Vietnam Flashcards
1
Q
What happened in the Vietnam War before the USA came?
A
- in August 1945, Japan was defeated and French returned rule
- in 1954 the communists defeated the French and the country was divided into two, a communist north (Ho Chi Minh) and non-communist south
2
Q
How did the USA get involved in the war?
A
- Under the terms of the 1954 peace treaty elections were to be held in two years, Eisenhower was concerned of the Communists winning
- The US helped the anti-communist Ngo Dinh Diem set up the republic of south Vietnam. Diem’s government was corrupt (he put relatives in power, refused elections, treated citizens badly (many citizens joined Vietcong, using guerrilla war against the south))
- Diem’s government needed US support to survive, to start only supplies, money, advice etc. was given but in 1961, 16,000 US ‘advisers’ were sent to assist the army
- After Kennedy assassination, President Johnson sent over combat troops, and in August 1964, North Vietnamese patrol boats fired on US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin, allowing Johnson to send in thousands of troops.
3
Q
Why did the USA get increasingly involved?
A
- the idea of containment
- the idea of the domino theory
- Some historians say high-ranking officers and large arms manufacturers wanted a war so more money would be spent on weapons etc.
4
Q
What is Guerrilla War?
A
- ambushes, raids and hit-and-run operations carried out behind enemy lines
5
Q
What is Containment?
A
- policy aimed at containing the political influence or military power of another country or ideology - in this case Communism
6
Q
What is the Domino Theory?
A
- if one country falls to communism others would follow
7
Q
Vietcong tactics - Guerrilla warfare
A
- had only 170,000 soldiers supplied by China and the USSR compared to over 500,000 in south Vietnam
- The methods were
retreat when attacked
launch surprise attacks
pursue retreating enemy
ambush troops and lay booby traps and mines (wear down enemy morale, enemy in constant fear)
use local terrain
live among civilians at protection, not wearing uniform
had help from Cambodia and Laos, they could retreat across the border where the US couldn’t follow
8
Q
US tactics - Bombing
A
- bombed Vietcong strongholds, supply lines and key cities in the North
- it achieved in
disrupting supply lines
damaging industry and military production
encouraging North Vietnam to seek negotiation - it failed in
not completely stopping North Vietnamese war effort
supply lines still in operation, underground tunnels not affected
was very expensive, approximately 14,000 US and South Vietnamese aircraft destroyed
9
Q
US tactics - Chemical Weapons
A
- the US used the controversial Agent Orange to destroy jungle foliage and napalm to burn clear areas, many civilians suffered horrible burns and defects
10
Q
US tactics - Search and Destroy
A
- use of helicopters to land quickly near villages and kill hiding Vietcong soldiers
- it had drawbacks
the Vietcong set up traps for inexperienced soldiers
the wrong villages were attacked due to poor intelligence (My Lai Massacre)
there was a large number of innocent casualties
was very unpopular so many more joined the Vietcong
11
Q
US failure - problems in Vietnam - Tactics and Morale
A
- US tactics were no match for the the Vietcongs
- up to 1967 all US troops were volunteers but after many were conscripted (mainly inexperienced and served one year to be replaced)
- US casualties were high and many troops saw their tactics were not working, also constant fear of ambushes and mines
12
Q
US failure - problems in Vietnam - Support
A
- US tactics which killed many innocent civilians, along with a corrupt government led many South Vietnamese lose support
13
Q
US failure - problems in Vietnam - The Tet Offensive
A
- in January 1968 the Vietcong launched a major attack on about 100 Vietnamese cities during the New Year (Tet) holiday, they hoped ordinary civilians would join but they didn’t so they lost about 10,000 experienced fighters
- before the offensive, America were convinced they were soon to win the war
- after the offensive, it became clear that it would take more troops, money and casualties to win
- Americans were not expecting such a coordinated attack
14
Q
US failure - problems at home - US media
A
- after 1967 television began to take over from newspapers which often showed graphic and shocking violence (In February 1968 a Viet Cong suspected was executed live on TV, media showed children burnt by Napalm etc.)
- by 1968, concern was increasing about the American Soldiers (500,000), after the Tet offensive well-respected reporters, such as Walter Cronkite of CBS news, publicly announced the war as unwinnable
15
Q
US failure - problems at home - My Lai Massacre
A
- in March 1968, a search-and-destroy mission was taking place in My Lai with Vietcong supposedly there. However within four hours nearly 400 civilians died, mostly women, children and elderly and no Vietcong.
- one soldier gave an account in 1969 on US television, an investigation was launched and one officer was found guilty
