Kennedy and Vietnam

Question 1

What year did John F. Kennedy become president?

Answer 1

1961

Question 2

What two Eisenhower policies did Kennedy agree with?

Answer 2

Domino theory and limited intervention (containment strategy)

Question 3

Why did Kennedy say normal fighting tactics were failing in Vietnam?

Answer 3

There were 1200 VC guerillas in South Vietnam under communist control

Question 4

What did Kennedy tell his advisors to do to isolate VC?

Answer 4

use counterinsurgency tactics

Question 5

What did Kennedy want instead of luring VC into battle?

Answer 5

A policy of pacification: for troops and S. Vietnamese government to win villagers’ support

Question 6

Why was it hard for ARVN to win villager support?

Answer 6

They were seen as part of the corrupt government under President Diem

Question 7

What did the US ‘Green berets’ do?

Answer 7

Conduct anti-insurgency training of South Vietnamese villagers to challenge the growing influence of the VietCong

Question 8

How did the VietCong (VC) avoid the Green Beret?

Answer 8

Visited villages at night when the Green Beret weren’t there

Question 9

Why was it hard for foreign soldiers?

Answer 9

Local Vietnamese didn’t trust them

Question 10

US advisers supported strategic hamlets. What are they?

Answer 10

Large villages with schools and clinics to stop VC from recruiting villagers or getting supplies. People were supposed to move from smaller villages and would feel safer and cared for by the government

Question 11

What happened with the Hamlets in Jan 1962?

Answer 11

800 Green Berets helped set up 5000 hamlets by September

Question 12

How was it clear building Strategic Hamlets wasn’t enough?

Answer 12

. US advisers and Diem’s government ignored the fact villagers didn’t want to leave homes. Diem’s government failed to provide enough food, so villagers went hungry and even starved

Question 13

What did US advisers tell Kennedy at the start of 1963?

Answer 13

That the VC were being defeated

Question 14

What happened on 2nd January 1963?

Answer 14

ARVN lost battle of Ap Bac even though they outnumbered the VC and had better weapons

Question 15

What were the losses from the battle of Ap Bac?

Answer 15

5 helicopters and 3 US advisers

Question 16

What did US military try to do about the Battle of Ap Bac?

Answer 16

Make it look like a victory, but media reported otherwise

Question 17

What happened on 6th May 1963?

Answer 17

Known as the “Buddhist Crisis”, the government of Ngo Dinh Diem open fired on a crowd of Buddhist protestors, killing 8 including children

Question 18

How were Buddhists treated badly in June 1963?

Answer 18

Banned from flying flags for Buddha’s birthday

Question 19

How did Quang Duc (Buddhist monk) cause worldwide publicity?

Answer 19

Set himself on fire and died in 1963

Question 20

How did Kennedy react to death of Quang Duc?

Answer 20

Shocked by the images, especially after dealing with similar situation of police violence in Birmingham. Kennedy told Diem to be peaceful to Buddhists but Diem continued to raid Buddhist temples and kill the monks

Question 21

Why did US clearly state they didn’t support Diem after everything with the Buddhists?

Answer 21

As Kennedy knew Diem was too unpopular to survive

Question 22

When was Diem overthrown?

Answer 22

By ARVN generals on 1st November 1963. USA knew of the attack but deliberately didn’t warn Diem

Question 23

What did Kennedy want to do with new South Vietnam government?

Answer 23

Wanted to help but stressed his aims were to:. Influence democracy in the government. Influence government to be popular . Withdraw US advisers as soon as possible

Question 24

When was Kennedy assassinated and who replaced him?

Answer 24

22nd November 1963, replaced by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson

Question 25

What did Johnson have to do straight away?

Answer 25

Work with General Minh’s unstable government to get the U.S. out of Vietnam while preventing the communist from taking over

Question 26

Robert S. McNamara

Answer 26

Secretary of Defense under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. His tenure was marked by a commitment to a strategy of escalating American military involvement in Vietnam, an approach that ultimately faced significant criticism and controversy.

McNamara was a proponent of the military strategy known as “gradual escalation,” which involved increasing American military involvement in Vietnam to counter the perceived threat of communist expansion. Influenced by the domino theory, believed that the spread of communism in Southeast Asia posed a significant threat to the region’s stability and to U.S. national security interests. This perspective guided his support for increasing American involvement in the Vietnam War.

Question 27

Ngo Dinh Diem

Answer 27

First President of South Vietnam from 1955 until his assassination in 1963.

Ngo Dinh Diem’s regime was marked by authoritarian governance, with a strong anti-communist stance and a commitment to building a stable, non-communist South Vietnam. However, his rule was also characterized by political repression and human rights abuses.

Ngo Dinh Diem’s policies, particularly those favoring the Catholic minority over the Buddhist majority, led to social and political unrest. The Buddhist Crisis of 1963, marked by protests and self-immolation by Buddhist monks, brought international attention to the repressive nature of his regime.

Question 28

Ngo Dinh Nhu (Diem’s Brother)

Answer 28

Ngo Dinh Nhu was a prominent political figure in South Vietnam during the presidency of his brother, Ngo Dinh Diem. He played a significant role in the political affairs of the country during the 1950s and early 1960s. As the chief political advisor to his brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu wielded considerable influence in South Vietnamese politics.

Ngo Dinh Nhu was the founder of the Can Lao Party, a political organization that aimed to mobilize support for the Diem regime and promote its anti-communist agenda.

Question 29

Tran Le Xuan (Madame Nhu)

Answer 29

Tran Le Xuan, also known as Madame Nhu, was a prominent political figure in South Vietnam during the presidency of her brother-in-law, Ngo Dinh Diem. Tran Le Xuan married Ngo Dinh Nhu, the brother of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem, in 1943. Her remarks on Buddhism and her perceived elitist attitudes contributed to her polarizing public image.

Question 30

Ngo Dinh Thuc (Catholic Archbishop)

Answer 30

Ngo Dinh Thuc was a member of the prominent Ngo Dinh family and a prominent Catholic archbishop in Vietnam. He was the brother of Ngo Dinh Diem, who served as the first President of South Vietnam from 1955 until his assassination in 1963.

Ngo Dinh Thuc was known for his strong commitment to Roman Catholicism and his active involvement in the Catholic Church in Vietnam. He served as the Archbishop of Huế, one of the prominent religious centers in the country

Question 31

Roving Tribunals

Answer 31

The Roving Tribunals in Vietnam, also known as the “People’s Revolutionary Tribunals,” were a series of courts established by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) during the Vietnam War. These tribunals were set up to prosecute individuals deemed to be in violation of North Vietnamese law and to address crimes committed during the war.

Question 32

Revolutionary Youth League of Vietnam (Culture)

Answer 32

The Revolutionary Youth League of Vietnam, also known as the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, is a prominent youth organization in Vietnam. It is named after Ho Chi Minh, the revolutionary leader who played a crucial role in Vietnam’s struggle for independence from French colonial rule and in the later unification of the country.

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union is a part of the larger Vietnam Communist Party and serves as a platform for young people to engage in political, social, and cultural activities. The organization aims to promote the principles of communism, nationalism, and socialism among the youth, encouraging them to actively participate in the development and progress of the nation.

Question 33

Buddhist Monks in Vietnam

Answer 33

Buddhism has a long and significant history in Vietnam, dating back to ancient times. Over the centuries, Buddhism has played a central role in shaping Vietnamese culture, society, and spirituality. Buddhist monks, as custodians of Buddhist teachings and traditions, have had a profound influence on the development of Buddhism in Vietnam and its integration into Vietnamese society.

Question 34

Montagnard (ethnic minority)

Answer 34

The term “Montagnard” refers to several indigenous ethnic minority groups living in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The word “Montagnard” is of French origin and translates to “mountain people” in English. These ethnic groups have distinct cultures, languages, and traditions that are different from the majority Kinh ethnic group in Vietnam.

During the Vietnam War, some Montagnard groups were involved in the conflict, with some supporting the South Vietnamese government and the United States, while others aligned themselves with the North Vietnamese forces. The war had a profound impact on the Montagnard communities, leading to displacement, persecution, and a loss of traditional lands and livelihoods.

Question 35

Catholicism in Vietnam

Answer 35

Catholicism was first introduced to Vietnam by European missionaries, notably Portuguese and French Catholic missionaries, during the 16th and 17th centuries. The missionary activities led to the conversion of a significant number of Vietnamese individuals and the establishment of Catholic communities in various parts of the country.

During the French colonial period, Catholicism received official support from the French authorities, leading to a significant increase in the number of Catholic followers in Vietnam. The Catholic Church played a role in education and social services, contributing to the development of a modern education system and the establishment of numerous schools and hospitals.

Question 36

Thich Quang Duc (Buddhist Monk 1963)

Answer 36

Thich Quang Duc was a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk known for his act of self-immolation in 1963, which was a dramatic and powerful protest against the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government.

Thich Quang Duc’s self-immolation galvanized the Buddhist community in Vietnam and drew support from people both within the country and around the world. The protest contributed to the mobilization of the Buddhist movement and increased pressure on the South Vietnamese

Question 36

Battle of Ap Bac

Answer 36

The Battle of Ap Bac, fought on January 2, 1963, was a significant engagement during the Vietnam War. It was one of the early major battles between the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and the National Liberation Front (NLF) forces, also known as the Viet Cong. The battle took place near the village of Ap Bac in the Mekong Delta region of South Vietnam.

The Battle of Ap Bac is often considered a turning point in the Vietnam War, as it highlighted the challenges faced by the ARVN in effectively countering the NLF insurgency. The battle underscored the need for the United States to reassess its military strategy and approach in supporting the South Vietnamese government in its fight against the communist forces.

Question 37

Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. (U.S. Ambassador)

Answer 37

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., an American diplomat and politician, played a significant role in the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam from 1963 to 1964, during a critical period of the conflict. Lodge’s tenure as ambassador coincided with the tumultuous events that led to the coup against South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem.