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Vietnam war Flashcards

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1
Q

What happened during the first Indochina war?

A

Japan invaded Vietnam during WW2
Vietnam independent country in 1945 - Ho Chi Minh president
French reinvaded 1946
By 1954 US had given French 3 billion to fight Vietminh
Vietminh fought back
Communist China helped Vietminh with training and supplies
Lasted 1946 - 54

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2
Q

What happened in the battle of Dien Bien Phu?

A

Spring 1954 - French air base surrounded by 50000 Vietminh
Vietminh bombed runway and trapped French troops
French ran out of supplies
Surrendered 7th May 1954
New French Prime minister withdrew from Vietnam

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3
Q

What was agreed at the Geneva conference?

A

Divided along 17th parallel
Ho Chi Minh - North
Ngo Dinh Diem - South
a general election will be held before July 1956

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4
Q

How did Diem create tension?

A

Pushing peasants off their land
Nepotism
Punishing those who oppose them
calling an election in October 1955 - a year earlier than agreed

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5
Q

How did Buddhists respond to Diem’s persecution?

A

1963 self immolation of Buddhist Quang Duc

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6
Q

Civil war - those against Diem

A

Formed resistance groups in jungle
Many joined NLF - support from Ho Chi Minh
smuggled equipment down Ho Chi Minh trail

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7
Q

Civil war - those in support of Diem

A

ARVN had money + weapons due to support from US
US gave fighter jets, helicopters and training
US launched propaganda scheme against communism

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8
Q

What was Eisenhower’s involvement in the Vietnam war?

A

Invited South Vietnam to join SEATO
Sent CIA agents to Saigon to gather information
Used propaganda to gain support for Diem
Gave supplies, money and military equipment
Sent military advisors to train ARVN
Tried to get Diem to carry out land reforms
Did not force Diem to hold and election

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9
Q

What was Kennedy’s involvement in Vietnam?

A

Did not tell media about American involvement because of public opinion
Increased money given to ARVN - 20000 more soldiers by end of 1961
Increased military experts in Vietnam
300 helicopter pilots were sent to South Vietnam to transport ARVN pilots
Did not stop coup against Diem
Supported Strategic Hamlet programme

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10
Q

What were the Strategic Hamlet Programme?

A

Introduced by Diem in 1962
Described to help peasants defend themselves against Vietcong
Actually a way of cutting off support from Vietcong
Entire villages were moved to strategic hamlets surrounded by barbed wire and ditches
Programme backfired due to many villagers being angry
Increased support for Vietcong

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11
Q

What happened on the 3rd August 1964?

A

Three North Vietnamese torpedo boats head towards the USS Maddox. The Maddox fires at the boats and they fire three missiles back. US jets sink one of the boats and damage the other two.

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12
Q

What happened on the 4th August 1964?

A

Report comes from the Maddox saying North Vietnam will launch another attack.
US captain who raised alarm says he isn’t sure if attack is taking place as his men aren’t reading sonar properly.
Johnson launches attack on North Vietnam anyway.

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13
Q

What happened on the 7th August 1964?

A

US government approves Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Johnson now has power to take any military action necessary to defend South Vietnam and stop spread of communism.

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14
Q

When did Operation Rolling Thunder begin?

A

13th February 1965

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15
Q

What was operation rolling thunder?

A

Continuous bombing of NV government buildings
Aims to reduce morale and weaken support for Ho Chi Minh
Meant to last 8 weeks - lasted three years
Dropped nearly one million tonnes of bombs
Number of US marines increased to 200,000 by end of 1965

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16
Q

What were guerrilla tactics?

A 
Retreat when your enemy attacks
Attack when your enemy retreats
Raid enemy camps whenever you can
Don't wear uniform
Work in small groups
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17
Q

How did Vietcong use the Ho Chi Minh trail?

A

Vital supply route that ran through Laos and Cambodia
Ran through thick jungle - hard to find
Porters carried supplies
New tracks kept opening up - hard to destroy
By end of war, porters could go from North Vietnam to Saigon in six weeks.

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18
Q

What was hanging on the belts?

A

Vietcong travelled light and dressed like ordinary peasants
Carried AK-47 assault rifles
Stayed close to Americans and ambushed them
Close action was called hanging on the belts
Approximately 51% of casualties were caused by ambushes

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19
Q

The Vietcong tunnel system?

A

Vietcong moved underground to make it harder for US
Tunnel system stretched 300 km under the jungle
Easier to ambush the enemy
System had hospitals, workshops, bedrooms and kitchens

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20
Q

How did Vietcong set booby traps?

A

Punji traps were sharpened bamboo stakes hidden in shallow pits and covered with leaves
Sometimes covered in animal or human excrement
Bouncing Betty mines exploded one metre from ground to target stomach and groin

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21
Q

How did the Vietcong use violence and propaganda?

A

Vietcong attacked government and public workers
Between 1966 and 1971, Vietcong killed 27,000 civilians
Propaganda posters for Vietcong posted everywhere

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22
Q

What were search and destroy missions?

A

US soldiers searched villages to find Vietcong
They burnt and destroyed whole villages if there were suspected Vietcong
Raids were known as ‘zippo raids’
Removed any Vietcong bases that were discovered

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23
Q

What were cluster bombs?

A

Designed to explode and release 600 smaller bombs

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24
Q

How did US use chemical warfare?

A

Agent Orange was a toxic chemical that caused cancer and deformities in unborn children
Napalm burned through jungle but also skin and bones

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25
Q

US conscription of troops?

A

Average age was 19
One year tour of duty
Many US troops mistakenly killed peasants

26
Q

What was the impact of US tactics?

A

Supply routes along the Ho Chi Minh trail were never disrupted long enough for US army to get upper hand
Tunnel systems remained intact
USA unpopular with Vietnamese peasants
Support for Vietcong increased

27
Q

What was the TET offensive?

A

30th January 1968 - temporary ceasefire in honour of TET

Vietcong broke ceasefire and attacked towns, cities, US military bases and the US embassy in Saigon

28
Q

Why did the TET offensive happen?

A

The Vietcong wanted to inspire the people of South Vietnam to rise up against government and US forces
They hoped US public would withdraw support if they saw US forces being defeated

29
Q

How did the TET offensive happen?

A

The Vietcong had been launching smaller attacks away from the major cities to make sure there were fewer US troops in Saigon
For months the Vietcong had been piling up weapons in homes around Saigon

30
Q

What was the US reaction to the TET offensive?

A

US forces regained control of towns and cities quickly
They used advanced technology and training
They killed 10,000 fighters and 50,000 North Vietnamese

31
Q

What was the TET offensive’s impact on US military?

A

Used a lot of artillery and air power in response
War was costing $30 billion a year
Over 300 troops were being killed every week

32
Q

What was the TET offensive’s impact on US public?

A

Fuelled anti-war movement as events were seen on TV and in newspapers
Vietcong seemed strong as they were able to easily attack the US embassy in Saigon
Ancient monuments and cities were destroyed; huge numbers of civilians killed - US citizens did not want to be associated with this destruction

33
Q

What happened in early March 1968?

A

The US army had heard reports that a Vietcong base with around 200 fighters was located in the My Lai area. Task force Barker was ordered to go on a search and destroy mission there.

34
Q

What happened during the My Lai massacre?

A

16th March 7:30am - troops landed and started firing at villagers. Anyone who tried to run was shot or stabbed
Three armed Vietcong were spotted and killed at the start, but none were found by the Charlie company.
There was no armed retaliation from the village, who were mostly women, children and the elderly
Colonel Barker said 128 Vietcong had been killed
Helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson reported seeing more than 100 civilians dead.
Charlie company was praised for its actions

35
Q

How did people find out about the My Lai Massacre?

A

A young soldier wrote to politicians a year later.

William Calley was the only one to go to prison.

36
Q

What was the impact of My Lai?

A

US citizens were confused about the aims of the war
People began to mistrust those running the army
The anti-war movement grew
500,000 protested in Washington in 1969
Investigations exposed low morale of US troops

37
Q

How did US tactics change public opinion?

A

Operation Rolling Thunder increased an anti-war feeling

People did not support the aggressive bombing of North Vietnam

38
Q

How did the role of TV change public opinion?

A

First televised war
People saw victims of napalm, search and destroy and Agent Orange
Saw US soldiers being injured or killed

39
Q

How did the draft change public opinion?

A

Many men became ‘draft dodgers’

Some publicly burned their draft cards as a form of protest

40
Q

How did the cost of the war change public opinion?

A

1967 - war was costing $30 billion a year
15,000 killed and 110,000 wounded
Many were now addicted to drugs

41
Q

How did the civil rights movement change public opinion?

A

Martin Luther King spoke out against the war in 1967
Muhammad Ali also spoke out
Johnson should focus on his promise of a great society

42
Q

What was Vietnamisation?

A

Vast sums of money was given to equip the ARVN against Vietcong
The ARVN would be trained to a high standard
US soldiers could return home
By the end of the year 85,000 of 540,000 troops had returned home

43
Q

What happened in the attack on Laos?

A

8th February 1971 - ARVN troops attacked North Vietnamese troops in Laos
Supported by US helicopters, bombers and artillery
Attack was a failure
Communists in Laos gained more support

44
Q

What happened during the bombing of Cambodia?

A

March 1969 - Nixon gave permission for the bombing of Cambodia
Tried to keep it a secret
April 1970 - ordered invasion of Cambodia by US troops
Called for 150,000 more US soldiers in Vietnam
Khmer Rouge gained more support due to US tactics

45
Q

When did the US and USSR meet?

A

1970

46
Q

When did the US and China meet?

A

February 1972

47
Q

What happened during the Kent state massacre?

A

3000 people gathered at the university - 4th May 1970
National guardsmen shot bullets into the crowd
4 dead
9 injured

48
Q

How did negative news stories influence public opinion?

A

There were more stories of US defeats
There were stories about the poor morale and behaviour of troops
June 1971, New York times leaked secret reports stating that the government had been lying about their involvement in the war
Life magazine published the names and faces of all 242 troops that had been killed in one week in June 1969

49
Q

What were Nixon’s strategies?

A

Vietnamisation
Pressure of South Vietnam leaders to make a deal with North Vietnam
Kissinger negotiations
Bombing of supply routes in Cambodia and Laos

50
Q

How long did the public peace talks last?

A

Started January 1969

Ended December 1969

51
Q

When was the Paris Peace Accord signed?

A

27th January 1973

52
Q

When did Saigon fall to communism?

A

April 1975

Renamed Ho Chi Minh city

53
Q

What was the financial cost of the war?

A

The US reportedly spent over $170 billion
Similar amount paid in benefits and pensions to veterans
Vietnam was made poorer - many suffered from starvation

54
Q

What was the impact of financial costs?

A

Johnson had promised social reforms to make a “Great Society”
He had to divert money to help with the war

55
Q

What was the environmental cost to Vietnam?

A

1964 - 73, 7 million tonnes of bombs dropped on Vietnam

Agent Orange destroyed farmland and can still cause cancer

56
Q

What was the cost to US reputation?

A

Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos became communist
US actions during war turned public opinion
Damaged US claim of freedom and peace

57
Q

What was the cost to Vietnam’s reputation?

A

Continued to face hostility from US
Ford opposed Vietnam joining UN - isolated from community
Many who lived in the South resented communist rule

58
Q

What was the human cost to the US?

A

58,000 killed during war
300,000 were wounded
Many returning home faced negative reactions
Many were affected psychologically and had developed drug addictions

59
Q

What was the human cost to Vietnam?

A

One million Vietnamese soldiers killed - two million wounded
Two million civilians killed - five million wounded
Eleven million became refugees
100,000 children born out of relationships between US soldiers and local Vietnamese women

60
Q

What happened to refugees?

A

One million left when communists took over in 1975
Known as boat people
Finally settled in North America and European countries

History (5 decks)

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