox was shot at two days earlier during the attack at Tonkin.
What are the conditions on August 4, 1964? How are they a risk for the US destroyers at Tonkin?
It is nighttime, stormy waters, under these conditions, no visual is made well, cannot see much of anything
What are the people of the ship forced to do with the rough conditions at Tonkin that night?
They use radar and sonar to tell if an attack is coming, young sonar operator on Maddox, entire ship’s safety is on his ears
What does the Maddox begin to do on 8/4/1964 at Tonkin?
Maddox starts shooting out into the darkness of flares
What does the CTJ do as a result of the Maddox shooting?
They start shooting as well.
Does the Ticonderoga hear anything about the Maddox and CTJ shooting at Tonkin?
No
What do people on the Maddox think they discover that night?
22 torpedoes
What really are the 22 torpedoes the Maddox discovered?
Ocean animals passing by
The next day, did either American destroyer find any ship damage?
No
How did the two ships respond to this second potential false alarm attack?
They went to Congress
After the two ships went to Congress, what did this lead to?
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
When was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution passed?
August 7, 1964
What will we do under the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
This is the law we will fight under
What was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
Congress supports the President to support all necessary measures to attack the Vietnam War. President now has power to determine any procedures that we take in with Vietnam.
How did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution relate to SEATO?
In honor of our alliance with South Vietnam, the President will determine to take all necessary steps to assist and defend SEATO.
What were the numbers passed for the resolution in Congress?
HOR 416-0, Senate 88-2
What does the President have power to do with the resolution?
He can determine when our part of the war will be over.
Why did we go for the Gulf of Tonkin resolution not for a declaration of War on Vietnam by Congress?
- Vietnam is confusing whether it is two nations or one
- They are non-established nations
- Going back to war fever taking place both at Vietnam and in America is risky
- how do other countries respond if we officially declare war
Who was the Vietnam War brain trust in America?
- President Johnson
- Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara
- Military Commander General William Westmoreland
Who was Military Commander General for the US in Vietnam?
William Westmoreland
When was the attack at Pleiku?
February 1965
How many died and were wounded at Pleiku?
8 killed, 126 wounded
What was a big reason our numbers went up based on our war strategy?
One of our strategies is bombing
How did our bombing strategy relate to the boom in military numbers?
In order to bomb, you need bomber planes, runways, and marines, and guards, perimeter around them, patrol, and more bases.
Why do you need a perimeter around the people first hand involved in bombing?
So enemy does not get so close and responds easily.
Why do you need a patrol in a bombing strategy?
We sent them out to the jungle, to prevent enemy and keep where they are in the jungle so they cannot attack easily.
Why do you need many men for more bases in a bombing strategy?
The more bases you build needs more guarding marines to control it.
When did South Vietnam start showing signs of struggling?
Late spring of 1965
What did this early struggling for South Vietnam lead to in spring 1965?
On June 14, 1965 Westmoreland tells America that South Vietnam cannot survive without major US help in a meeting with McGeorge Bundy.
What was discussed in the 1965 meeting with Bundy and Westmoreland?
This is an unwindable war, but we have to fight it anyway, cannot let Vietnam go away.
If Westmoreland did not go back into the war, even after the conference, what would have happened to him?
He would have been destroyed by media.
What did Johnson think after the conference regarding Vietnam as an unwindable war?
He has to go in and fight to try to win the war.
What were the main war strategies for ARVN and the US?
- bombing
- search and destroy missions
- drawing battle lines
- relocation camps
- cutoff supplies
- create a stable Democratic Government
- Win hearts of South Vietnamese people
What was our bombing plan for Vietnam?
Operation Rolling Thunder
What was Operation Rolling Thunder?
3 year nonstop bombing campaign of North Vietnam.
Why did we carry out Operation Rolling Thunder?
- mental strain that the bombing creates in North Vietnam
- be aggressive
- NVA had very few fighter planes
- safer and easier
- we have lots of bombs
- not going to have massive loss of American lives.
Why was Operation Rolling Thunder a problem?
We are worried about what China will do.
Why were we so worried about China with Operation Rolling Thunder?
No touching China with bombs and redoing what we did in Korea. No bombing anywhere close to boundary line in case their large army chases us back.
After we told China about being safe with the bombs, what was our problem?
The NVA puts all their supplies near the border or in China so it is safe and will not get destroyed.
Where do we bomb on the first two days?
Day 1-Hanoi
Day 2-Haiphong, the port city that serves Hanoi