Vietnam Flashcards
What was the background of the conflict in vietnam
After the Second World War Vietnam was returned to the French, the former colonial power.
The French became involved in a struggle with the communist Vietminh.
In 1950 the French government appealed to the US for support.
French defeated at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu 1954 -many reasons (Vietminh had support from locals, French underestimated them)
Why did the US support south Vietnam
Eisenhower continued to support the south, even though the new leader in the south, Ngo Dinh Diem, was corrupt and very unpopular
US believed in Domino Theory
Eisenhower sent US military advisers to help the South Vietnamese army against the VC
What did JFK do in Vietnam
JFK increased the number of military advisors from 700 to 15,000. Kennedy also ordered the building of ‘strategic hamlets’that South Vietnamese people were moved to to ‘protect’ them from the VC.
Diem’s faced continuous opposition e.g Buddhist monks burned themselves to death
JFK threatened to withdraw military aid and then backed a plot by South Vietnamese generals to arrest Diem. He was murdered just three weeks before Kennedy’s own assassination.
Why was there an increasing threat of the Vietcong
VC very rarely fought pitched battles. They used guerrilla tactics. Therefore, it was impossible to identify Viet Cong soldiers, because as they did not wear uniform.
After a fight they would scatter and it would be impossible to find them
What was the Gulf of Tonkin incident, 1964,
In August 1964 the USA claimed that US warships had been attacked in the Gulf of Tonkin.
This gave the US the excuse they needed and Congress gave Johnson the power to send US combat troops to Vietnam
When was the arrival of combat troops in Vietnam
Many believe that the Gulf of Tonkin incident was probably invented by the US government to justify US intervention in Vietnam.
In March 1965 the first combat troops arrived
What where the VC tactics
They built thousands of miles of tunnels, with whole camps underground, so that they could hide..
They were experts at building booby traps, using pits, sharpened sticks and mines. This meant that US soldiers could never relax.
What was the Ho Chi Min Trail
The Viet Cong were supplied from the north by the Ho Chi Minh trail, which ran through Laos and Cambodia.
The Soviet Union and China sent up to 6,000 tonnes of supplies a day
What was the USA response to the Ho Chi Min Trail and the VC tactics
‘Search and Destroy’ missions were sent into the jungle. Their success depended on the body count. (number of dead Vietnamese).
Operation Rolling Thunder from 1965 led to heavy bombing of North Vietnam Chemical weapons: The US Air Force began to use defoliants like ‘Agent Orange’. These stripped leaves from trees to deprive the VC from hiding places. Napalm was also used to burn villages.
These tactics did enormous damage to Vietnam and did not enable the US to win the hearts and minds of the people
What was the Tet Offensive 1968
This was a massive attack by the North Vietnames upon South Vietnam, which began on 30 January 1968. All the major cities of South Vietnam were attacked
The North Vietnamese suffered very high casualties but many in the US were shocked by this attack particularly as they got into US embassy in Saigon.
The South now seemed more vulnerable than ever and many in America saw it as a humiliating defeat
What did Nixon change and what was Vietnamisation
In 1969 Nixon began peace talks, and started the withdrawal of US forces, but stepped up attacks on North Vietnam.
The Nixon Doctrine of 1969 said that the US would honour its commitments. This led to the policy of Vietnamisation.
This was an attempt to make sure the South Vietnamese could defend the country on their own with help from the US. Nixon hoped that they could withdraw with honour, without it looking like a defeat.
Vietnamisation was not successful as the South Vietnamese felt abandoned and this gave a boost to the North.
What was the Attack on Cambodia
Attacks on Cambodia, 1970 - Bombing continued under Nixon, including attacks on neighbouring countries to target the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Damage was done but it did not stop the trail operating
Huge outcry in US about the bombing – Congress was furious and called for less funding for war and faster withdrawal
What happened at Laos in 1971
US provided air support for South Vietnamese invasion to defeat communist groups in Laos and destroy the Hi Chi Minh trail.
Battle of Tchepone was bloody and eventually resulted in the ARVN retreating
Invasion of Laos raised serious doubts about Vietnamisation – howver the trail and North Vietnamese bases in Laos remained secure
What was operation Linebacker 1972
This was the heavy bombardment of North Vietnam. Linebacker severely damaged industry, supplies and communications in the North and China and the USSR urged the North to look for a peace settlement.
The unrestricted bombing campaign was very controversial and there were more protests back in the US
What was the reasons for the growth of oppositions
Tet Offensive, Cambodia, rising death toll, injuries, cost and length of the war, black American opposition, Role of individuals like Muhammed Ali
What was the draft
Compulsory service in the military.
Many opposed it because it was sending men who were not well trained to war and mainly poor families were least able to avoid it.
A ‘Lottery’ system was introduced in 1969 but this didn’t make it any more popular.
In total 650,000 soldiers were draftees with 1 million draftees were in reserve
How people avoided the draft: College students could delay it until graduation, Family’s only son was exempt, some workers exempt, studying or working abroad
What was the impacts of the media on the war
Became known as ‘The living room war’ as many people saw footage of the war on their TV screens.
This bought the horror of the conflict closer to home
Wat was the student movement
One of the most significant student groups was SDS (Students for a Democratic Society).
By 1965, it had 3,000 members over 80 College campuses.
What was the My Lai massacre
Charlie Company, led by Lieutenant Calley, killed all the people and animals in My Lai village in 1968.
They claimed that they had been ordered to do so. After a cover up and then an investigation the truth emerged in 1970.
There was a huge public outcry.
Lt Calley’s trial – he was convicted of killing 22 civilians in 1971, the only one brought to trial.
What was the Kent state university shootings in 1970
After invasion of Cambodia, peaceful protests began.
Several demonstrations and an Officer Training building on Campus burned down.
Mayor declared state of emergency.. After National Guards had bricks etc. thrown at them, they opened fire, killing 4 students (2 students also killed at Jackson State Uni 2 weeks later)
What where the reasons for support for the war
Cold War - fear of communism – Domino Theory, Moral/religious reasons, Freedom (as above),
Patriotism - superiority of capitalism & democracy
What was the hard hat riot of 1970
Construction workers that clashed with anti-war protestors in New York.
Peter J Brennan then led a pro-war rally on 20 May of 60,000 people.
They were seen to represent general working-class support for the war
What was the silent majority
Nixon appealed to support for the silent majority in 1969 – those that supported his policies but didn’t campaign for or against the war.
His speech was remarkably successful and showed that a lot of people supported his policy.
What where the attempt at peace like in 1972-73
Difficult for sides to agree over whether/how to unite Vietnam, what to do with the South, how to manage troop withdrawals, Secret Peace talks made it difficult for South to agree to anything, 1972 Easter Offensive by North Vietnam shocked the US.
South Vietnamese leader, Thieu, refused to sign agreement in October 1972 as he felt he had no say in the agreement.
