The background to the Vietnam War Flashcards
What was the name of the French colony that Vietnam was part of before the outbreak of WWII?
Indochina
Who occupied Vietnam during WWII?
Japan
What was the name of the anti-Japanese resistance movement which emerged during WWII?
Viet Minh
Who was the leader of the Viet Minh?
Ho Chi Minh
What area of Vietnam did the Viet Minh control by 1945?
North
Who was fighting in Vietnam between 1945 and 1954?
France
Between 1945 and 1954, how much financial aid did America send to support the French war effort?
$500 million each year, approximately 80% of the cost
Who supported the Viet Minh?
China
After the French pulled out of Vietnam in 1954, what was decided would happen to the country?
Geneva Conference, 1954.
1) Vietnam to be split into North and South at the 17th parallel
2) Elections were to be held in 1956 with the aim of creating a unified government; (this never happens)
3) A Communist government under Viet Minh leader Ho Chi Minh will control the North and a nationalist one in the South under Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem
Who was appointed leader of South Vietnam?
Ngo Dinh Diem
Which two groups opposed the leader of South Vietnam?
Buddhists and Peasants
By 1963, how much of the South Vietnamese countryside did the Vietcong rule over?
40%
What year was the battle at Dien Bien Phu?
1954
Who was fighting at Dien Bien Phu?
Viet Minh (North) and France
Who were the Viet Cong?
Communist guerrillas supplied and supported by North Vietnam
Who was the American President between 1953-1961?
Eisenhower
Why did Eisenhower prevent elections from taking place in South Vietnam?
Feared that the Communists would win
Who was American President between 1961-1963?
Kennedy
Kennedy increased the number of military advisors in South Vietnam. Approximately how many were there by 1961?
11,000
When was Diem assassinated?
1963
Who replaced Diem?
Anti-communist generals
Who became the American President after Kennedy’s assassination?
Johnson 1963-1969
What was the Tonkin Gulf Resolution 1964?
North Vietnamese boats opened fire on US ship Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin (North Vietnam) It gave Johnson power to take further steps to prevent further aggression and achieve peace and security.
Why can we argue that the Tonkin Gulf Resolution was a turning point in America’s involvement in Vietnam?
Prior to this, America had not declared war on Vietnam. It had only assisted the French and the South with equipment, military advisors and financial support.
What is the Domino theory?
The belief that if Vietnam became Communist, other countries in Asia would fall to communism. (Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, India and Japan)
What does containment mean?
To stop the advance of communism
What was the Red Scare?
Anti-communist feeling in USA, fuelled by Senator Joe McCarthy who claimed there were communists working in American government departments
Why did all Presidents take a hard stand on communism?
To appeal to voters
What happened at Dien Bien Phu in 1954?
After 55 days of war between the Viet Minh and the French, the French were defeated and it signalled the end of French involvement in Indochina.
Why were the French defeated at Dien Bien Phu?
The French did not have easy access to supplies, surrounded by jungle inhabited by Viet Minh who knew the land well and fought using guerrilla warfare.
