Nature of the conflict

Question 1

What tactics were used by the VC?

Answer 1

Guerilla tactics

1) get the support of the people
2) weaken and terrorise and enemy by surprise “hit and run” attacks and ambushes
3) drive the enemy out

Question 2

What were the hit and run attacks?

Answer 2

sabotaged roads and bridges,ambushed ARVN
stayed close to US troops so US planes couldn’t bomb them
used light weapon and moved quickly
used traps EG pits with sharp bamboo

Question 3

What were the VC tunnels like?

Answer 3

connected many villagers around Saigon
contained hospitals,weapons,fuel storage areas and living space
used these tunnels to secretly move around without US seeing them

Question 4

Who were known as tunnel rats?

Answer 4

US troops who were small enough to fit into the VC tunnels so they could mine the tunnels down

Question 5

When was operation Rolling Thunder?

Answer 5

Feb 1965

Question 6

What was operation Rolling Thunder?

Answer 6

bombing campaign in north
military wanted heavy bombing all over north but Johnson disagreed and instead bombed the boarder he did not bomb the port were USSR sent north vietnam supply
no bomb area along chinese boarder
they bombed HO CHI MINH TRAIL to stop supplies

Question 7

What were the 2 bombs thrown by USA?

Answer 7

NAPALM-slow burning petrol mixture that stuck to skin and burnt to the bone
PINAPPLE BOMBS-cannisters that explode and shoot pellets everywhere

Question 8

When was the 1st bomb dropped?

Answer 8

1st bomb was dropped on 2nd March and stopped for christmas 1965 and in 1966 USA offered to negotiate to North Vietnam but they said no

Question 9

What did Johnson do after north vietnam said no to negotiating?

Answer 9

continued until end of 1968

johnson increased the number of targets that would be bombed and raids that flew

Question 10

How did operation Rolling thunder affect aid and industry?

Answer 10

INDUSTRY-bombing affected the north vietnamese industry BUT most supplies were made in china and USSR
AID-aid was reported or shipped in my china/USSR and they were not targeted SO they still sent aid

Question 11

How did operation rolling thunder affect destruction?

Answer 11

the pineapple bombs caused destruction in the north
BUT
it made north more determined to fight against USA and thousand were being killed making it look bad for public opinion in US and worldwide

Question 12

How did operation rolling thunder affect ho chi minh trail?

Answer 12

damaged roads and bridges on the trail BUT
thousands of VC constantly repaired them
mre supplies made it along the trail than ever
Developed tunnels to protect soldiers

Question 13

What was search and destroy?

Answer 13

-small units would search the jungle for VC supplies call helicopters to them spray chemicals on them to destroy them ARVN took part but they were supposed to stay in a protective shield of US troops

Question 14

Why was search and destroy not a useful tactics?

Answer 14

• missions were often on ground that the VC had already prepared with land mines and traps
• fighting occurred on these missions but mainly “hit and run” attacks by the VC

Question 15

Why did the VC see Search and destroy as a failure?

Answer 15

bombing and spraying harmed villagers and their homes which did not help them get support from the villagers nor the fact the missions cause 4 million south Vietnamese refugees

Question 16

When was operation cedar falls?

Answer 16

1967

Question 17

What was the iron triangle?

Answer 17

US and ARVN troops took part and VC were stronger
helicopters transported troops to the village of Ben Suc
villagers were flown to refugee camps and the village was burned
troops then moved across the iron triangle for three weeks

Question 18

What was the outcome of the iron triangle?

Answer 18

the US cleared a fire free zone that could be bombed without warning at any time
but many villagers failed to understand so their returned to their homes which were the fire free zones
some were given warnings and leaflets but they didn’t understand it

Question 19

What was operation ranch hand and when did it begin?

Answer 19

defoliation programme was when US deliberately used chemicals to spray crops so VC would have no crops first spray was 10 August 1961

Question 20

What was agent blue and orange?

Answer 20

1 plane sprayed 300 acres in 4 mins
agent orange-stronger herbicide to use on jungle forests
Agent blue-fast acting herbicides used to kill crops
3000 villagers were sprayed

Question 21

What did the new process of making herbicides cause?

Answer 21

produced a poison that did not dissolve in water so rain carried it into streams and rivers affecting the people who drank the water and stayed in soils affecting the crops for decades

Question 22

How did the USA react to operation ranch hand?

Answer 22

They were furious after the media made it clear it was killing crops and causing many health problems,birth defects and death
also affected ARVN and USA troops so in october 1971 defense department stopped the spraying

Question 23

What was the Tet Offensive in 1968?

Answer 23

when north Vietnamese and VC worked to attack 26 cities and US bases in south vietnam
began of Tet Lunar New Year this meant many ARVN were off duty for the holidays

Question 24

Where did the North Vietnamese and VC attack in the late 1967?

Answer 24

areas in SV just south of demilitarized zones to lure US and ARVN troops away from cities and US bases

Question 25

What happened on 20 January?

Answer 25

NV surrounded and attacked the US bases at Khe Sanh near the DMZ and General Westmorland sent bombers to defend it

Question 26

What were the key features of TET?

Answer 26

Tet was launched on 30 Jan
VC got into US embassy,presidential palace ARVN headquarters,radio station and airport
sight of VC in US embassy was a shoock because US was telling everyone they were winning
Old city of Hue was also captured

Question 27

What happened after the tet offensive?

Answer 27

US and ARVN recaptured most of their cities expect hue and Khe sanh but eventually recaptured
VC were almost wiped out,but gained propaganda victory

Question 28

What was the significance of the tet offensive in USA?

Answer 28

US POLITCIANS]growing antiwar feeling less willing to fund the war
main reason for Johnson not running for president in 1968
PUBLIC
felt cheated by the gov saying war could end soon
huge rise in opposition to the war

Question 29

What was the significance of the tet offensive in NV?

Answer 29

heavy losses ,VC allies almost wiped out South did not revolt as hoped
BUT
can rebuild forces use tet in propaganda

Question 30

What was the significance of the tet offensive inSV?

Answer 30

GOV
worrid US might leave to soon
had some support of south Vietnamese people
PEOPLE
Unhappy with gov failure to protect them
attacks show that a communist takeover would be destructive