Vietnam War: 1955-75

Question 1

Background: Japanese Vietnam (1937-45)

Answer 1

Savage treatment resulted in communist anti-jap movement: Viet Minh

Question 2

Background: French Vietnam (1945-54)

Answer 2

Tried to take control after power vacuum left by collapse of Jap
Resisted by communist Ho Chi Minh and Viet Minh in North (1949 support china)
USA paid $500 million a year to the French
France pulled out after 9 years

Question 3

Background: division of Vietnam

Answer 3

Decided in Geneva agreements 1954: comm north/USA south (17th parallel)
Ngo Dinh Diem: corrupt and unpopular dictator of SVt: USA gave $1.6 million over 1950s
Viet Cong emerges in north to unite both countries under communism

Question 4

Ho Chi Minh

Answer 4

COMMUNIST
Leader of Viet Minh against Japanese and French
Leader of Viet Cong against SVt to unite Vietnam
Leader of Vietnam after 1975
(eg renamed Saigon -> Ho Chi Minh city)

Question 5

CAUSE 1: Geneva Agreements 1954

Answer 5

After France pulls out: Fr/Vt ceasefire organised by UN
North/South divided on 17th Parallel
Elections to be held in 1956 to decide future of country (refused by USA and SVt - communist had support of peasants)

Question 6

CAUSE 2: Actions of Viet Cong

Answer 6

Set up in 1960 by Ho Chi Minh: war hero of WW2
Guerrilla tactics, supported by locals
Attacked government buildings and supplies in SVt

Question 7

Unpopularity of Ngo Dinh Diem

Answer 7

Christian and wanted to spread: most people in SVt were Buddhists -> govt attacked Buddhist shrines
Belonged to Landlord class: treated peasants (most SVt) very badly
Overthrown by his own army in 1963, replaced by equally corrupt leaders

Question 8

CAUSE 3: Kennedy (61-63)

Answer 8

Cautious not to “blunder into war”
Provided huge economic aid, sends military ‘advisors’ to train and support SVt army
Shot in 1963

Question 9

CAUSE 4: Johnson

Answer 9

Kennedy’s successor after 1963
Supported pro-war interests in USA (e.g arm manufacturers…)
More aggressive, more determined for containment: wanted direct military intervention and full-scale conlfict

Question 10

CAUSE 5: Gulf of Tonkin Incident, August 1964

Answer 10

NVt boats fire at US warships
Encourages Congress to pass ‘Gulf Of Tonkin’ resolution to give Johnson FULL POWER
followed by US intervention

Question 11

US military intervention

Answer 11

Feb 1965: Operation Rolling Thunder: bombing campaign with 1M casualties (Ho Chi Minh trail, cities, factories…)
March 1965: 3,500 marines land in Da Nang, SVt
At peak of war: +500,000 US soldiers
60,000 die

Question 12

REASONS for Intervention by USA

Answer 12

‘Domino Theory’: determined to stop spread of comm, military had HUGE budget
Kennedy -> Johnson: change in foreign policy, much more aggressive
‘Military-Industrial Complex’: US businesses that made weapons gained HUGE revenue
Lots of Pro-War interests in USA, defence secretary McNamara encouraged war
Actions of Viet Cong

Question 13

STRENGTH VC: Guerilla Tactics

Answer 13

• ‘hit-&-run’ raids, small groups, no headquarters, no uniform, hard to distinguish
• knew territory: made war unconventional for USA, ambushed
• stayed close to US quarters: they did not risk bombing themselves
• WRECKED MORALE: caused 51% of US casualties

Question 14

STRENGTH VC: Civilian support

Answer 14

• used fear to control them: terror campaign against SVt government, killed 27,000 1966-71
• were everywhere: controlled people
• better to peasants than SVt government, same religion and class
  CIVILIANS VICTIMISED ON BOTH SIDES

Question 15

STRENGTH VC: Supplies

Answer 15

From NVt by Ho Chi Minh Trail
40,000 workers keep it open constantly despite combing
Booby traps cause 11% of US casualties

Question 16

STRENGTH VC: Morale

Answer 16

Consistency destroyed US morale
Refused to give in, committed to fight for their country

Question 17

WEAKNESS USA: Bombing Ineffective

Answer 17

1965-72: carpet bombing, nearly 1M casualties: turned civilians against USA
Bombed Cambodia and Laos to destroy HCM Trail
Moral concerns: superpower against developing country

Question 18

WEAKNESS USA: Poor Tactics

Answer 18

Uninformed raids on unknown territory, inexperienced troops
ATROCIOUS ‘search-and-destroy’: turned public opinion against US worldwide (eg Pinkville 1968)

Question 19

WEAKNESS USA: Chemical Weapons and Atrocities

Answer 19

‘Agent Orange’ & Napalm: 82 Million L used, huge environmental damage
WAR CRIME: illegal, desperate, controversial, counter-productive
Harmed civilians, burned off skin

Question 20

WEAKNESS USA: Low morale

Answer 20

Soldiers went from trained to conscripts as war went on: JOHNSON COMMITMENT TRAP
Knew little, cared little, did not believe SVt was a good country (as opposed to Vc who cared)
Psychologically difficult war
Average age: 19 years, mostly AAs and poorer Americans (wealthy could get out)
Consistency of VC demotivated

Question 21

AMERICAN FAILURE: Tet Offensive, 1968

Answer 21

Huge attack on SV bases by Viet Cong with +100 targets
Ended in failure but showed determination of VC: after 4 years of war against USA still could fight back
Showed US tactics were not working

Question 22

AMERICAN FAILURE: My Lai Massacre, 1968 (pinkville)

Answer 22

500 villagers murdered at gunpoint, no VC found
Lt. Calley responsible but never charged
Investigation launched against army tactics

Question 23

AMERICAN FAILURE: Growth of Peace movement in USA

Answer 23

little censorship of war: mass media portrayed atrocities
US public turned against war: Nov 1969, 700,000 anti-war protesters in W D.C: largest in US history
1960s time of cultural change! Civil rights, women…
Social tension: most fighters were AAs: 30% drafted vs 19% of white americans
(Even lower morale: why fight for a country that hates you?)

Question 24

AMERICAN FAILURE: New president

Answer 24

RICHARD NIXON 1969-74, REP
‘Peace with honour’ 1968 election
Vietnamization: withdraw gradually, train SV
1973 withdrawal from Vt