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Vietnam war Flashcards

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1
Q

What were the key points of the Geneva Accords of 1954?

A

Vietnam was divided at the 17th parallel; elections planned for 1956 to reunify Vietnam.

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2
Q

What was the outcome of the Geneva Accords?

A

The First Indochina War ended, and French colonial rule in Vietnam was terminated.

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3
Q

Why was there Vietnamese discontent over the Geneva Accords?

A

Viet Minh was pressured to accept the partition despite having control over more than half of Vietnam

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4
Q

How did Chinese Premier Zhou influence Ho Chi Minh regarding the Geneva Accords?

A

Zhou convinced Ho Chi Minh that the partition would be a temporary solution, leading to Ho’s reluctant acceptance.

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5
Q

What was the result of the Geneva Accords on Vietnam’s political situation?

A

The conflict continued as tensions between North Vietnam (NV) and South Vietnam (SV) worsened.

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6
Q

Who was Ngo Dinh Diem and what was his role in South Vietnam?

A

Diem was the leader of South Vietnam who feared a communist takeover and sought support from the USA.

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7
Q

Why did national elections, planned for 1956, not occur in Vietnam?

A

The elections were not held as both North and South Vietnam sought to reunify on their own terms.

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8
Q

How did Ho Chi Minh consolidate communist control in North Vietnam?

A

By initiating land reforms and distributing land from landowners to peasants.

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9
Q

What were the weaknesses of Ngo Dinh Diem’s government in South Vietnam?

A

Corruption, nepotism, poor standards of living, and curtailment of freedom of expression.

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10
Q

What was the National Liberation Front (NLF) and when was it established?

A

A broad-based communist organization established in 1960 with the People’s Liberation Armed Forces (PLAF) as its military arm.

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11
Q

What was the primary military tactic used by the Viet Cong?

A

Guerrilla warfare, avoiding large-scale battles and using the Ho Chi Minh Trail for supplies and reinforcements.

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12
Q

How did the Viet Cong sustain their struggle against South Vietnamese forces?

A

By transporting reinforcements and supplies using the Ho Chi Minh Trail, including 40,000 North Vietnamese Army troops between 1961-1963.

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13
Q

What was the purpose of the Strategic Hamlet program initiated by South Vietnam in 1962?

A

To relocate peasants to fortified villages to reduce Viet Cong influence and protect them from being caught in crossfire.

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14
Q

How did the Viet Cong attempt to win support from South Vietnamese peasants?

A

By promising land and addressing grievances against the Diem regime.

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15
Q

How did South Vietnam’s government respond to Viet Cong insurgency?

A

By implementing the Strategic Hamlet program and relying on US military support.

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16
Q

What was the role of China and USSR in supporting North Vietnam?

A

They recognized North Vietnam as the legitimate government and provided assistance in the struggle against South Vietnam.

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17
Q

Why did the Sino-Soviet Split affect North Vietnam’s external support?

A

It forced North Vietnam to balance aid between China and the USSR due to deteriorating relations between the two communist powers.

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18
Q

What were the reasons for Chinese support to North Vietnam?

A

Mao wanted international recognition as a revolutionary leader and was concerned about US influence on China’s border.

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19
Q

Why did the Soviet Union support North Vietnam, especially in the mid-1960s?

A

To assert leadership in the communist world and contest with China, providing increasing arms and supplies.

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20
Q

What was the impact of US military aid on South Vietnam’s government?

A

Despite aid, the government remained weak due to internal issues such as corruption and ineffective military strategies.

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21
Q

What was the Gulf of Tonkin Incident and when did it occur?

A

An attack on USS Maddox by North Vietnamese patrol boats on August 2, 1964, used to justify increased US military involvement.

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22
Q

How did the number of US troops in Vietnam change after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?

A

It increased dramatically from less than 100,000 to 500,000 by the end of Johnson’s presidency.

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23
Q

What were the strengths of US military performance in Vietnam?

A

Superior numbers, manpower, and firepower, including strategic bombing operations like Operation Rolling Thunder.

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24
Q

What were the weaknesses of US performance in Vietnam?

A

Low morale, civilian casualties from “Search and Destroy” missions, and negative media portrayal of US actions.

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25
Q

How did Viet Cong’s guerrilla tactics contribute to their success?

A

Avoided large-scale battles, used the jungle for cover, and gained support from the civilian population.

26
Q

What was the Tet Offensive and when did it occur?

A

A massive surprise attack by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces during the Vietnamese New Year (Tet) in 1968.

27
Q

What was the impact of the Tet Offensive on American public opinion?

A

It turned American public opinion against the war, challenging government claims of imminent victory.

28
Q

How did media coverage affect US perceptions of the Vietnam War by 1968?

A

The media’s portrayal of the war as brutal and unjust contributed to growing anti-war sentiment.

29
Q

What role did Walter Cronkite play in shaping US opinion on the Vietnam War?

A

As a trusted journalist, his criticism of the war influenced public opinion against continued US involvement.

30
Q

What were the anti-war sentiments in the US by 1968?

A

Growing dissatisfaction with the war’s moral justification, fueled by graphic media coverage and atrocities like the My Lai Massacre.

31
Q

What was the My Lai Massacre and when was it revealed?

A

The murder of 350-500 unarmed South Vietnamese civilians by US soldiers, revealed in 1969

32
Q

What were the consequences of the My Lai Massacre on US public opinion?

A

It shocked the public and further fueled anti-war sentiment, questioning the moral integrity of the US military actions.

33
Q

What was Nixon’s approach to the Vietnam War upon taking office?

A

He began a process of de-escalation and Vietnamization, gradually withdrawing US troops and handing over the war to the Vietnamese.

34
Q

How many US troops were withdrawn from Vietnam between April 1969 and end-1971?

A

Approximately 400,000 troops were withdrawn.

35
Q

What was the Paris Peace Accords and when were they signed?

A

An agreement signed in 1973 to end the Vietnam War and restore peace, leading to the final withdrawal of US troops

36
Q

What were the impacts of the Vietnam War on US foreign policy?

A

Revealed moral and ideological weaknesses, failed to contain communism, and weakened the US presidency.

37
Q

How did the Vietnam War affect US ideological credibility?

A

The war demonstrated the moral shortcomings of the US’s anti-communist stance, undermining its ideological superiority.

38
Q

What was the effect of the Vietnam War on the spread of communism in Southeast Asia?

A

The fall of South Vietnam led to the spread of communism to Laos and Cambodia by 1975.

39
Q

How did the Vietnam War impact the US presidency?

A

It led to increased congressional oversight and limitations on presidential war powers, such as the War Powers Act of 1973.

40
Q

What was the War Powers Act of 1973?

A

A law that limited the President’s ability to deploy US military forces without congressional approval.

41
Q

What was the role of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in the Vietnam War?

A

Used by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese to transport supplies and reinforcements to South Vietnam.

42
Q

What was Operation Rolling Thunder?

A

A US bombing campaign aimed at disrupting North Vietnamese supply lines and military targets, starting in 1965.

43
Q

What were the impacts of defoliants and napalm used by the US?

A

Caused long-term health issues for civilians and environmental damage.

44
Q

How did the Viet Cong manage to gain support from South Vietnamese civilians?

A

By addressing grievances, promising land, and respecting the local population.

45
Q

What was the role of the Viet Cong’s guerrilla tactics in their struggle?

A

Allowed them to operate effectively despite their inferior military equipment and evade

46
Q

How did the Tet Offensive impact the Vietnamese cities?

A

Led to extensive damage and destruction, including the ancient city of Hue.

47
Q

What was the impact of the Tet Offensive on US military strategy?

A

Highlighted the limits of US military success and contributed to growing skepticism about the war’s progress.

48
Q

How did the Tet Offensive influence media coverage of the Vietnam War?

A

Increased media criticism of the war and exposed the gap between official statements and on-the-ground realities.

49
Q

What was the significance of the Saigon Execution and Napalm Girl images?

A

They shocked the American public and intensified anti-war sentiment by revealing the brutal realities of the war.

50
Q

What was the political impact of Nixon’s Vietnamization policy?

A

Aimed to reduce US involvement by training and equipping South Vietnamese forces, leading to gradual US troop withdrawals.

51
Q

What were the results of the Paris Peace Accords?

A

Ended direct US military involvement and aimed to restore peace in Vietnam, leading to the final withdrawal of US troops.

52
Q

How did the Vietnam War affect US foreign policy towards Southeast Asia?

A

Demonstrated the limitations of US influence and its inability to prevent the spread of communism in the region.

53
Q

What were the long-term effects of the Vietnam War on US global reputation?

A

damaged its moral and ideological credibility, and exposed weaknesses in its global leadership.

54
Q

What was the significance of the My Lai Massacre in the context of the Vietnam War?

A

It highlighted the severe consequences of US military actions on civilian populations and fueled anti-war protests.

55
Q

How did the US Congress respond to the Vietnam War by the early 1970s?

A

Increased oversight of presidential actions and enacted legislation to limit presidential war powers.

56
Q

What was the impact of Nixon’s impeachment on US involvement in Vietnam

A

Nixon’s impeachment weakened US support for South Vietnam, contributing to the eventual collapse of the South Vietnamese government.

57
Q

How did the Vietnam War impact US domestic politics?

A

Led to greater scrutiny of presidential decisions and increased anti-war sentiment among the American public.

58
Q

What was the strategic goal of US military actions in Vietnam?

A

To contain the spread of communism and support the government of South Vietnam.

59
Q

How did the US strategy in Vietnam evolve over time?

A

Initially focused on direct military engagement, later shifting to Vietnamization and gradual withdrawal.

60
Q

What were the key factors leading to the end of the Vietnam War?

A

The Tet Offensive, media influence, anti-war sentiments, and the Paris Peace Accords.

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