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history USA > Vietnam War 1954-75 > Flashcards

Vietnam War 1954-75 Flashcards

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1
Q

who ruled south vietnam at the beginning

A

bao dai, anti-commie
- controlled by the France
then ngo dinh diem

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2
Q

when did china become commie

A

1949
they started sending supplies, advisers and troops to vietminh

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3
Q

how much of Frances war cost were US paying

A

80% by 1954

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4
Q

what did the Geneva Accords of ‘54 state

A

-temp split in 17th parallel with a DMZ, that no troops could enter
- ho min would run the north from Hanoi
- bao dai would run south form Saigon
- no one could move to other side for 300 days
- no foreign troops could set base in either part of country
- in july 1956, elections to be held

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5
Q

why was diem’s government weak

A
  • still many commies in South
  • other group ie. religious, political, criminal had own supporters and armies
  • diem was a cath, religious clashes common
  • diem was a nepotist, and favored catholics
  • his gov was Saigon based, little respect for villagers
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6
Q

what were South viet army called

A

ARVN

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7
Q

why was Diem’s 1954 election seen as rigged

A

650,000 voted for him in Saigon, despite it only having a population of 450,000

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8
Q

who was the strategic hamlet program under

A

president kennedy

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9
Q

why did france want vietnam/indo-china

A

3rd largest producer of rice
-had materials like coal, rubber
-wanted the resources and wealth

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10
Q

between 1969 and 1971 there was ….. cases of fragging

A

730

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11
Q

1 in 10 american troops addicted to

A

heroin, 20% of the troops

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12
Q

when was the Strategic Hamlet

A

Strat Ham was in 1962

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13
Q

how many arrested and killed under Diem

A

65,000 arrests
2,000 killed

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14
Q

How many corrupt officials did the VC kil?

A

400 +

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15
Q

The VC joined w/ other opp groups to

A

form the NFL (National Liberation Front)

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16
Q

When did Kennedy become President?

A

1961
-inc US advisors in Viet + 16,000 to fight the 12,000 VC, who control half of S.Viet

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17
Q

Battle of Ap Bac

A

1963
ARVN lost despite massive military support from US

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18
Q

Who was Quang Duc

A

1963,
Self-immolated on streets of Saigon as protest of Diems treatment of Bhuds
-In response, Diem raided and shut temples

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19
Q

Kennedy’s aims in Vietnam:

1
Hunt down the VC and destroy them
2
Gain support of the local people

A

Hunt down the VC and destroy them

Gain support of the local people

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20
Q

China sent $….. mil dollars in aid to SV, using …..

A

-$100 mill
-Ho Chi Minh trail

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21
Q

Johnson inc no. of advisors to SV to …

A

200,000

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22
Q

When did Gulf of Tokin happen?
-ships involved
-outcomes

A

-1964
-USS Maddox
-Us had been using their ships to allow ARVN to attack North along Gulf of Tonkin, angering them
-three torpedo boats from N attacked Maddox, fire back
-Johnson ordered air strike on NV
-Gulf Of T Res.

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23
Q

what did the gulf of tonkin resolution do?

A

-allowed Johnson to stop further attacks w/o permission from Congress or declaring war
-J didn’t wanna declare war -> would anger USSR & China
-but could send in troops so same effect

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24
Q

how long was the Trail? why couldn’t US stop it?

A

600 miles
-went through Laos & Cambodia, couldn’t declare war against other countries

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25
Q

…% of US casualties caused by traps

A

19%

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26
Q

Viet War cost the US $… billion while bombing.
…….. killed

A

4 billion
90,000

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27
Q

Tactics of US:

A

-napalm
-pineapple bombs: sprayed pellets when exploded, like bullets

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28
Q

The S&D attacks made …. million SV refugees

A

4 million

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29
Q

Operation Cedar Falls 1967

A

Search and destroy:
The US burnt down villages for three weeks, killing 750 VC.

Despite some early successes in finding and killing VC fighters, as soon as the US troops left the VC returned to the area.

The attacks made 4 million South Vietnamese into refugees from the violence, making the US and South Vietnamese government even more unpopular.

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30
Q

Operation Ranch Hand:

A

Agent Orange attacks 1964-71

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31
Q

What was the Tet Offensive

A

1968
84,000 communist troops attacked southern cities on 30th January, when there was the Tet ceasefire.
Most famously, the city of Hue was captured, and the US embassy in Saigon was taken for 6 hours.
Attack in Saigon, beaten by US troops in 2 days, and within 3 weeks Hue was reclaimed.

32
Q

How many commie troops attacked at Tet

A

84,000
They took Hue, but it was taken back by US in three weeks

33
Q

VC victory from Tet:

A

lost 45,000 men
-but proved they could launch huge surprise attack
-only lasting victory: could use it in propaganda

34
Q

How many protesters led from Tet

A

150,000
Peace talks started in 1968

35
Q

Who was the new president in 1969?

A

Nixon

36
Q

Troop withdrawal in 1969:

A

Nixon decreased troops in Vietnam by 25,000
-started to withdraw them from July 1969 onward

37
Q

Who was in charge of the ARVN training

A

General Abrams

38
Q

Aim of Vietnamisation :

A

to allow the US to ‘withdraw with Honour’

39
Q

Attacks on Cambodia 1970

A

1970, pro-American army general Lon Nol took over Cabodia.
VC had joined w/ Cambodian commie guerilla fighters, used the trail to supply
To help, Nixon ordered secret bombings of the trail Cambodia, and 50,000 ARVN and 30,000 US troops
Knew it would be unpopular, so he limited them to 19 miles over the border, and they had to withdraw by end of June
11,000 commies killed, but VC continued to use trail in Laos
Nol’s gov stayed in power
Huge damage to trails, weapons and supplies captured

40
Q

How many troops did Nixon order to invade Cambodia ‘70

A

50,000 ARVN & 30,000 US troops

41
Q

Effects of Cambodia in US

A

-public outrage and protests
-Congress cancelled Gulf Of Tonkin Resolution, called for Vietnamisation to be sped up
-limited military funding

42
Q

1971, ARVN asked for US to provide air support to invade Laos with …… troops

A

21,000

43
Q

Attack at Tchepone 1971

A

NV raised 36,000 troops to attack Tchepone, which ARNV took over
-ARVN retreated, many casualties despite air support
-made people think Vietnamisation will never work as ARVN were incompetent

44
Q

Bombing of North Viet 1972:

A

-120,000 NV and VC surprise attacked 3 US bases
-ARVN managed to repel with air support
-in retaliation, Operation Linebacker: heavy-bombing of NV ordered
-bombs and mines dropped
-mines in the harbors blockaded USSR & Chinese supplies
-nearly all of NV war industry & supply routes, communication and radio networks destroyed,
-USSR & China urged NV to reach peace settlement

45
Q

Which two cities did Linebacker target?

A

Hanoi and Haiphong

46
Q

How many cases of fragging were there in 1970?

A

Officers who tried to force soldiers to fight were killed by their own men in a practice called ‘fragging’.
There were 209 cases of fragging in 1970.

47
Q

Drug use with American soldiers

A

Drug use also became a huge problem, with 35,000 soldiers apparently addicted to heroin and marijuana.

48
Q

How many ARVN deserted during Vietnamisation?

A

150,500 ARVN deserted during Vietnamisation

49
Q

Reasons for failure of Vietnamisation?

A

> Fragging, low morale
Drug use
Corruption and theft
Desertion of ARVN
Poor training and foreign manuals of weapons
Lack of funding

50
Q

General Opposition to the war:

A

-High death toll affecting families of soldiers
-Bombing in Cambodia and Laos
-Events such as Tet Offensive
-Increased taxes to pay for war
-Ethical objections:
From 1964 to 1973, the U.S. dropped more than 2.5M tons of ordnance on Laos during 580,000 bombing sorties

51
Q

Lies and opposition

A

-Public started to realise they weren’t being told the truth about the war
-Tet Offensive declared as victory, but CBS reporter showed reality of the stalemate

52
Q

The student movement

A

-gained recognition for being white-middle class who rejected parents’ values
-wanted social change
-‘counter culture’ emerging
-many opposed to the draft
-increased to 8.5 mill in 1970

53
Q

Only …….. men of the 2.6 million who fought for Viet were draftees

A

650,000

54
Q

Around …… men left the USA illegally or went into hiding

A

Around 50,000 men left the USA illegally or went into hiding

55
Q

Students for Democratic Society:

A

Students for Democratic Society had 3,000 members across 80 campuses by 1965

56
Q

Describe the Mai Lai Massacre 1968

A

-Charlie Company sent to Mai Lai to get rid of the VC
-No VC, only women, children and elderly
-Americans raped and killed the inhabitants, at least 350, possibly 500 and all their animals
-after stopping to eat lunch they returned to base
-an army photographer, Sgt Ron Haeberle, documented the events
-Army claimed to have killed 128 VC and destroyed base

-Photos of massacre released by CBS news, people horrified, knowing information was being withheld

57
Q

When was the Mai Lai Massacre?

A

The Mai Lai Massacre was in 1968

58
Q

How many murders was Lt Calley found guilty of?
What was the outcome?

A

-Calley claimed he was following orders from above, proven right
-Only convicted for 22 murders
-He got life, but only served 3 years house arrest

-35 newspapers had reported 500 murders in My Lai, public outcry

59
Q

Kent State shooting summary:

A

-4 days after Nixon declared Cambodia invasion, student protst w/ 500 students buried copies of US constitution
-Fighting betw/ protesters and supporters
-1000+ students in demonstration, officer training corps burnt down
-900 National Guardsmen, armed w/ rifles and tear gas
-NG opened fire after 2000 people still protested and violence (students threw tear gas canisters and bricks at the NG)
-4 students killed, 9 injured

-Public outcry because they were white, but when 2 black students shot at Jackson State Uni, little publicity

60
Q

How did limited war affect chances of winning for the US?

A

The limited war needed to avoid conflict w/ USSR & China made it impossible for the US to defeat the N.V.’s

61
Q

How much did the war cost in total?

A

$167 billion in total, much more than expected

62
Q

After the invasion of Cambodia, Congress:

A

-Limited military funding.
-Repealed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.
-Set a cut-off date for troops in Cambodia as 30th June 1970.
-Set a date for the total withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam as December 1971.

63
Q

Reason for support of war: The ‘Red Scare’

A

-After WW2, nas beginning od Cold War, Americans feared a commie revolution, they were driven out of jobs, houses and arrested
-Wanted to stop communism
-Viet War was a flashpoint in the Cold War

64
Q

Reason for support: Patriotism

A

-love and loyalty to USA; why many soldiers volunteered
-didn’t want to lose face and look weak

65
Q

Who were the Hard Hats

A

-construction workers; supporters
-beat up an anti-war protests in 1970, police didn’t try to stop it
-2 days later, held their own pro-war rally outside City Hall, 60,000 attended

66
Q

Silent Majority

A

-Poll showed 77% supported the war
-Nixon made a speech in ‘69 appealing to SM to show their support
-Over next few days, 80,000 telegrams came in to W.H showing support

-Congress passed resolution approving Nixon’s actions;
-He could show NV his support persuading them to reach settlement
-Allowed ‘peace with honor’ negotiation

67
Q

What was political support of the war like?

A

-Congress became less supportive (cost of war), but kept funding because military were saying victory was close, and they didn’t want to lose face
-After 1970 funding was limited

68
Q

Peace Negotiations:

A

US said they would negotiate at any time but independent SV must be guaranteed
-NV said they would too but expected commie Gov to be elected and a united Viet

-US planned talks w/ USSR & China, NV feared losing w/o allies so agreed to talk w/ US

69
Q

In 1972, the North launched

A

Easter Offensive
-US beat it but it was still a shock
-Showed war could drag on for years

70
Q

The Paris Peace Accords 1973:

A

-Accept reunification of Vietnam
-Declared immediate ceasefire
-US had to withdraw military and equipment in 60 days
-Had to aid w/ reconstruction
-No interference w/ Vietnam
-Had to return all war prisoners

71
Q

1974 Attack:

A

-VC became popular w/ locals again
-Theiu was frustrating everyone with his lack of negotiation
-NV attacked in 74’, ARVN couldn’t fend off attack, no help arrived like Congress promised in case of attack, only funding for evac. of US citizens
-Saigon fell in 75’

72
Q

Human cost of V.W

A

-58,000 dead
-300,000 wounded
-75,000 severely disabled
-850,000 severe psychological problems

Returning Soldiers received hostility

73
Q

Strengths of NV

A

-Many NV fighters from SV before Geneva, so had connections they could use
-Knew about the tunnel system that was built during war w/ France
-China and USSR sent $3 billion in aid
-Trails in L & C; hard for US to stop w/o starting more wars

74
Q

Weaknesses of US

A

-had to use interpreters; hard to gain local support
-racist attitudes
-didn’t understand customs; locals didn’t want to leave land where ancestors were buried
-many V’s saw US as another French-like occupation
-US backed SV Gov always corrupt
-Home Opposition

-drafted soldiers only stayed a year then left, most experienced gone
-burning villages built resentment
-lack of training against guerrilla tactics
-fragging

75
Q

Chinese support

A

China sent over 320,000 troops to NV

76
Q

Great Society

A

Because of expenditure in the war, home local interests were not met
Johnson’s ‘Great Society’ scheme lacked funding for the inequality and racial divisions.

history USA (2 decks)

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