Vietnam War

Question 1

Who was vietnam owned by prior to independence?

Answer 1

France, Japan (during WW2)

Question 2

Vietnamese independence

Answer 2

Geneva conference 1954. N & S split along 17th parallel

Question 3

Leaders of both sides:

Answer 3

Ho Chi Minh (N), Ngo Dinh Diem (S)

Question 4

Ngo Dinh Diem

Answer 4

Capitalist dictator, fraudelent elections (won 6’000’000 votes in an election with 4’500’000 eligible voters), Catholic (minority)

Question 5

Vietcong

Answer 5

Southern communist guerilla group. Strategic hamlets policy 1962 boosted Southern Vietnamese opinion of them. Funded by N.

Question 6

Gulf of Tonkin incident

Answer 6

August 2nd 1964, Vietnamese Torpedo boats and US reconnaissance ship have altercation. 4th August hoax leads to whitehouse declaring war.

Question 7

Diem assassinated

Answer 7

By other S Vietnamese forces backed by USA. November 1963

Question 8

BEAST

Answer 8

Bombing (Operation rolling thunder, 3 million tonnes of bombs dropped on N Vietnam) Escalation (roughly 100’000 more troops deployed each year) Air (US soldiers went on patrols with air support- demoralised soldiers as they realised that they were bait) Search and destroy (villages destroyed such as My Lai Massacre 1968) Technology (Napalm, Agent orange, high altitude bombs. etc.)

Question 9

Tet Offensive

Answer 9

Buddhist new year 1968. Coordinated attacks across S Vietnam. Although eventually pushed back, demoralising.

Question 10

Ping Pong diplomacy

Answer 10

1971 &72. Nixon tried to ease tensions with China (who funded N Vietnam) US ping pong team played in Beijing and Nixon visited China.

Question 11

Paris peace accords

Answer 11

January 1973. America escalated bombing until N agree to sign.

Question 12

Fall of Saigon

Answer 12

April 1975. US citizens evacuated. Vietnam unified.

Question 13

Statistics

Answer 13

58’000 American deaths. 1-4 million vietnamese deaths (N & S) + many more from cancer from agent orange.