Korean and Vietnam War Flashcards
1
Q
When did the USSR test its first atomic bomb?
A
August 1949
2
Q
When did China become communist?
A
October 1949
3
Q
What and when was NCS 68?
A
- Stated how the USA saw the world and how Truman would respond to the Soviet threat
- 1950
4
Q
How did the USA see the world according to NCS 68?
A
- USSR wanted world domination- starting with Europe and Asia
- US Gov believed that after WW2 the world became bipolar
5
Q
How did USA plan to respond to Soviet threat according to NSC 68? (5)
A
- Increase military funding/ spending
- Develop a hydrogen bomb
- Become an alternative model to communism- politically and economically
- Engage in limited war
- ‘Roll Back’ on communism if possible
6
Q
Causes of the Korean War.
A
- 1949- Rhee + SK gov weak as it was unpopular and heavily reliant on US troops
- 1949- USSR + USA agreed to withdraw troops
- 1950- USA refused to give SK military assistance
- Kim II-Sung thought that this meant the USA would not interfere in NK invasion, the SK gov would be easily overthrown and got support from Stalin
7
Q
What was US reaction to Korean War?
A
- Saw it as evidence that communism wanted world domination
- Truman under pressure for doing ‘too little’
- Truman appealed to the UN for support
8
Q
What was the impact of Korean War on relations?
A
- Shifted focus from Europe to Asia
- USA contained communism but failed to roll back
- USSR able to keep NK communist but failed to expand territory
- USA justified its increased military spending
9
Q
Korean War recount
A
- June 1950= NK invaded SK
- August 1950= NK captured Seoul
- Sept 1950= UN troops landed, pushed back NK to 38th parallel
- Oct 1950= UN troops captured Pyongyang and headed to Yalu River
- Nov 1950= China joined, combined troops of 350,000 pushed UN forces back to 38th parallel
- July 1953= Armistice signed to remain divided
10
Q
What month and year did Kennedy get assassinated and Johnson took over?
A
- November 1963
11
Q
What did Johnson do in regards to the military advisors in Vietnam in 1963?
A
- Increased military advisors from 16,000 to 23,000
- Wanted SV to win the war without it being Americanised
12
Q
What countries in SEATO supported SV against communism? (4)
A
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Thailand
- The Philippines
13
Q
By 1964 NV was winning the war. Why?
A
- PRC (Mao) was aiding NV
- USSR sent military equipment
- VC used the Ho Chi Minh trail going through NV, Loas and Cambodia to transport weapons and supports
14
Q
What was Project 100,000 and what did this mean for soldiers?
A
- USA gov lowered the mental capacity to recruit more soldiers
- Meant soldiers were young and inexperienced or mentally lacking
- Average of Vietnam War= 19
- Average of WW2 = 26
15
Q
What was Search and Destroy and when was it used?
A
- SaD was an American Tactics where American soldiers had to find the enemy, engage in warfare and withdraw after killing them
- Used in 1965- 1970’s
- Success of SaD was decided by the morality rate
16
Q
What was the My Lai Massacre and when was it?
A
- My Lai was an example of the negative impact of Search and Destroy
- 1968
- US army killed 500 innocent people based on false info
- They were raped, tortured and murdered
- US army tried to cover it up
- Led to anti- war movements
17
Q
What Chemical weapons did the US use in Vietnam?
A
- Napalm (burned from skin to bone)
- Agent Orange (destroyed jungles + crops)
18
Q
What was Operation Rolling Thunder, its goals and when was it?
A
- 1965
- Bombing of strategic military targets in NV
- Targets included capital city of Hanoi and routes such as Ho Chi Minh Trail
- Goals; boost morale of SV army, destroy infrastructure of NV supply route, stop NV supporting Guerrilla Tactics in SV
19
Q
What was the 4 Point demand and when?
A
- 1965
1. NV wanted USA to withdraw troops
2. N + SV wasn’t to enter military alliance with foreign countries
3. External influence removed from SV when dealing with internal affairs
4. Peaceful reunification of Vietnam
20
Q
What did America do after the 4 Point Demand?
A
- Rejected it even though it aligned with the Geneva agreement of 1954
- Feared Communism would take over- Domino Theory
- Increased Military troops
21
Q
What was the international support for NV?
A
- China provided 300,000 troops
- USSR + China provided weapons such as rifles, Surface to air Missiles and mines
- Ho Chi Minh trail trough Lao and Cambodia
22
Q
What was the Tet Offensive and when was it?
A
-1968
- VC used Tet celebration to attack US- held areas including US embassy in Saigon
- VC hoped this would lead to Nationalist uprising
- VC lost 25,000 soliders
- Showed no progress on American TV
- Physiological defeat for USA + SV army
23
Q
When did Nixon visit the USSR?
A
- 1972
- First American President to visit USSR
23
Q
What was Operation Menu and when was it?
A
- 1969
- Extended war into Cambodia as it had Ho Chi Minh going through it
- Showed USA’s commitment to SV
- Aim was to destroy Ho Chi Minh
- Pressure NV into peace negotiations
24
What was Pol Pot and when was it?
- 1970
- Cambodia's Head of State overtaken by communist led by Pol Pot
- Domino Theory
- SV army with US air support carried out across the boarder raids
25
Why was Vietnamisation/ Nixon's Doctrine not successful?
- ARNV was heavily reliant on US troops
- Affected by low morale and corruption
26
When did Nixon extend his war into Laos?
- 1972
27
When was the Paris Peace talks?
- Began in 1968
- Signed in 1973
28
Why did the USA not want to sign the Paris Peace Accords?
- Didn't want Thieu Nguyen as President as it would mean destabilising the country and leaving America's allies vulnerable
- Didn't want NLF in the coalition gov as they had done so much damage to US army
29
What did SV do in regard to the Paris Peace Accords?
- Backed out/ refused to sign
- As he thought this meant America gov were going to abandon his country
- Ceasefire was agreed and Americans would leave Vietnam
-City of Saigon fell to communist control in 1975
30
When did USA pull troops out of Vietnam?
- April 1973
- Only a small number of military advisors and airforce remained in Vietnam
31
When was Nixon forced to resign and who replaced him?
- August 1974 Nixon was forced to resign
- Replaced by General Ford
32
What happened in Vietnam in 1975
- Nguyen asked the USA for assistance in March 1975 but USA rejected
- April 1975 Nguyễn resigned
- 30th April NV took over SV as Saigon was captured
33
How did USA assist Cambodia and how many bombs did they drop?
- USA sent 119 military advisors
- Dropped 430,000 tons of bomb on Cambodia
34
Why did Lon Nol not succeed in Cambodia?
- Poor leadership skills
- Didn't take notice of US military advice
- Troops were poorly trained and badly paid
35
What happened at the Battle of Phnom Penh and when was it?
- 1975
- Forced the US gov to back out
36
What happened when Vietnam invaded Cambodia and when was it?
- Invaded in 1978, captured C in 1979
- USSR backed Vietnam
- Khmer Rouge fled and Vietnam installed Samrin as Leader
- Proved Domino Theory
37
When and why did SEATO disband?
- 1976
- After the failure to contain communism in Indochina
38
What happened to Vietnam after the War?
- USA placed a Trade Embargo
- 6 million acres of land was poisoned
- Vietnamese land had been destroyed due to heavy artillery and chemical weapons
39
What was the Golf of Tonkin and when was it?
- NV army attacked the USS Maddox on the Gulf of Tonkin
- 1964
- First attack happened but the second one was due to bad weather
- Gave Johnson the power to do anything necessary to retaliate
- Johnson could do anything regarding Vietnam without consulting the gov
- Justified the USA's involvement in Vietnam
40
What was the Kent State Shooting and when was it?
- 1970
- Members of the Ohio National Guards opened fire on Anti- War protestors
- 4 dead and 9 injured
