kennedy and indochina Flashcards
what are some key aspects of kenedys aspects backround in why he got involved in vietnam
catholic anti communist family
critical on apeasement and tough on communism
hawk advisor- McNamara
3rd world new cold war battle ground
he needs a win
who are kenedys main advisors and who is most influential
McNamara- more influence
Rusk
how did McNamara influence JKFs policy for Vietnam
he often advised increasing minitary presents
ignored the hearts and minds of viet people- cold and focused on statistics
why did kennedy need a win
he had ‘lost’ in:
-bay of pigs
-Laos
-vienna
‘we cant have another deafet in Vietnam’-JFK
what was JFKs policy in vietnam
and what tactics were used
flexible responce
counter insurgency
what was the flexible responce
to employ a wide variaty of tactics such as advisors, napalm, MACV, military aid
what was the increase in advisors from 1961-62
3,000- 12,000
what was the use of defoliants
to strip the trees of their foliage to eliminate the use of the forests by the vientamese
did the felxible responce work
it didnt fix the fundimental flaws of the militaty or political issues and there was a snowbaling effect
what was the strategic hamelts program
created armed stockaids to forcfully house S. vietnamese rural peasents to protect them from the vietminh
what was the perpouse of the strategic hamelts program
to protect them from the vietminh and stop them from joining
by the end of 1962 how many hamlets were there
3000
was the strategic hamelts program a sucsess
no it was a flop
led to vietcong recutment
pesants were alineted due to a lack of aid
its main purpous was impossible
when were the hamlets abandonded
1964
when was the battle of ap Bac
2nd jan 1963
