Vietnam war (2) Flashcards
Why was HO Chi minh relevant? (2)
- led anti JAP resistance
- 1930 founded the comm party
When did the french want to rule again?
-1945
Who backed HCM and when?
-china and in 1949
How did USA contribute to france war effort and when did they pull out.
-USa gave 500 mill and france pulled out in 54
after the ceasefire why did the US prevent an election?
- wanted to prevent it bc of fear that HCM would win and comm would spread even further
who did the USA back and when?
- Diems regime and in 1955
Why was the Diem unpopular? (4)
- anti comm
- peasants treated badly
- corrupt
- christian and no respect for Buddhism
How much money did the US give to the Diems regime?
1,6 billion
Whom were the veit cong and when were they ‘created’
- national front for liberation of south veitname
- December 1960
Why did the VC have peasant support?
Because they were communists
When did Pknn send people to Viet and who did he send?
- Who was he in support of?
- sent military personnel
- 1963
- supported south V
When was PKENN assassinated?
November 1963
What was lydon b jhonsons view on containment?
Conflict for containment was okay
When was the gulf of Tonkin
- what happened>
August 1964
- NthV opened fire on US ships this was WAR
When did US start bombing cities and factories?
Febuarary 1965
When were US troops sent and how many?
- March 1965
- 350,000
Why were troops sent? (3)
- Domino theory
- containment
- ‘61 army industrial complex (businesses benefitting from war)
In the early ‘65 how many troops did the VC have? what did this mean?
170,000
outmanned by US
Nov ‘65 what happened?
-US killed 2000, lost 300
What did geurilla warfare include? (10)
- Retreat when enemy attacks, raid camps and persue enemy retreat
- no unirform
- no bases or HQ
- Attack then disappear into jungle/ underground
- 51% combat ambushes
- broke morale
- 11% US casualties bc of booby traps
- 240 KM tunnels
- Corteous 2 civilians unless opposed
Between 1966 and 1971 how many civilians were killed by the VC
270,000
How did the VC get there supplies?
-dependent on NTHV
HCM trail- 40,000 workers to keep it open
How was Commitment an +
-how many were killed?
- 1 mill VC + NV ded
- always replacement troops
What were the Main for US tactics?
- SEARCH AND DESTROY
- BOMBING
- CHEMICAL WEAPONS
- US TROOPS
Searrch and destroy
- What
- Disadvantages
- raids were not based on enough info bc of G warfare tactics
- traps
- Killed innocent civilians
- made them unpopular and push supporters towards Nth V
Chemical weapons
- What
-Agent orange - 82 mill litres sprayed 1000’s of KM of jungle
-Napalm - destroyed jungle
burned through skin
- civillians and soldiers harmed
US Troops + and -
- Young avg age 19 - most of them were poor immigrants
- knew little about war
- low morale
Bombing ( us tactics)
-damaged nthv war effort and 1970-1972 intense bombing let to negotiations
TET OFFENSIVE
- what
-when was it
consequences
- Military campaign
- 30th January 1968
- VC tried to capture US embassy in Saigon
Why was the tet a disaster for comm?
- lost 10,000 fighters lost
How much was spent on war and how many troops? What did they have to their advantage
- 50,000 troops
- 20 bill spent
- had large air power
How was the TET affected in the media?
- Made US question war
deemed more effort and time than necessary
Why was the anti war opinion popular?
- too much money
- racially inequal
How was the war racially unequal?
- 30% african american
- 19% white
What did the peace movement consist of?
media war
moral corruption
-anti war protests
what were the demonstrations of 1968 like?
- 100 demonstrations
- 400,000 students
What happened in DC in terms of anti war?
- november 1969
- 700,000 anti war demonstrated outside white house
what was the my lai massacre?
- March 1969
- US charlie company search and destroy (were told my lai was a VC HQ and had 200 VC soldiers)
- ordered to destory livestock, houses, villages - was an assumed market day
- 16th march in 4 hrs 300-400 civilians killed women, old and kids- NO VC
what was the read to my lai
-shock
When did nixon come to power?
- November 1968
What did nixon do in vietnam?
- increased bombing
- Peace neg with NTV
- Vietnamisation of war effort
- improved relations with china,
When did most of the troops leave Viet and how many?
April 1961- end of 79 - 400,000 troops left V
What happened in 1969 in terms of US and relations?
- Ussr and china had imporved relations with US
When was a peace agreement signed? and what was it reffered to as?
- Janurary 1973
- peace with honour
When did the last us force leave?
March 1973
when did comm win and what happened?
- april 1975 saigon fell to comm forces
Why did US lose the war?
- Us tactics
- tet offensive
- VC tactics
- citezens in US -anti war
- Problems back home
How did veitnam war affect containment?
- military fail
- strategic fail -domino theory
- propaganda disaster
- foreign policy
