Vietnam Flashcards
What happened at the battle of Dien Bien phu (1954)?
Vietnam was a french colony . The viet minh communist group defeated the french and vietnam was temporarily divided into north and south
Eisenhowers thoughts about the war
Wanted tomprotect south from communist north beleiving in the domino theory not wanting asia ti fall to communism
Weaknesses of the Diem Govornment
Hunted and killed suspected communists, persecuted buddhists, many felt he was USA pupper
How did jfk increase the war
Semt 16000 more advisors to train ARVN and Us special forces to train locals. Operation Ranch hand approved chemical sprays to kill crops and jungle the vietcong hid in
What was the strategic hamlet program in 1962?
Large self sustaining villages guraded by the ARVN to prevent viet cong influemce. Peasents forced to move. Not given enough food turning peasent to the vietcong
Why were Vietcong a threat?
Had local support, stood against USA, promised to emd corruption, received support from USSR and china, govornemt of diem weak as he was excecuted.
Attacks on cambodia and laos?
Cambodia(1970) amd laos(1971) to target the ho chi minh trail and bombing of north vietnam in response to the easter offensive
Gulf on Tonkin incident 1964
4th Aug 2 us ships reported that they had been attacked by north vietnamese boats. Congress passed gulf of tonkin resolution giving johnson more power to take necessary measure to repel any attacks. Us then spemt 2 million a day in 1965
What was the tet offensive in 1968?
Series of attacks launched by bietcong on south vietnamese cities and US military bases. USA drove vietcong back and regained all cities
What was operation rolling thunder (1965-68)
Bombing campaign target8ng ho chi minh and north vietnamese industries using dropped bombs, na palm and pineapple bombs
What was operation ranch hand
Use of chemical weapons from 1961
Agent blue killed crops and agent orange killed jungle. Causeed health issues and starvation to locals
What was search and destroy
Us troops searched the jungle for viet cong guerrilla fighters and then ordered helicopters to bomb and spray them- often harmed us soldiers and locals
What was vietnamisation
1968- Nixon proposed withdrawal of us troops and influence on south vietnam
What organization did students establish in 1960 to promote democratic ideals?
Students for a Democratic Society
This organization was a significant part of the student movement during the 1960s.
What was notable about the Vietnam War in terms of media coverage and what impact did it have?
It was the first ever televised
It swayed people’s opinion
Graphic footage showed the realities of war, including civilian casualties and US troop atrocities.
What was the draft system during the Vietnam War?
Compulsory military service for all men from 18
Men could delay service if they were in university or were the primary earners in their families.
What infamous event occurred in My Lai in 1968?
The Charlie Company killed all the people in My Lai, most of whom were women and children
Stated 9 Vietcong and 20 non-combatants had been killed- actual number revealed to be 347 civilians
This massacre highlighted the atrocities committed by US forces during the war.
What was the outcome for Lt. William Calley after the My Lai Massacre?
He was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder but had his sentence reduced to 3.5 years under house arrest
This decision sparked further outrage and opposition to the war.
What contributed to the end of US involvement in Vietnam?
Domestic opposition:
Without public support, it became difficult for the government to continue the war.
What event occurred at Kent State University in 1970?
National Guard troops shot protestors, resulting in 4 deaths and 9 injuries
This incident further fueled anti-war sentiment across the country.
What was the ‘silent majority’ in the context of the Vietnam War?
A term used to describe the Americans who supported the war but did not vocalize their opinions
This group contrasted with the vocal anti-war movement.
What was a significant factor in the US military’s struggles in Vietnam?
Poor understanding of Vietnamese geography, history, and language
This hindered effective military strategies and operations.
What was the outcome of the Paris Peace Accords signed on January 27, 1973?
USA, North and South Vietnam signed a peace treaty
The agreement held all parties to a ceasefire, but it was soon broken.
What happened to Saigon on April 30, 1975?
It fell to the communists
This marked the end of the Vietnam War and the reunification of Vietnam under communist control.
