The Vietnam War Flashcards
What was the U.S still engaged in during the Vietnam War?
The Cold War
What would happen if Vietnam fell to communism?
The Domino Theory
Why did America lose the war?
The objective of the war was no achieved
Fixed tours of duty
Only one year of duty
What reduced a soldiers chance from dying?
Medical techniques, helicopter
What was success measured with?
Body counts
What were the North communists masters at?
Bush craft, hit-and-run tactics
What was the war tactic for the North communists?
Holding out long enough and then the U.S would eventually tire of the struggle
Guerilla fighter doesn’t have to ___ to ____; he wins by not ______.
win
win
losing
Indochina three colonies
Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam
Who took control of Indochina during WW2?
Japan
Ho Chi Minh
Leader of Viet Minh
Capitol city of North Vietnam
Hanoi
international conference held where?
Geneva Switzerland in 1954
Divided where
17th parallel
SEATO
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
Ngo Dinh Diem
Controlled the south
Capitol city of South Vietnam
Saigon
6 presidents involved in the Vietnam War
Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford
Viet Cong
Stayed in the South undercover and began to commit acts of terrorism
Enemy of South Vietnam and U.S nickname
Victor Charlie
ARVN
Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Nov. 2, 1963
Diem was assassinated
Nov. 22, 1963
Kennedy was assassinated
Aug. 2, 1964
Tonkin Gulf Incident
Explain Tonkin Gulf Incident
The USS Maddox was on an intelligence gathering mission and then was attacked by 3 N. Vietnamese Torpedo boats
Aug. 7, 1964
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
The Blank Check
President is given authority to “Take all necessary measures” including the use of armed forces to help S. Vietnam
Democratic Senator Wayne Morse
From Oregon
One of the two dissenting senators
March 8, 1965
When the Vietnam War started (non-officially)
Average age of a Vietnam soldier
19
Selective Service System
drafting system, unfair, loopholes (health reasons and college)
Lottery System
Drafted based on birth dates, chosen at random, made it more fair
Mechanical “horses”
Helicopters
Airmobile Operations
New style of fighting, based on Helicopters
Huey
workhorse of the bunch out of 20 types of helicopters
What did helicopters help do?
Carry troops to isolated areas
provide close treetop-level fire support
quick evacuation
search-and-rescue mission of downed pilots
where did the first major direct U.S military action take place?
Air
General Curtis LeMay
Air Force Chief of Staff
Operation Rolling Thunder
Bombing campaign over North Vietnam
What was Johnson’s plan
Weaken the enemy’s ability and will to fight
Interrupt the flow of supplies and troops
Main target of Operation Rolling Thunder
Ho Chi Minh Trail
What did the Operation Rolling Thunder fail to do?
End the war quickly
Agent Orange
Most famous defoliant used in the war to spray the jungle
Napalam
Jellied form of gasoline, made fire bombs
Cluster bombs
Sprayed sharp metal fragments when they exploded
Carpet Bombing
strategy where strings of bombs were dropped from high altitudes
POW
Prisoners of war
Hanoi Hilton
Hoa Lo located in North Vietnams capital city
Was Operation Rolling Thunder successful?
Boosted North moral and resolve
rebuilt damaged roads and buildings
tunnels protected soldiers and supplies
General William Westmoreland
U.S military leader in the war, WW2 and Korean veteran
Search and Destroy
Missions to drive enemy forces out of their hideouts and then call air strikes to bomb them
Guerilla warfare
strike then melt back into the jungle
Punji Stakes
sharpened bamboo sticks that are concealed in a hole or mud, covered in dirt or feces to infect soldiers
Viet Cong tunnels
extended for miles
“Living room war”
Television reports of the war led to protests at home
Jan. 31, 1968
Tet Offensive Begins
Tet
Vietnam’s New Year
What always happened on Tet during the war?
A ceasefire
Tet Communist Assault
simultaneously attacked 100 Southern cities and 12 U.S military bases
The Tet Offensive was seen as what by the American Public?
An American defeat
Walter Cronkite
Anchor of CBS news
What did Johnson announce in March 1968?
He would not seek reelection as president
Election of 1968
Hubert Humphrey (D)
Robert Kennedy (D)
Richard Nixon (R)
George Wallace (Independent)
June 6, 1968
Robert Kennedy assassinated
Who was Robert Kennedy assassinated by?
Sirhan, Sirhan
Democratic Convention in Chicago
10,000 protestors gathered to pressure candidates into a quick war
Richard Nixon’s promise (2 things)
Law and Order in the U.S
End the war with Peace and Honor
Who did Nixon have support from?
Silent Majority
What reason was Richard Nixon elected?
Large part to his promise to end the Vietnam war
William Rogers
Secretary of State
Melvin Laird
Defense Secretary
Anti- War Movement
Over the years, America did not gain much ground and more troops were sent to that war. Many people began to question involvement in the war
Nationwide day of protest
Oct. 15, 1969
Nov. 1969
Largest anti-war protest in Washington, D.C
What does it mean when the veterans threw down their medals?
They didn’t care, it means nothing to them
What was the most famous anti-war protest?
Kent-State University
May 4th, 1970
Anti-war protest at Kent-State University
James Rhodes
Ohio Governor
What did the guardsmen do at Kent State?
They fired their guns
What song was based of the Kent State?
“Ohio”
Jan. 27, 1973
The Ceasefire and Paris Peace Accords signed
Nixon’s National Advisor
Henry Kissinger
August 1974
Nixon resigned
What did the Paris peace accords call for?
Remaining troops removed
complete ceasefire
release of U.S POW
Negotiate political settlement
reunification of Vietnam
November 1974
Stopped all aid to Vietnam
Jan 8, 1975
Offensive against South Vietnam
Operation Babylift
evacuation of orphans
Operation Frequent Wind
Final evacuation of U.S personnel
April 30, 1975
South Vietnam surrendered, war is over
Boat People
Vietnamese fled onto crowded boats and went across the South China Sea
The Costs
Lost the war, Under-funding of the Great Society, lost trust of their government, disregard for veterans
26th Amendment
18 year old can vote
What did Nixon abolish?
the draft
War Powers Act
- President must notify congress within 48 hours of deploying military forces
- President must withdraw forces unless he gains congressional approval within 90 days
The Lessons
Wars must be short
few casualties
restrict media on battlefield
gain support from congress and the public
set clear, winnable goals
Set a deadline for troop withdraw
