Vietnam War Flashcards
What was so significant about the Vietnam war?
It was the first mass broadcasted war
Define imperialism
The state policy, practice or advocacy of extending power by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other territories and people.
Define colonial powers
Wealthy or powerful nations maintaining or extending its control over other countries
Define guerrilla war tactics
Ambushes, sabotages, raids and hit and run tactics
Who is Ho Chi Minh?
The communist leader in north Vietnam
Who is Diem?
The leader of south Vietnam who was against communism
What was the capital of north Vietnam?
Hanoi
What was the capital of south Vietnam?
Saigon
When were the Geneva accords?
1954
What was the 17th parallel?
The dividing line that separates north Vietnam from south Vietnam?
What is the domino theory?
If Vietnam became communist then other south-east Asian countries would “fall” and become communists as well
What was the gulf of Tonkin incident?
The alleged attack by north Vietnamese patrol boats on U.S ships which led to the gulf of Tonkin resolution which ignited the Vietnam war (1964)
What was the Vietcong?
Vietnamese communist in the south who fought south Vietnamese government and the USA
What was the NLF?
The national liberation front was the resistance to the diem regime (communists and non-communists both formed it)
Give an example of a bombing campaign.
Operation rolling thunder
What is Americanisation?
The increase in US troops in Vietnam.
What was the strategy of attrition?
Kill as many people as possible instead of securing land.
What was the Tet offensive?
The north Vietnamese and Vietcong attacked nearly 30 US targets and dozens of other cities in south Vietnam at once (series of attacks)
What was the My Lai Massacre?
When frustrated US soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians in a small village
Why were there anti-war movement?
The people of America felt:
- The war was expensive for the USA
- First televised war
- Realised US troops were killing innocent people
What was Vietnamization?
The withdrawal of US troops and having over management of war effort to south Vietnamese
What illegal acts was Nixon exposed to have committed in the Pentagon papers?
He expanded the geographic scope of the war by authorising bombing of Laos and Cambodia without US Congress consent.
What were the pentagon papers?
Papers released that exposed the Eisenhower, JFK, Truman and Johnson administrations for lying and misleading US citizens on the US’s involvements in Vietnam
What caused the cease-fire between NV and USA?
Pressured north Vietnam by stepping up bombing.
