USA and the Vietnam War Flashcards
Why did the USA want to strengthen France?
So it could act as a European barrier against communism
Why was the USA supporting France a controversial idea back home?
Because France wanted imperial control in Indo-China, and the USA was very anti-imperialist
How much of the Indo-China war was the USA paying on behalf of France?
40%
When was it, and what happened at the battle of Dien Bien Phu?
1954 - Vietnam defeated France due to their geographical advantages
What did French Indo-China split up into?
Laos, Cambodia, North Vietnam (with Ho Chi Minh as leader) and South Vietnam (with western sympathisers in positions of power)
Who led South Vietnam?
Ngo Dinh Diem
When and what was the Sect Crisis?
The Sect Crisis was the splitting of South Vietnam into different regions in 1955. Diem put this down and mobilised the new South Vietnam army to create a centralised government
What was the Vietminh?
The Vietminh was a group of revolutionary Ho Chi Minh supporters in South Vietnam, who attempted to move against the western sympathisers in the South
When and what was the Gulf of Tonkin incident?
The Gulf of Tonkin incident happened in August 1964, and it was a Vietnamese torpedo attack on a U.S. vessel in Vietnamese seas, which prompted a counter attack from the U.S.
What was Johnson’s approval rating after the Gulf of Tonkin incident?
72%
What were the three criteria of ‘Westy’s War’?
1) air power - Rolling Thunder - bombing campaign of North Vietnam
2) big unit - Search and Destroy - targeting of the Vietcong
3) pacification - the battle of Hearts and Minds
What was Johnson criticised for being?
Too gradual - public believed he should have gone in harder
When and what was the Tet Offensive?
From January to September in 1968, the Communist forces in the north invaded South Vietnam in an effort to destabilise the country, and force the Americans to withdraw
Why was the Tet Offensive being broadcast on TV so important?
Because it showed the real impact of war to the American public for the first time, and they could see how it was affecting the Vietnamese public
How many troops were dispatched during the Tet offensive?
200,000
Why did the American public and other countries refuse to support the war?
Because they didn’t see the importance in fighting it; it wasn’t coming to any foreseeable result.
What did Nixon do to the number of troops in Vietnam?
Decreased them
What did Nixon try to do with Russia?
Bring about a deténte in an effort to ease the Soviet involvement in Vietnam - did not work
Define ‘Vietnamization’
Vietnamization was the process of removing American troops from Vietnam, and replacing them with Vietnamese troops instead. However, the Vietnamese troops were nowhere near as efficient as Americans
When did the U.S. troops leave Vietnam?
1973
What happened two years after America withdrew from Vietnam?
The north attacked the south in 1975, causing the south to fall in a matter of weeks
When did Ho Chi Minh start his fight against China?
1950
What percentage of people thought the Vietnam war was immoral?
43%
When and what were the Kent State shootings?
The Kent State shootings were the murders of 4 unarmed students by the national guard, during a protest over the Vietnam war - May 1970
What was the approval rating for the Vietnam war in 1970?
48%
Why were many Americans opposed to the draft?
Because it seemed to target African Americans and poorer citizens
Why did the U.S. increase the number of ground troops in Vietnam in 1965?
After the attack on the Maddox in 1965 and the death of Ngo Dinh Diem in 1963, the U.S. wanted one final push to try and eliminate communist activity and influence in Vietnam.
How much dod the Vietnam war cost America in today’s money?
$950 billion
