Vietnam Flashcards
Reasons why US wanted war to end
Victory in Vietnam no longer seemed achievable
Growing opposition to the war
Congress did not want to finance the rest of the war
Nixon was keen to appear as a peacemaker for political gain at home
Reasons North vietnam wanted war to end
China and USSR wanted North Vietnanm to maks peace and may have withdrawn troops
North Vietnam was being heavily bombed
Reasons both sides wanted end to war
High number of deaths (58,000 US deaths and 300,000 wounded)
Costs of the war was getting too high
Features of negotiations, 1973
After negotiations broke down in 1972, furyhee talks began on the 8 January 1973
All parts of the peace agreements were to be supervised by an international body
The USA would pay for reconstruction across Vietnam
Key agreements
All countries accept Vietnam as a single reunified country
Immediate ceasefire
US troops, equipment and advisors withdrawn
Governments of Vietnam to be chosen in free elections
Paris Peace Agreements
27 January
Gave the Us an oppurtunity to withdraw from the war
Brought end to the war
Strengths of North Vietnam
North Vietnamese soldiers knew the country and the jungle like the bcak of there hand giving them a advantage
North Vietnamese expected full commitment to the war and if you risked your life for the war you were classed a ‘hero’
Children were given millitary training and messenger roles which made it hard for the US
Significance of USSR and Chinese support
China and USSR sent over $3 billion to help fund war between 1954 and 1967
After Gulf of Tonkin 1964 Chinese increased millitary support and sent weaponry and 300,000 troops between 1965 and 1971
VC tactics
The guerilla tactics of VC were rutheless and deadly as they were used to fighting in the jungle. They were difficult to undermine and their commitment to the war was immense.
Ho Chi Minh trail
1000km long and everytime part of it was destroyed it got rebuilt by 1000’s of people constantly working on it. It was an easy way into the South.
US failure
The Us had no understanding of Vietnam and many Americans underestimated the enemy. There was a split in whether getting involved was justified and many people opposed it. Congress could not be seen in bad light so stopped funding in 1971.
US bad tactics
Most of the US troops were young and had no clue about how to fight. US fought that they would win the war with mass bombing and lots of troops however they were completely wrong. Many young troops were disheartened and scared which led to ‘fracking’ in which they killed there commanders and drug abuse.
Opposition from US civillians
Many citzens of America completely opposed the war as it was unjustified. In 1969 in Washington DC a ‘peace for Vets’ march took place with a 600,000 strong attendance.
By 1975 after US had left Vietnam was completely communist again which made the whole war pointless.
Huge costs for Us
The Us had spent $167 billion on the war which led to cutbacks in other more important things like improving lives for black people. Instead of Johnson’s ‘great society’ in which he wanted segregation and racial divisions to end, money was devoted to Vietnam
Operation Rolling thunder
Operation Rolling thunder began in Febuary 1965. The US had no soldiers on the ground in Vietnam so they began a bobmiing campaign in the North. Johnson targeted the Ho Chi Minh trail which instantly was rebuilt and small industries. He stayed awya from Hanoi the capital and the ports to avoid the Chinese and USSR becoming more involved.
