Vietnam Mock

Question 1

What was Dien bien Phu

Answer 1

The viet minh attacked the french government (funded by the USA) in Vietnam.

Question 2

What was the outcome of Dien Bien phu

Answer 2

The French were defeated by viet minh and the geneva accords were agreed. This was an agreement that Vietnam was to be split into North vietnam (communist) and South Vietnam (anti communist). Elections for a united vietnam was to be held later

Question 3

What was the domino theory

Answer 3

USA believed that if Vietnam became communist many other southeast asian countries would also fall into communism

Question 4

Who were the ARVN

Answer 4

The army of south vietnam

Question 5

What was the Ho Chi Minh Trail

Answer 5

Dirt paths through Laos and Cambodia used by North Vietnam to supply VC in the south.

Question 6

Who is Ngo Diem

Answer 6

The unpopular South Vietnamese leader who won a fixed election

Question 7

Who were the National liberal front

Answer 7

Formed to organize political opposition to Diem

Question 8

Who tried to overthrow Diem

Answer 8

South vietnamese army leaders, Diem blamed the USA. However, the US tried to convince him to be more democratic

Question 9

What were the strategic hamlet programmes

Answer 9

This was an attempt to stop Vietcong from using sympathetic southern villagers to help them hide in the countryside. Vietnamese peasants were removed from their villages and made to live in defended strategic hamlets in loyal areas.

Question 10

Why was the strategic hamlet program unsuccessful

Answer 10

Destroyed peasents lives because many did not want to leave their homes. Suortages of food caused starvation

Question 11

What was the battle of Ap Bac, and what did it show?

Answer 11

The ARVN lose to VC despite outnumbering them heavily. Showed that even with US support the south was losing the war.

Question 12

How did Diem lose power in 1963

Answer 12

The USA realised that he will not make an impact so withdrew their support of him. He was eventualls overthrown by ARVN and was assassinated

Question 13

What was the gulf of tonkin incident

Answer 13

In August 1964 it was alleged that North Vietnamese patrol boats had fired on two US warships in the Gulf of Tonkin (located off the coast of northern Vietnam and southern China). Congress granted Johnson the support he needed to ‘take all necessary measures’ to prevent further aggression against the USA.

Question 14

What wad the gulf of tonking resolution

Answer 14

After the incident the congress gave Johnson more power in the war.

Question 15

What were the Vietcongs main tactics

Answer 15

. Hit and run ambushes

. Sabotage and distrupt enemy supplies

. Stayed close to US troops (could not be bombed)

. Used complex tunnel network

. Dressed like ordinary people

. Simple ambush traps

. Used light weapons and equiptment

Question 16

US tactics in Vietnam

Answer 16

. Operation rolling thunder - bombing campaigns over the north. Targeted HCM trail

. Search and destroy - search jungles for vc camps, helicopters then bomb or spray chemicals. Chemical spraying harmed ordinary people (turned them against USA).

. Operation Ranch Hand - chemicals used to kill crops and make VC bases easy to find. Over 3000 villages sprayed - affecting villagers health.

Question 17

What were the secret bombings and invasion of cambodia, 1970?

Answer 17

The US had been secretly bombing the HCM trail in Cambodia since 1969. The US and ARVN then invaded to save cambodia from communist Guerillas. Congress opposed this and called for less US support

Question 18

What was vietnamisation

Answer 18

During the peace negotiations in 1969, Nixon’s plan to secure ‘peace with honour’ became clear. His policy was called ‘Vietnamisation’, which involved: the gradual withdrawal of US troops from South Vietnam

Question 19

Why did the US invade Laos

Answer 19

To defeat communist groups and destroy the trail. The ARVN eventually retreated and the trail remained secure

Question 20

What was the easter offensive

Answer 20

North vietnamese launched an attack on the south which was successful at first, but eventually pushed back by the ARVN and the Us

Question 21

What was operation linebacker

Answer 21

USA bomings on major cities, such as Hanoi, which damaged industry supplies and communication. Made the USSR urge the North to look for a peace settlement.

Question 22

Who were the counter culture movement

Answer 22

Those who refused to live by the cultural rules of their society, mostly students. Lots of media coverage since they were white and middle class

Question 23

Who were the students for a democratic society

Answer 23

Highly significant student group, they opposed the war and openly supported north vietnam

Question 24

Why was the draft such an issue

Answer 24

. Poorly trained young men went to war
. Mainly poor families and minorities were targeted
. It was easier for richer people to avoid the draft

Question 25

How did some avoid the draft

Answer 25

. College students could delay until graduation . Family's only son was exempt . Certain workers and people with influence were exempt

Question 26

How did TV coverage influence opinion of the war

Answer 26

. Showed American footage and documentaries of the war - which were quite disturbing. . Anti war protests on TV . Lost faith in the government since they felt information was being hidden from them . Exposed the true horrors of the war . Showed the vietnamese were not actually weak - which was the reason that most Americans initially suported the war

Question 27

What happened at the my Lai massacre

Answer 27

The charlie company, led by Calley, did a search and destroy mission in My Lai village. They declared the mission as successful with '20 accidental deaths'. However, soon it came to light that there were hundreds of innocent, unarmed civilians killed

Question 28

What happened to calley and how did the public react

Answer 28

He was sentenced to the murder of '22 civilians', however many thought this was unjust and that he was the one scapegoat of the corrupt military actions.

Question 29

What were the kent state shootings

Answer 29

After Nixons invasion of Cambodia, many demonstrations and protests took place. When officials banned a demonstration at Kent state it was ignored and many students became hostile towards the national gaurd. The gaurds opened fire and killed four students (two of which were innocent passers by)

Question 30

Why did political opposition to the war increase during the 70s

Answer 30

. Many politicians were pacifists . Many saw the war as unwinnable . It cost a huge amount of money ($167bn) . Had a big impact on cold war and international relations . Severely damaged reputation of the US abroad

Question 31

How did congress show their opposition to the war

Answer 31

. Repealed Gulf of Tonkin Resolution . Limited funding of troops . Set the date for final withdrawal

Question 32

What were the silent majority

Answer 32

Those that supported the war but did not campaign for or against the war.

Question 33

What was the hard hat riot 1970

Answer 33

. At a new york protest construction workers beat up anti war protestors. . The hard hatters led many pro war rallys . Police did little to stop the beatings of the anti war protestors. . Believed the mayor was not tough enough on anti war protestors

Question 34

Reasons for support of the war

Answer 34

. Patriotism - if US lost they would seem less powerful. Did not want to let country down. . Silent majority . Fear of communism - seen as anti christ. Belief in domino theory . The hard hatters.