Vietnam Flashcards
What happened on “search and destroy” patrols
American troops were sent on patrols from helicopters. They would target villages and destroyed any Viet Cong forces found
What evidence is there that “search and destroy” patrols were ineffective
Patrols and raids were often based on inadequate information. Innocent villages were mistaken for Viet Cong bases, leading to civilian casualties and deaths. This made the US army unpopular amongst the Vietnamese population. Proportion of civilian to VC killed was 6:1
Describe the bombing campaigns used by the US army
Operation Rolling Thunder began in February 1965 and targeted North Vietnam, the Ho Chi Minh trail and suspected Viet Cong bases. It ended in 1968
What evidence is there that the bombing campaigns were ineffective
The bombing only slowed down the communists- Ho Chi Minh Trail was rebuilt and continued to operate
The financial cost of the campaigns was enormous- it costs $400,000 to kill one Viet Cong fighter
What were Agent Orange and Agent Blue, and why were they used during the war
Highly toxic weed killers used to destroy the Vietnamese jungle and crops where civilian Viet Cong fighters and bases were hidden
Why did the USA army become weaker after 1967
Increasing numbers of troops were conscripted and were not professional soldiers. Many were very young, and often did not care about defending communism
The army also struggled to recruit soldiers. There were widespread attempts to dodge conscription and of desertion during the war.
The morale of the US army was very low. Many soldiers were not committed to fighting in Vietnam
Drug abuse amongst US soldiers was widespread
What type of warfare did the Ct Viet Cong use during the war
Guerrilla warfare
Identify five Viet Cong tactics used during the Vietnam War
- Ambushes
- Booby traps
- Underground tunnels
- Ho Chi Minh trail
- Winning over the Vietnamese people
What evidence is there that the ambush were effective
Ambushes caused 51% of all US casualties during the war.
Ambushes led to close quarter fighting between the US air power could not be used because of the danger of killing their own troops
It undermined the morale of US soldiers, who lived in fear of ambushes
How big was the underground tunnel network used by the Viet Cong
Around 240km
What evidence is there that the underground tunnels were effective
It made Viet Cong soldiers/ bases very difficult to locate
It avoided the worst effects of US air power
What was the Ho Chi Minh trail
A route from North Vietnam to South to provide supplies to Viet Cong fighters
Why was the Ho Chi Minh trail effective
The Viet Cong depended on supplies from North Vietnam to fight the war against America and the ARVN
Identify 3 reasons which explain why the Viet Cong were successful during the war
- The effectiveness of their military tactics
- Support from the Vietnamese people
- Weakness of the American army
Who launched the Tet Offensive
The Viet Cong
When did the Tet Offensive take place
January 1968
What was the Tet Offensive
Before Tet, the VC attacked the US base at Khe Sanh to distract the US soldiers. The VC and North Vietnamese army then attacked cities and US bases in South Vietnam. They got ti Saigon and captured the US embassy and the ARVN headquarters. The old city of Hue was also captured. After three weeks of fighting however most cities and bases were recaptured by the Americans
Did the Tet Offensive succeed
No- the American and the ARVN managed to regain all the towns and bases that had been captured. 50 000 VC were killed
Why was the Tet an important turning point in the war
- Although the USA pushed the VC back, it was still a humiliation for the US. Unusually cities had been attacked on huge scale
- It was a propaganda victory for the VC as the US public were shocked by what had happened
- The US public were shocked by media images of the VC in the US embassy - it led to a rise in opposition to the war in America
- The media turned against the war. Walter Cronkite, a reporters started to report the war negatively
- Americans were angry that this could happen - they thought the war was winnable
- Johnson decided not to stand for re-elected in 1968- his approval ratings decreased
- Congress started ti turn against the war and decrease funding for the war
- When elected, Nixon began a process of de-escalation and withdrawal
How many American soldiers died during Vietnam War
Approximately 58 000
How much was America spending every year in the Vietnam War
$167 billion by 1973
What were American attitudes towards the war before 1968
Most people were supportive of the war
What happened to the tone/ attitude of the media towards Vietnam War from 1967/1968
The tone of the media began to change . Journalists began to question whether the ar was winnable and criticized American’s involvement in Vietnam
What did reporter Walter Cronkite say about the war following the Tet Offensive
Walter Cronkite (a famous reporter) declared that he thought the war was unwinnable
