Vietcong

Question 1

Vietcong tactics against USA

Answer 1

Hit and run attacks and ambushes
Sabotaged roads/bridges
Stayed close to US troops to avoid bombing
Used complex tunnel network
Dressed like ordinary Vietnamese people
Used light weapons + equipment

Question 2

Operation Rolling Thunder (US)

Answer 2

US tactic against Vietnam whivh included bombing campaign over North Vietnam and it targeted HCM trail and industry. They didnkt manage to destroy the trail and troops were protected in tunnels while innocent civilians were killed. Gave a bad image to US and made the North more determined

Question 3

Search and Destroy

Answer 3

US soldiers search jungle for VC camps, helicopters then bomb or spray chemicals. Created refugees and chemical spray harmed ordinary people and turned them against the US

Question 4

Operation Cedar Falls

Answer 4

30,000 US and ARVN troops on search and destroy mission focused on the iron triangle where VC were strongest. These areas became free-fire zones that could be bombed anytime.
Many villigers who lived in these areas died the casualties made
US more unpopular

Question 5

3 reasons why US tactics were so ineffective

Answer 5

The failure to do enough damage to the VC.
The effect on the Vietnamese people
The fact that their policies create criticism at home

Question 6

Changes under Nixon to Vietnam War

Answer 6

Vietnamisation- withdrawing from Vietnam without looking like you are being defeated
Failure of vietnamisation- US soldiers lost their morale and no longer wanted to fight.
Expanding the war- invading Cambodia in 1970 and Laos invasion in 1971

Question 7

Opposition to the VC war

Answer 7

Civil Rights protestors- why should black americans fight for a country who don’t give them equal rights like Muhammed Ali.
Students- against it since they were just children who didn’t want to die an early life after finishing years of education
Draft Dodgers- refused due to religious or moral grounds
Vietnam Veterans- soldiers mislead thinking they were fighting against communism when they were fighting against freedom

Question 8

Support for the VC war

Answer 8

Fear of communism- still strong fears of communism takeover
Silent majority- those who supported Nixon but didn’t campaign for or against the war
Patriotism- Americans who were loyal to the US government

Question 9

Dien Bien Phu 1954

Answer 9

After WW2 Vietnam was returned to the French but they became involved in a struggle with the communist Vietminh. The vietnamese beat the french as the french surrendered. France had 15,000 troops and Vietminh had 50,000 and anti-aircraft guns. Vietminh won for many reasons for example French underestimated them and they had help from the locals, poor French supplies

Question 10

Why did Eisenhower continue to support South Vietnam

Answer 10

He was afraid of the ‘domino’ theory that once Veitnam falls to communism, so will the neighbouring country and so on so that communism will spread far. Therefore in order to attempt to contain communism he helped the South fight back against communism despite their corrupt and unpopular leader, Diem

Question 11

Gulf of Tonkin incident 1964

Answer 11

In August 1964 the USA claimed that US warships had been attacked in the Gulf of Tonkin. This gave the US the excuse they needed and Congress gave Johnson the power to send US combat troops to Vietnam. Many believe that the Gulf of Tonkin incident was probably invented by the US government to justify US intervention in Vietnam.

Question 12

Ho Chi Minh Trail

Answer 12

The Viet Cong were supplied from the north by the Ho Chi Minh trail, which ran through Laos and Cambodia. The Soviet Union and China sent up to 6,000 tonnes of supplies a day

Question 13

Tet Offensive 1968

Answer 13

This was a massive attack by the North Vietnames upon South Vietnam. All the major cities of South Vietnam, more than 100 altogether, were attacked, including Saigon. In Saigon the US embassy was seized by the North Vietnamese.
The North Vietnamese suffered very high casualties but many in the US were shocked by this attack particularly as they got into US embassy in Saigon. Many in America saw it as a humiliating defeat

Question 14

Invasion of Cambodia

Answer 14

Bombing continued under Nixon, including attacks on neighbouring countries to target the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Huge outcry in US – Congress furious and called for less funding for war and faster withdrawal

Question 15

Invasion of Laos

Answer 15

US provided air support for South Vietnamese invasion to defeat communist groups in Laos and destroy the Hi Chi Minh trail.
Invasion of Laos raised serious doubts about Vietnamisation – the trail and North Vietnamese bases in Laos remained secure

Question 16

My Lai Massacre

Answer 16

Charlie Company, led by Lieutenant Calley, they killed all the people and animals in My Lai village. They claimed that they had been ordered to do so. After a cover up and then an investigation the truth emerged in 1970. There was a huge public outcry. Lt Calley’s trial – convicted of killing 22 civilians in 1971, the only one brought to trial.

Question 17

Kent State University shootings

Answer 17

After Nixon’s announcement of the invasion of Cambodia, peaceful protests began. Several demonstrations and an Officer Training building on Campus burned down. Mayor declared state of emergency. Officials banned a demonstration, but this was ignored. After National Guards had bricks etc. thrown at them, they opened fire, killing 4 students

Question 18

The end of the war

Answer 18

The South – economy collapsed, Thieu did not make his government any more democratic nor did he attempt to negotiate with the communists so VC gained control in villages.
The North – became impatient, attacked south in December 1974. Lack of US support meant that the South was defeated quickly by April 1975.

Question 19

Strengths of the North

Answer 19

They understood the landscape, climate and language; North Vietnamese fully committed to the cause; VC were popular with the South Vietnamese villagers: North had support from other countries – USSR, China and Laos and Cambodia allowed the Ho Chi Minh Trail to operate; Guerrilla tactics used by VC were very effective

Question 20

Weakness of US armed forces

Answer 20

Completely misunderstood the Vietnamese villagers; did not understand the landscape, climate and language; Mistakes – area bombing, focusing on the bodycount rather than gaining control of areas; did not win the hearts and minds of the people; growing public opposition at him made it almost impossible for the US government to continue the war; the draft meant that soldiers were normally young and inexperienced; they were supporting a very unpopular South Vietnamese government.