Vietnam War

Question 1

When were the Geneva accords?

Answer 1

July 1954

Question 2

Who attended the Geneva accords?

Answer 2

France
Indochinese States
USSR
PRC
UK
USA

Question 3

What did France agree to at the Geneva accords?

Answer 3

To give Vietnam independence

Question 4

What did Eisenhower see South Vietnam as?

Answer 4

A potential bulwark against the spread of Communism

Question 5

What were the USSR and PRC’s views on Vietnam at the time of the Geneva accords?

Answer 5

Not interested in fostering revolutionary war in Vietnam

Question 6

What war did the Geneva Accords conclude?

Answer 6

The First Indochina War

Question 7

What was the conclusion of the First Indochina War?

Answer 7

Removal of French
Republic of Vietnam (S)
Viet Minh (N)

Question 8

Who led the Viet Minh?

Answer 8

Ho Chi Minh

Question 9

What political ideology were the Viet Minh?

Answer 9

Communist

Question 10

How long did the First Indochina War last?

Answer 10

1946-1954

Question 11

What identity problem did South Vietnam have?

Answer 11

No coherent identity for people to align with

Question 12

What religious issue did South Vietnam have?

Answer 12

Home to pro-French Vietnamese elites who are Catholic while majority are Buddhist

Question 13

Why was South Vietnam never politically stable?

Answer 13

Succession of politicians and generals took power

Question 14

Which US politician refused to send troops into Vietnam?

Answer 14

JFK

Question 15

What was JFK’s alternative to sending troops into Vietnam?

Answer 15

Sent 11,000 advisors

Question 16

What was the reaction to US intervention with advisors by the Vietnamese?

Answer 16

Buddhists protest-self-immolation

Diem assassinated

Question 17

What date did the famous monk immolate himself?

Answer 17

11/06/1963

Question 18

Spell the term used to describe the way monks committed suicide in protest

Answer 18

Self-immolation

Question 19

Which Vietnamese politician was backed by the US?

Answer 19

Diem

Question 20

Why does Keith Taylor believe Diem began to distrust the Americans?

Answer 20

Because its Laotian policy gave NV access to SV

American intervention threat to his nationalist credentials

Question 21

What effect did the Buddhist crisis have on the American’s relationship with Diem?

Answer 21

Led to them sanctioning the coup that led to his assassination

Question 22

What role did the Americans have in the assassination of Diem?

Answer 22

They advised the Vietnamese plotters they would not intervene in the coup

Question 23

What did LBJ think of the situation in Vietnam?

Answer 23

Saw little option but to get involved

Question 24

How long did Diem rule?

Answer 24

1954-1963

Question 25

What effect did Diem's assassination have?

Answer 25

Ended political stability in S Vietnam

Question 26

What did the N. Vietnamese think of Diem's assassination?

Answer 26

A bad move by Americans as Diem to them was a key figure in resisting Communism

Question 27

Was there ever a declaration of war by America?

Answer 27

No, there was only an authorization for troop deployment in 1964

Question 28

What was the increase in American troops in Vietnam?

Answer 28

1960-900 | 1970-335,800

Question 29

What, important American domestic issue affected the Vietnam issue?

Answer 29

The assassination of JFK, Nov 1963

Question 30

Which countries played a part in Vietnam?

Answer 30

Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam

Question 31

What was the US napalm bombing operation called?

Answer 31

Operation Rolling Thunder

Question 32

What style of warfare did the US face against?

Answer 32

Guerilla

Question 33

Who did the US fight?

Answer 33

The Vietcong

Question 34

How did class play a role in the domestic reaction to the Vietnam war?

Answer 34

Drafting mainly affected the Working class as college students could defer the draft

Question 35

What's a simple of way describing America's efforts in Vietnam?

Answer 35

Won Battles, Lost the War

Question 36

What was the uprising by the N. Vietnamese in S. Vietnam during the war called?

Answer 36

The Tet Offensive

Question 37

When did the Tet Offensive begin?

Answer 37

January 1968

Question 38

In Military terms, how successful was the Tet Offensive?

Answer 38

A failure, the Vietcong suffered huge losses

Question 39

How many Vietcong died in the Tet Offensive?

Answer 39

32,000-38,00

Question 40

In political terms, how successful was the Tet Offensive?

Answer 40

Successful, it showed the war wouldn't end soon

Question 41

Where had Vietnam been divided after WW2?

Answer 41

The 17th Parallel

Question 42

How did Diem come to power?

Answer 42

Was originally made PM by the emperor before becoming president backed by the US

Question 43

What was Robert Elegant's view on the Vietnam War?

Answer 43

It was determined by the media, not the battlefield. America mainly successful militarily but political pressure met could not support the South

Question 44

What infamous event did the media show that particularly affected the American people?

Answer 44

My Lai Massacre

Question 45

When did the My Lai Massacre happen?

Answer 45

16 March 1968

Question 46

How many civilians were killed in the My Lai Massacre?

Answer 46

300 Civilians

Question 47

What political decision did LBJ decide to make based on Vietnam?

Answer 47

Not to run for re-election

Question 48

At what point did most troops withdraw from Vietnam?

Answer 48

1972

Question 49

How did America remain involved in Vietnam even when withdrawing troops?

Answer 49

Air Power

Question 50

When did America sign a ceasefire with Vietnam?

Answer 50

January 1975

Question 51

What was the Vietnam peace treaty called?

Answer 51

The Paris Peace Accords

Question 52

What was the consequence of American signing the Paris Peace Accords?

Answer 52

Isolated South Vietnam, which promptly collapsed and allowed N Vietnam to take Saigon

Question 53

What effect did the war have on Vietnam?

Answer 53

Became very impoverished

Question 54

What was Harry Summers's view on Vietnam?

Answer 54

If fought differently America would have won but face involvement of China and SU

Question 55

What was Krepinevich's view of Vietnam?

Answer 55

America focussed too much on body count and not winning support

Question 56

What were America's main faults regarding Vietnam?

Answer 56

Did not learn from France (1ICW) Scale of bombing-no guarantee would be effective No objectives