Vietnam Flashcards
Who had previously controlled Vietnam?
France after WW2
1942 - Japan invaded took control - treated the Vietnamese poorly
1945 - Japanese defeated French returned to rule
Who defeated the French and when/where?
Communists fighters (VC backed by USSR & China) lead by Ho Chi Minh at the battle of Bien Dien Phu - Peace treaty signed - French pulled out
What happened after the French withdrew?
Vietnam was divided into two;
Communist North & Non-communist south
Why werent there elections within 2 years?
In accordance with the 1954 peace treaty
The US feared communist election - helped set up anti-communist government under Diem - repulic of South Vietnam
What was Diem’s government like?
Corrupt
Relatives in positions of power
Poor treatment of of peasants
Support grew for Communist National Liberation Front (VC) who began a guerilla war
How did US involvement begin and increases?
Diem’s government needed support - initially just supplies, money & advice
61 Kennedy sent 16,000 US advisors over
Nov 63 Kennedy assasinated - Johnson sent over combat troops
64 - Gulf of Tonkin - Johnson given power to retaliate - sent over thousands more troops
What were the reasons for US involvement in Vietnam?
Eisenhower’s domino theory - 1 country falls many others follow
Containment policy - stop spread of communism
Some military officers and arms manufacturers wanted a war - more money spent on equipment
Diem’s weak gov. needed support & The GoT
Why were Guerilla tactics used by the VC?
Used because the US soldiers/SV outnumbered the VC 500,000 - 170,000
Tactics had been used succesfully by Mao Zedgong to gain power in China
What were the VC Guerilla tactics?
Retreat when enemy attacks Suprise attacks on enemy camps Pursue enemy when they retreat Ambush enemy - set traps and mines Use terrain/tunnels to hide in Live amongst civillians - no uniform
How were the VC tactics effective?
US soldiers - constant fear of attack
Difficult to identify enemy so hard to fight
Able to retreat across to Laos/Cambodia where they couldnt be followed
What were the US tactics?
Bombing - attempted to bomb VC strongholds, supplies lines and key cities
Chemical Weapons - Napalm & Agent Orange developed to remove jungle foliage and find VC controversial - burned many civillians
Search & Destroy - helicopters used for random searches of villages to find and kill VC
How were The US tactics ineffective?
Bombing - disupted supply lines not stopped - didn’t effect tunnels - huge costs - 14,000 US/SV aircrafts destroyed
Chemical Weapons - controversial lost public support
Search & Destroy - VC set traps for inexp. US - Out of fate intelligence meant wrong cities were attacked - Made US soldiers unpopular with locals - encourged many to join VC
Reasons for US failure in Vietnam? - Problems in Vietnam
Tactics/Morale - after 67 troops were concripted often inexp. - Low morale bc troops could see tactics failing
Declining support for US in SV - US support of an unpopular gov. and killing civililians through search & destroy and napalm lost support
Jan 68 Tet Offensive - despite the deathof 10,000 VC exp. fighters, this made the US question whether they could win the war and the resources needed to do so
Reasons for US failure in Vietnam? - Problems at home
US media - 64-68 little criticism of US involvement, supported anti-communist policy - after 67 TV started showing graphic images - 68 500,000 fighting in Vietnam - Kronkite declared war unwinnable, swayed opinions
My Lai Massacre - 4 hours - 400 civillians, women, old men & kids killed - no VC found - Lt Calley found guilty of mass murder - sentanced to 20yrs - served 3yrs - undermined war effort
Protests - 68 protests for civil rights, poverty & Vietnam - whites could avoid conscription through unis blacks couldn’t - 22.5% casualties black - 11% white - 70 Kent State NationalGuard fired into 3000 unarmed student protestors killed 4
By 69 1/2 mil troops & thousands of bombings hadn’t defeated VC advisors finally realised mod. tech. alone wasn’t enough
How did The US withdraw?
All political partie had to support ednding US involvement in Vietnam to win - Johnson didn’t rerun Nixon tried to end war not in defeat
