Vietnam Flashcards
1
Q
When did French begin their occupation in Vietnam?
A
1858
2
Q
What was the French colony called?
A
French Indo-China
3
Q
What resources were the French able to enrich themselves using?
A
Rice, coffee, coal, tea and rubber
4
Q
What did French missionaries want to convert the Vietnamese to?
A
Catholicism
5
Q
Who governed French Indo China?
A
Paul Doumer
6
Q
Where did the Vietnamese have to be educated to be able to secure lucrative employment with the French?
A
Catholic schools
7
Q
What did the Doumer encourage the use of?
A
Opium
8
Q
What happened when the Vietnamese developed addictions to opium?
A
They increased the taxes on opium
9
Q
How much of the French Indo China economy was raised by opium trade?
A
More than 33% (1/3 of the costs)
10
Q
What trades were heavily taxed by the French?
A
Opium, wine and salt
11
Q
How did the Vietnamese benefit from the French rule?
A
They built railroads, paved streets, roads and bridges They imported cars and trucks They brought electricity to Vietnam Wealthy benefitted from trading French reduced penalties for crimes
12
Q
Which year was the Vietminh formed?
A
1941
13
Q
Who was Ho Chi Minh?
A
The rebel leader who founded the Vietminh resistance, later the leader of North Vietnam
14
Q
When were the French defeated by Germany?
A
1940 - during WW2
15
Q
What was the Vietminh?
A
A nationalist organisation that aimed to gain independence
Became official army when NV created
16
Q
When did Japan invade Indo China?
A
September 1940
17
Q
How did Ho Chi Minh get support for the Vietminh against the Japanese?
A
He established relations with the Us over their war with Japan
18
Q
What resource did Japan take control of?
A
Rice
19
Q
How many Vietnamese people died of starvation because of the Japanese occupation
A
2.5 million
20
Q
Who was the military leader of the Vietminh?
A
General Giap
21
Q
What tactics were used by the Vietminh to attack the French and Japanese?
A
Guerrilla
22
Q
When did Japan take control from the French?
A
In 1945
23
Q
What happened when Japan lost to the USS in WW2?
A
They were forced to withdraw from all countries inc. Vietnam
24
Q
What happened after the Vietminh took control from Japan?
A
Ho Chi Minh announced Vietnam to be independent
Declared the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
25
How many troops were sent to SV by the French in Dec 1945?
50,000
26
What part of Vietnam did the French control?
The south
27
Why did the USA send supplies to the French?
Truman Doctrine - help in the fight against Communism
28
In 1946, what did negotiations not get further than?
A cease fire
29
When did the French attack Hanoi?
Nov 1946
30
What did the French start doing in Nov 1946?
Attacking targets in the north
31
Why did the Vietminh retreat when the French attacked?
To retake the area when the French had left
32
When was the Haiphong Incident?
20 Nov 1946
33
How many French died in the Haiphong harbour Incident?
29
34
How did the French retaliate to the Haiphong Incident?
By shelling the city
35
What warship was used by the French during their retaliation to the Haiphong Incident?
Suffren
36
How many people were killed by the French during their retaliation to the Haiphong Incident?
6000 Vietnamese
| Many Vietminh fighters
37
When did Chairman Moa take control in China?
1949
38
Why was American support for the French limited?
Because they supported independance
39
What type of land did the French control?
Cities
40
How did Giap make up for the primitive weapons in comparison to the French
He used manual labour to move guns, artillery and ammunition
| Peasants would carry the weapons for the Vietminh
41
Who was the French puppet?
Boa Dai
42
Who supplied the Vietminh with modern military equipment?
China
43
How many soldiers did the Vietminh have in 1950?
100,000
44
How many soldiers did the French have in 1950?
100,000
45
How many SVese fought for the French in 1950?
300,000
46
Who led the French army?
General Navarre
47
What did Navarre want to do?
Set a trap
48
What did Navarre assume?
That the Vietminh would be unable to move heavy guns into position on the hills with their peasant army on foot
49
Why was Dien Bien Phu chosen?
It was surrounded by hills - assumption
| It controlled the main routes between V, Laos and Cambodia - wanted to interrupt Vietminh supply lines
50
When was the siege of Dien Bien Phu?
13 March 1953
51
How many French and Vietminh were killed during the siege of Dien Bien Phu?
1500 French
| 7000 Vietminh
52
How many French planes attacked Vietminh supplies every day during Dien Bien Phu?
100
53
What did China and Russia supply for the Vietminh during Dien Bien Phu?
200 anti-aircraft guns
54
When was the final Vietminh attack at Dien Bien Phu?
1 May 1954
55
How did the French get supplies at the end of Dien Bien Phu?
They were parachuted in
56
When did Dien Bien Phu end?
7 May 1954
57
By the end of Dien Bien Phu how many French were killed and wounded?
4000 killed
| 8000 wounded
58
By the end of Dien Bien Phu how many Vietminh were killed and wounded?
8000 killed
| 12000 wounded
59
Who did Navarre blame for the loss at Dien Bien Phu?
America - for not coming to aid despite huge funds
60
When was the Geneva Agreement signed?
May 1954
61
what was the Ho-Saintey Agreement (1946)?
Agreement between Ho Chi Minh and French envoy - after WW2 French would recognise Vietnam as a free state but French troops would be placed in Vietnam
62
What was Vietnam divided along?
17th parallel
63
According to the Geneva Agreement when were free and democratic elections to be held ?
1956
64
Who did Bao Dai appoint as Prime Minister of SV?
Ngo Dinh Diem
65
What did Diem do to Bao Dai in 1955?
He ousted him
66
Who refused the Geneva agreement?
Diem and America
67
Who was Diem supported by? Why?
America
| Containment of communism
68
When was SEATO formed?
1954
69
Why did Diem refuse to hold elections in 1956?
He said they were going to be fixed in the North
70
Who did Diem appoint into positions of power?
Relatives or close friends
71
Who did Diem discriminate against?
Buddhists
72
Which Buddhist monk burnt himself alive?
Thich Quang Duc
73
What did Diem do about land reforems?
He introduced no new ones
74
What did Diem do to those who opposed him?
Imprisoned or killed them - called them communist insurgents
75
Who started sending advisors?
Eisenhower
76
When were advisors first sent?
Nov 1954
77
How many advisors were sent first?
17
78
By the end of Jan 1961, how many advisors were in Vietnam?
685
79
What did advisors do?
They trained the ARVN in combat with conventional weapons
80
How many Vietminh guerrillas and sympathisers were in SV in 1959?
5000 Vietminh
| 100,000 sympathisers
81
What did NV do to gain more recruits in SV?
Sent 80,000 SVese refugees back to SV as trained soldiers
82
How many guerrillas were in SV in 1961?
20,000
83
How many guerrillas were in SV in 1964?
Over 100,000
84
Why did Kennedy increase the no. of advisors?
To fight the VC and NLF
85
By Nov 1963, how many advisors were in Vietnam?
16,000
86
What were strategic hamlets?
Officially fortified villages they thought would be easy to defend against the VC
87
Why did strategic hamlets fail?
Because peasants were taken away from the land where they farm
88
By 1963, how many peasants had been relocated?
66.6% (2/3rds)
89
How many strategic hamlets were jugged to be secure?
1 thousand of 8 thousand
90
Most strategic hamlets were _______ _________ by the VC
Heavily infiltrated
91
Why did the Buddhist monk burn himself?
The Catholics were given permission to fly flags for the Archbishop but Buddhists were refused to fly flags for the Buddha's birthday
92
When did the Buddhist monk burn himself alive?
11 June 1963
93
How many suspect Vietminh were executed under Diem?
Over 12,000
94
What were taxes like under Diem?
Very high for peasants
95
When were the Pagoda Raids held?
21 August 1963
96
When was Diem assasinated?
2 Nov 1963
97
Who was killed with Diem?
His brother Ngo Dinh Nhu
98
Who ordered the Pagoda Raids?
Ngo Dinh Nhu
99
Who knew about the plans to assassinate Diem?
CIA and Kennedy
100
What was Kennedy affected by?
Thich Quang Duc's death
101
What did Diem do because of his unpopularity? What did this do?
Reduced influence of America - blamed them for it
| This angered the USA as it was the whole point of helping Diem
102
What happened to production in NV?
It doubled
103
What did they do with land in NV?
They took land from those who owned property to redistribute it
104
How many landowners were beaten/executed in NV? Why?
50,000
| For crimes against peasants
105
How many people were re-educated by NV in labour camps?
500,000
106
When was the VC or NLF established?
1960
107
When was the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?
Aug 1964
108
What US vehicle was damaged?
The US Maddox - a destroyer sent to spy on NV
109
What did the captain of the US Maddox say about the 'attack'?
He was unsure if the ship had actually been attacked
110
What was the US Maddox apparently attacked by?
North Vietnamese torpedo boats
111
What did Johnson use the Gulf of Tonkin Incident to do?
Justify the escalation of American presence in Vietnam to Congress in August 1965
112
What had SV carried out before the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?
Raids on military installations
113
Why was the media important for the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?
To present the incident as a threat to American forces protecting peace in SE Asia and stopping the spread of communism
114
Why did Johnson need public support during the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?
Because he was facing the elections in 1964
115
In 1965:
How many Americans were in Vietnam?
How many SVese were they supporting?
How mny VC fighters were there estimated to be?
23,000 Americans
50,000 SVese
20,000
116
When was the Pleiku Attack?
6 and 7 Feb 1965
117
How many VC broke in during the Pleiku Attack?
10
118
Where did the VC break into during the Pleiku Attack?
A US army advisory facility
119
During the Pleiku Attack:
How many Americans were killed?
How many were injured?
How many US aircraft were destroyed?
8 killed
126 injured
10 aircrafts
120
How many US troops landed at Da Nang on 8 March 1965 after the Pleiku Attack?
3,500
121
How many American troops were in Vietnam by 1968?
536,000
122
When was Operation Rolling Thunder?
From March 1965 till Nov 1968
123
Where did air raids on civilian populations take place during Operation Rolling Thunder?
Hanoi and Haiphong
124
What were the aims of Operation Rolling Thunder?
```
Disrupt the Ho Chi Minh trail
To damage NVese war abilities
To decrease NVese civiliam morale
To encourage diplomatic talks
To make NV withdraw forces in SV
```
125
How did Johnson micromanage Operation Rolling Thunder?
Places were only bombed after Johnson approved of it
126
Why did Johnson not bomb industrial cities near the Chinese border?
Because he was concerned about triggering a war with China if they were threatened
127
Why did Operation Rolling Thunder include "bombing pauses"?
To drive NV to the negotiating table
128
How many military targets were in NV?
100
129
By when were all military targets in NV hit/destroyed?
1966
130
Why was Operation Rolling Thunder ineffetive to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh trail?
The people were able to adapt to destruction around them
| Key bridges/sections were repaired almost immediately
131
Who bombed NV during Operation Rolling Thunder?
US Air Force
| ARVN Air Force
132
How did NV minimise casualities?
They had air raid sirens, frequent drills and extensive underground tunnels
They possessed anti-aircraft guns and surface-to-air missiles
133
How many bombs were dropped on NV during Operation Rolling Thunder?
900,000 tons
134
How many American planes were lost during Operation Rolling Thunder?
950
135
How many pilots were wounded/captured/killed during Operation Rolling Thunder?
Over 1000
136
Who began sending troops in Vietname?
Johnson
137
How many battalions were first sent to Vietnam?
2
138
How many extra troops were sent to Vietnam in July 1965?
100,000
139
How many extra troops were sent to Vietnam in 1966?
100,000
140
What was napalm?
Substance that when ignited would burn for up to 10 minutes
141
How was napalm spread in the jungle?
They were sprayed from boats
| Individual soldiers used them as flamethrowers
142
Which planes dropped bombs using napalm?
B52
143
What problem occurred with napalm?
Images spread of the impact on the people and land - Americans began questioning events
144
What was Agent Orange?
A toxic chemical herbicide
145
What was the purpose of Operation Ranch Hand (Agent Orange)?
To deprive Vese famers and guerrilla fighters of clean food and water in hopes they would relocate to areas controlled by the US
146
By the end of Operation Ranch Hand, how many gallons of herbicides and defoliants had been sprayed?
20 million
147
By the end of Operation Ranch Hand, how much land had been sprayed (forest + crops)?
5 million acres of forest
| 500,000 acres of crops
148
How much more concentrated is Agent Orange than normal herbicides?
What did this mean?
50 xs
| All plants in the area were detroyed
149
How many people died due to Agent Orange?
4.8 million
150
How many children were nrn with birth defects due to exposure of Agent Orange?
400,000
151
What does Agent Orange contain that means it lasts in the environment for years?
Dioxin
152
How was dioxin exposed to humans?
| How was it dangerous?
Through food
| It's cancer-causing
153
How many Agent Orange bombs were dropped?
8 million
154
How much land did Agent Orange air raids have the ability to damage?
2500 square yards
155
During what time period was Agent Orange used?
1965-70
156
What were search and destroy missions?
American troops sent in groups into the jungle to look for and kill the VC
157
How small were the groups of American troops sent on search and destroy missions?
Platoons (18-50 men)
158
What was the disadvantage of the American troops during search and destroy?
They were going into unfamiliar territory
| They didn't have the protection of all the US technology
159
What was the average age of American troops?
18
160
When search and destroy started, how was success being counted? Why?
In terms of bodies/deaths
| Because there was no 'front line'
161
What was the problem with how they began counting success during search and destroy?
There was no way to distinguish between VC and civilians
| American troops became heartless
162
When was the My Lai Massacre?
March 16 1968
163
Who led the My Lai Massacre?
Captain Medina
164
Who was in charge of strategic hamlets?
City-based officials who knew nothing about the countryside
165
How many Buddhists were killed in SV in Many 1963 because of protests?
9
166
How many people lived in My Lai?
700
167
What did Charlie Company assume about My Lai?
That the villagers would be away at the market
168
How many people were killed during the My Lai Massacre?
347-504 women, children, old men
169
How many children were killed during the My Lai Massacre?
173 children inc. 56 infants
170
How many women killed during the My Lai Massacre were pregnant?
17
171
How many women were killed during the My Lai Massacre?
182
172
How many women and children were raped during the My Lai Massacre?
20
173
How young were the children that were raped during the My Lai Massacre?
10 yrs old
174
Who was in charge of the Charlie Company?
Lt. Calley
175
Which unit did the My Lai Massacre?
Charlie Company
176
What was the leadership problem with Charlie Company?
Experienced officers had been transferred - low-ranking enlistees were put into leadership roles
177
Why did Lt. Calley hate the VC?
Because of traps and snipes, and losing his men
178
what did Captain Medina allow his troops to do with prisoners?
Use them as human mine detectors
| Beat them during interrogations
179
How many men were originally in Charlie Company?
| How many people had it been reduced to?
45 men to 27 men
180
Where were shells supposed to land during the My Lai Massacre?
400m away
181
Why did Lt. Calley shoot a monk?
Because he didn't know the location of the VC
182
Who stopped the My Lai Massacre?
Officer Thompson
183
Who broke the news of the My Lai Massacre?
Seymour Hersch
184
When did the My Lai Massacre become public?
Nov 1969
185
How many soldiers were charged for the My Lai Massacre?
14
186
When was Lt. Calley charges?
| What happened to his charges after?
He was charged in 1971
| He was released in 1974 by Nixon
187
How did the VC have help from peasants?
They respected them or worked for them in exchange for food, shelter and hiding places
188
What was the VC tactic of retreating?
They would retreat when Americans attacked but then raid the enemy camps after the Americans had left, attacking troops when they were tired
189
What were weapons used in guerrilla tactics?
Daggers, swords, captured explosives
190
What were used to make booby traps?
Bamboo stick, mines, grenades, shells
191
Why did the VC work in small groups?
So they couldn't be tortured for info
192
What weapons were supplied by China to the NVA for guerrilla tactics?
Sub-machine guns, heavier machine guns (able to bring down helicopters), rocket propelled grenades
193
What did injuries caused by VC traps mean?
The platoons would have to return to base to recieve medical help - couldn't leave men behind
194
What were punji traps?
Sharpened bamboo sticks laid on camo traps, smeared with substances to cause infections
195
What were cartridge traps?
A cartridge set into bamboo and lowered in a hole in the ground, that when walked on would fire the bullet into the victim's foot
196
What were bamboo whips?
A sharpened bamboo whip connected to a tripwire - sent footlong spikes into victim's chest
197
What were flag bombs?
Flags were rigged with explosives as Americans loved to capture enemy flags
198
How were tunnels used by the VC?
To help them escape the jungle or avoid bombing raids
199
What were the biggest tunnel systems?
The Iron Triangle
| The Cu Chi District
200
In Cu Chi, how much would each villager have to dig each day?
3 feet
201
What told people how to dig and where to dig tunnels?
A handbook
202
In which years were the Phoenix Program?
1968-72
203
What was the Phoenix Program sponsored by?
The CIA
204
What was the Phoenix Program?
When paramilitary teams targeted Communist operatives in villages in SV
205
What were American advisors accused of in the Phoenix Program?
Torture and murders
206
What did Counter-Terror teams do, that were created by Chau?
They were sent to kill/capture the enemy when intelligence about their whereabouts were received
207
Who was the Phoenix Program run by
William Colby
208
How many suspected VC were killed during the Phoenix Program?
25,000
209
By 1972, how many NLF operations were neutralised during the Phoenix Program?
81,000 +
210
By 1970, how many Phoenix advisors were in SV?
704
211
How were the VC supplied?
By peasants carrying equipment along the Ho Chi Minh trail on foot, by bicycle and mule
212
When did the Tet Offensive start?
30 Jan 1968
213
What celebration was used as a cover for the Tet Offensive?
Buddhist New Year - Tet
214
Where were the attacks during the Tet Offensive?
In the border of Laos and Cambodia in mountain regions
215
From 1964 over 4 years, how many troops had been sent by Johnson?
1/2 a million
| 535,000
216
Which places were attacked by NV during the Tet Offensive?
The US Embassy in Saigon
5 major cities in SV
100 towns/villages/military installations
217
When did the Battle of Hue begin?
31 Jan 1968
218
What did the NVese and VC soldiers do during the Battle of Hue?
House searches, arresting civil servants, teachers, religious leaders and people connected to the US or SV government
219
How many civilians were killed during the Battle of Hue?
2,800
220
How many civilians were missing after the Battle of Hue?
3,000
221
How many Us troops were killed during the Battle of Hue?
150
222
How many SVese were killed during the Battle of Hue?
400
223
How many Nvese were killed during the Battle of Hue?
5,000
224
How many VC were killed during the Tet Offensive?
At least 30,000
225
What is the estimated military loss of the VC and NLF during the Tet Offensive?
58,000
226
How many US troops were lost during the Tet Offensive?
4,000
227
How many SVese civilians were killed during the Tet Offensive?
14,000 women and children
228
What did the Tet Offensive do to Johnson's popularity?
Decreased it
| People felt as if they had been mislead bout the realities of the war and brutalisation of innocent civilians
229
When did US campaigns against the Tet Offensive begin?
16 March 1968
230
How many troops were refused for General Westmoreland after the Tet Offensive?
200,000
231
When did the US halt escalation and pull troops?
1 Nov 1968
232
What did NV agree to after the Tet Offensive?
Peace talks with American and SV governments
233
When did peace talks in Paris begin
17 October 1968
234
Who was General Westmorland?
Commander of the US army from 1964-68
235
When was General Westmorland recalled?
June 1968
236
Who replaced General Westmorland?
General Abrams
237
What was General Westmorland's approach to the war?
War of Attrition
238
Who began search and destroy missions?
General Westmorland
239
What were General Westmorland's plans dependant on?
Superiority of American firepower
240
Who was Robert McNamara?
Secretary of State for Defence from 1961-68
241
What did Robert McNamara request?
Escalation of troops
| Bombing raids
242
Who devised the 'body count' as a way of measuring succes?
Robert McNamara
243
Which company manufactured Napalm and Agent Orange?
Dow Chemical
244
How did people in America learn about effects of chemical warfare?
The war was televised
245
Which magazine article had pictures of chemical warfare effects? When was this?
Ramparts
| Jan 1967
246
Where and when were 2 key demonstrations against Dow Chemical recruitment?
University of Wisconsin in 1967
247
How many men were drafted a month in Feb 1965?
| How many men were drafted a month in Nov 1965?
3,000
| 33,000
248
Who were draft-dodgers?
People who avoided call up
249
How many men were persecuted by the government between 1963 and 1973 for avoiding the draft?
9118
250
In May 1968, how many American and VC soldiers died in 1 week?
562 Ameircan troops
| 5,550 VC
251
In 1968, how many people approved of Johnson's handling of the war?
46%
252
In 1968, how many people believes it was essential to stop communism in SV?
50%
253
How many protestors were at the Veterans' Protest?
100,000
254
When and where was the Veterans' Protest?
1967 in Washington outside the Pentagon
255
When was the the Veterans' March?
1971
256
How many protestors were at the Veterans' March?
300,000
257
How many people protested against the My Lai Massacre? Where? When?
700,000
Washington
Nov 1969
258
How many people attended the protest led by 'Students for a Democratic Society'? Where? When?
20,000
Washington Monument
April 1965
259
Where did anti-war protestors set fire to a bank?
In California
260
At which universities where bombs set off during protests?
Berkeley, Yale, Stanford
261
Who were brought in to help keep peace during protests
National Guardsmen
262
Where were 2 students killed by the National Guardsman?
Jackson State University in Mississippi
263
What was the problem with the National Guardsmen?
They were inexperienced and panicked
264
When was the invasion of Cambodia announced? What happened with protests after this?
April 1970
| They became more violent
265
How many students demonstrated against the invasion of Cambodia? When?
Kent State University
| 2 May 1970
266
When were students in Kent State Uni shot?
4 May 1970
267
How many students were killed in Kent State Uni during protests?
4
268
How many students were wounded in Kent State Uni during protests?
10
269
What did the events in Kent State Uni spark? How many students? In how many institutions?
More protests
2 million
400
270
How many people were injured in NY demostrations?
Over 70
271
When was Vietnamisation introduced?
25 July 1969
272
What was the idea of Vietnamisation?
Return troops
ARVN would replace US troops
Thieu would receive financial aid
273
Under Vietnamisation how would the US continue to support SV until peace talks were concluded?
With its air force
274
In June 1969, how many troops were withdrawn?
25,000
275
When did Nixon announce plans to withdraw 150,000 men?
April 1970
276
When did ARVN and Us air-force invade Laos?
Feb 1971
277
When did Nixon increase air raids on NV?
1971
278
When did Nixon order intensive bombing after the failure of the October Agreement?
From 18th Dec for 12 days 1972
279
How many bombs were dropped in Dec 1972?
36,000
280
Whys did Nixon go all out in 1972?
He knew Congress would refuse to fund after meeting in Jan 1973
281
`How many Us troops had withdrawn by end of 1971?
400,000
282
How many troops were left in Vietnam by the end of 1971?
140,000
283
President Thieu was a _______
Dictator
284
Who wouldn't Thieu allow at peace talks?
VC
285
When did Kissinger have secret talks with NV?
July 1969
286
What were October 1972 Agreement terms?
Thieu would be replaced with coalition
NVA would keeps its areas
VC would be allowed to attend talks
Ceasefire agreed, withdrawal of US and return of prisoners
287
Who refused to sign the October Agreement? What did this lead to?
Thieu
| NV pulled out
288
When was the Paris Peace Agreement signed?
27 Jan 1973
289
What were Paris Peace Agreement terms?
```
US withdraw completely
All US prisoners of war returned
NVA keep land
NV recognise SV government
Ceasefire
Election asap
```
290
Who monitored the ceasefire from the Paris Agreement?
International Commission (led by Hungary, Indonesia and Canada)
291
How did Nixon force NV to sign Paris Agreement?
Bombing raids
292
When had the USA completely left Vietnam?
March 1973
293
When did the NVA attack SV after US withdrawal?
Dec 1973
294
How much aid did Thieu request from Ford?
$300 million
| It was refused
295
When did NVA win the Battle of Ban Me Thout?
March 1975
296
What did Thieu order troops to do after the Battle of Ban Me Thout? What did this mean?
Withdraw to protect coastal areas
| Path to Saigon was left unprotected
297
When did NV enter Saigon?
April 1975
298
When was the 'Socialist Republic of Vietnam' announced?
2 July 1975
