Vietnam Flashcards
When were elections planned in Vietnam?
1956
What was planned for 1956 in Vietnam?
Elections to reunify the country.
When was the NLF set up?
1960
What did the Americans call the NLF?
Vietcong
What was Diem’s government made up of?
Rich, Christian landowners
When did the French rule of Indochina come to an end?
1954
When did Diem refuse the election?
August 1955
What did the military do in 1956 in North Vietnam?
Put down a revolt, about 6000 killed.
How many fled from North Vietnam in 1956?
1 million
Who advised Ho Chi Minh on his collectivisation programme?
China
John Foster Dulles admission about Diem
Supported him because “we knew of no one better”
Diem nepotism
His brother was prime minister.
Many family members government positions.
Large amounts of US aid for agriculture was given to family + officials.
When did Diem visit USA?
1957
What did Eisenhower term Diem?
The miracle man of Asia
When was NLF established?
1960
What does NLF stand for?
National Liberation Front
What did Diem replace?
Councils with powerful officials (mostly Catholic)
What were the two groups in the NLF?
Communists
Nationalists - also wanted to be rid of imperialists
Who led the NLF?
Tho
Where was the NLF in 1960 when established?
South Vietnam, to liberate.
Benefit of Ho Chi Minh using the NLF instead of an army in 1960?
Presented as resistance movement - did not contravene Geneva Conference agreement that North couldn’t place forces in South.
What is to note about the NLF manifesto?
Mostly nationalist instead of ideological.
How much did USA give to French from 1950?
$1 billion a year
By 1953-54 what % of French war effort were the USA paying for?
80%
Where was the French catastrophic defeat in 1954?
Dien Bien Phu
What religious group did Diem persecute?
Buddhists
When was the Buddhist crisis?
1963
When were the Geneva Peace Accords?
1954
What % of the country did Eisenhower think would vote communist in 1956?
80
What did Eisenhower send to Vietnam?
‘Advisors’
What % of the country was Buddhist?
70
What policy did Kennedy initally implement in Vietnam?
Strategic Hamlets
How many troops did Kennedy send to vietnam?
What does Ho Chi Minh translate to?
Bringer of light
Notable important thing about 1956 prevention of elections
It was the US!!!! Especially John Foster Dulles
Evidence for sham election in 1955
Diem claimed 605,000 voters in Saigon for him. There were only 450,000 people…
What did the US insist upon in 1961?
South Vietnam allowed them to have a share in decision making for more aid.
How many special advisors were deployed in 1961?
400
Who visited Vietnam in 1961?
Johnson (vice president)
By the end of 1962, how many advisors in South Vietnam?
9000
What did the Kennedy administration go to considerable lengths to do?
Cover up their involvement
Late 1962, how many NLF members?
300,000
Early guerilla warfare victory
Battle of Ap Bac - Jan 1963
South Vietnam outnumbered NLF 10-1
NLF decisive victory
When did Mansfield visit Vietnam?
1962
Conclusions of Mansfield
Very little progress since last visit in 1955
What was McNamara planning in mid-62?
Withdrawal of troops once they had trained ARVN
What was the Strategic Hamlet program in reality.
Forced relocation
Extent of strategic hamlets
3000, with four million people
3 reasons strategic hamlet program failed
1 - Vietcong targeted officials, not peasants
2 - Almost impossible to prevent NLF agents entering the hamlets
3 - corrupt officials took supplies
Who became Archbishop of Hue?
Thuc, Diem’s brother
Buddhist flag thing
Catholics encouraged to display papal flags
Next week buddhists banned from flying flags for Buddha’s birthday
1963
Military treatment of crowd 8th May 1963
Fired into crowd to prevent them listening to speech by Buddhist leader - Tri Quang
Famous monk self-immolation
Quang Doc
How did Nhu’s wife respond to burnings?
“Let them burn, and we shall clap our hands”
What did Khrushchev give a speech about in January 1961?
His support for wars of national liberation
When did CIA start arming tribes in Laos?
1961 - No public knowledge!
How did the US pressure Diem?
Cut off funds to Nhu’s special forces.
Suspended commodity export program.
When was the fake coup that turned into a real coup?
1st November 1963