vietnam war 1960s

Question 1

What did Kennedys foreign policy initiatives focus on?

Answer 1

His foreign policy initiatives focused on the strategy of flexible response in which argued that the USAs non- nuclear capabilities should be expanded as this would reduce the threat of a nuclear war and would allow the USA to react to a wide range of threats such as insurgency and subversion. Kennedy believed that this flexible response would stop the constraints that had been caused by the massive retaliation policy. It has clear implications for Vietnam , as communist lead insurgency in SV threatened to spread beyond SV. Kenedy backed counterinsurgency measures delivered by conventional ground forces.

Question 2

When did Kennedy send General Taylor and Walt Roscow to Vietnam and what did their report recommend?

Answer 2

. In November 1961, Kennedy sent General Taylor and the Chair of the State Planning Department Policy Committee, Walt Roscow, to assess the situation in Vietnam. They presented a report which included the following recommendations:
-an increase in the helicopter force in order to facilitate counterinsurgency actions
-greater training support for the South Vietnamese Army.
-an increase in the numbers of US combat forces
-Some strategic bombings of North Vietnam
The report recommended sending up to 10,000 US ground troops. Kennedy chose to adopt a compromise position on the report. He remained committed to counterinsurgency rather than sending in ground troops but he did see the validity of strengthening the South Vietnamese Army.

Question 3

When was the strategic hamlet programme introduced and what was it intention?

Answer 3

It was introduced in 1961 through Operation Sunrise. The intention was that it would isolate Vietnamese peasants away from the Vietcong so that the USA could spread their own influence.

Question 4

By the end of 1962 how many strategic hamlets were there and how many people were within these hamlets?

Answer 4

By 1962, the regime claimed that over 4 million people were in strategic hamlets. By the end of 1962, there were over 3000 such hamlets

Question 5

Why was the Strategic Hamlet Programme a failure?

Answer 5

The strategic Hamlet Programme was largely a failure as in reality it often led to improved recruitment of the peasants into the Vietcong. Corrupt officials who fraudulently took money meant for medical aid, irrigation projects, fertiliser and seed which further alienated the increasingly disaffected peasants. The scheme was flawed because it was almost impossible to isolate Vietcong agents from the hamlets.

Question 6

What happened with Diems assassination in 1963?

Answer 6

On November 1st 1963, South Vietnamese rebel generals activated a military coup against Diem and his regime. The next day, Diem and Nhu were assassinated. On November 6th, Lodge said to Kennedy that the coup was a purely Vietnamese affair. However, while the USA was unable to manage the coup, he acknowledged that without the USA it could not be initiated.

Question 7

What were Johnsons aims within Vietnam?

Answer 7

Johnsons primary aims in Vietnam were to achieve a quick victory without the need to commit the USA to a major escalation of its role in Vietnam

Question 8

When did Johnson approve OPLAN34A and what did it do?

Answer 8

In Jan 1964, Johnson agreed to the implementation of OPLAN34A. This was a strategy based on covert action steadily escalating pressure

Question 9

How did Johnson continue with Kennedys approach?

Answer 9

He continued with Kennedys approach by increasing the number of military advisers from 16,300 to 23,300 in 1964 and stuck to the counterinsurgency approach as favoured by Kennedy.

Question 10

What was the Gulf of Tonkin resolution?

Answer 10

News reached the USA of an attack on a US navy vessel by a North Vietnamese force in the Gulf of Tonkin on the USS Maddox and C Turner Joy in the Gulf of Tonkin. In response to this, on 7th August 1964, congress agreed upon a decision. It presented Johnson with the power to take whatever action he felt necessary to resist any armed attacks on US forces in Vietnam and to prevent any further aggression. This allowed Johnson absolute freedom to conduct whatever policy he wanted in Vietnam without consulting congress.

Question 11

Why was the situation in 1964 detoriating for the US in Vietnam?

Answer 11

-China agreed to provide military supplies to North Vietnam
-The USSR established firm diplomatic relations with the NLF and set up a permanent mission in Moscow, in addition, military equipment was sent to help North Vietnam.
-The bombing campaigns to the Gulf of Tonkin incident had failed to bolster South Vietnams government. There was a rise in anti-American feelings amongst the population, both rural and urban.
-The ARVN was experiencing low morale due to poor leadership, inadequate training and low pay.

Question 12

Why did Operation Rolling Thunder emerge in 1965 and why did the first combat troops arrive at Danang in 1965?

Answer 12

After Vietcong attacks on a US army barracks and helicopter base in Pleiku, Johnson ordered Operation Rolling Thunder. This was a bombing campaign that progressed in the years 1965-1968 which marked the start of the Americanisation of the war and its escalation in terms of US involvement. In addition to operation rolling thunder, the first US combat troops arrived near Danang in March 1965.

Question 13

What did North Vietnam offer in their 4 point proposal?

Answer 13

US troops must withdraw from South Vietnam, in accordance with the Geneva agreements
-Neither North and South Vietnam may enter into any military alliance with a foreign power during the temporary divide of Vietnam, in accordance with the Geneva agreement.
-South Vietnams internal affairs must be settled by the people of South Vietnam.
-The peaceful reunification of Vietnam must be settled only by the people of both zones.

Question 14

why did Johnson reject the 4 point proposal and what did he order instead?

Answer 14

Johnson rejected the proposals out of hand as he believed that acceptance may have lead to a unified and communist Vietnam. Instead he ordered two marine battalions, an air squadron and 20,000 troops to be deployed in Vietnam. He publicly announced his decision to escalate the USAs military intervention in 1965. By July 1965, the USA had deployed 75,000 ground troops in Vietnam. The North Vietnamese saw this as a clear indication that the USA was not merely preparing for the defence of the South.

Question 15

By July 1965 how many ground troops were there in Vietnam?

Answer 15

By July 1965, the USA had deployed over 75,000 ground troops in Vietnam.

Question 16

When did the first significant engagemnet between the North and the South happen and what happened?

Answer 16

In November 1965, the first significant engagement between both sides happened. The USA suffered with 300 dead whilst the North had between 2000-3000 fatalities. Both sides saw the battle as a victory , the USA because they had a large number of fatalities and the North Vietnamese because they had held their position.

Question 17

When was the My Lai massacre?

Answer 17

In 1968. Over 500 people were killed in this search and destroy mission by Charlie company. This was ordered by Lt Calley, who received a life sentence for it but was parolled 3 years later.

Question 18

When was Operation Ranchhand approved and what did it involve?

Answer 18

Kennedy in 1962 had approved Operation Ranch hand which involved spraying chemicals whose purpose was to defoliate the jungles and thereby remove the cover of the enemy. The chemical used was Agent Orange. Another deadly chemical, Agent Blue was also used by the USA which was sprayed over the crops in order to deprive the enemy of food. This was used in order to further isolate the peasants whose crops and livelihoods were destroyed by the Guerilla warfare. The Americans also dropped “pineapple bombs” which caused thousands of small pellets to be freed in the explosion, harming civilians. A further weapon used was napalm which was a gel that was spread over large areas, which burnt and scalded civilians.

Question 19

Search and destroy missions

Answer 19

This was a primary strategy of the US military leadership in Vietnam from 1965 to 1968 and its success was measured by the number of enemy dead.

Question 20

How many guns did China supply to NV?

Answer 20

In 1964, China supplied over 80,000 guns

Question 22

The Tet Offensive Jan-Feb 1968?

Answer 22

During the traditional holiday period of the Tet religious celebrations, in which fighting died down, the Vietcong launched a series of military attacks against US targets in over hundreds of cities in South Vietnam. The plan was to stimulate a mass uprising against the Americans from the South Vietnamese- even the US embassy in Saigon was not safe from attackas it was held by NV forces for 6hrs. The events were televised by US TV crews. The most ferocious fighting took place in Hue and there was no rapid US victory. On 31st January, communist troops had entered the city but it was not until 24th Feb that the South Vietnamese flag was able to fly over the city again.
For the Vietcong, Tet was a massive military defeat. It didn’t succeed in arousing much support from the South Vietnamese and about 25,000 Vietcong were defeated and 5000 captured. The Vietcong, as a military organisation, had been decimated. For the Americans it was yet another turning point- Tet came at a time in which there was growing disillusionment with the war of attrition that Westmoreland had orchestrated and Johnson had endorsed. It was the war correspondent Walter Cronkite, who famously enunciated the position in a broadcast. He commented that Tet had not shown that the USA was facing defeat but it had shown that the conflict had reached stalemate. Cronkite views reflected and helped to shape the views of many Americans. By the time of Tet the USA had 550,000 ground forces in Vietnam and they had no alternative strategy under Johnson other than to continue the military escalation, a strategy that had failed and was now perceived by many in the general public as well as those at the centre of government as failure.
Despite Westmoreland insistence that Tet had placed the enemy on the defensive, Johnson news secretary of Defence, Clark Clifford, advised de-escalation. Tet had been a psychological rather than military defeat for the USA. It had shown the USA that the prospects of a quick end to the war and a US victory would be far away, if it ever came at all. Military containment looked redundant and not fit for purpose. In March 1968, President Johnson announced that he did not intent to stand for re-election. This marked the end of one era of US cold war action in Asia and the start of an apparent completely new strategy.

Question 23

When was the Kent State Shooting and what happened?

Answer 23

In May 1970, the Kent State Shooting happened. 4 students were shot by the US national guard.

Question 24

When did the US senate vote to remove the Gulf of Tonkin resolution removed?

Answer 24

June 1970