Vietnam - Why US got involved Flashcards

1
Q

Who fought against each other in the Vietnam war?

A

America and South Vietnam vs communist Vietcong and North Vietnam.

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2
Q

Who ruled Vietnam before WW2?

A

France.

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3
Q

What was the name of the region that Vietnam was part of before WW2?

A

Indochina.

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4
Q

What group was formed in Vietnam during WW2 due to Japanese occupation?

A

Viet Minh.

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5
Q

Who was the leader of the communist Vietminh?

A

Ho Chi Minh

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6
Q

What area of Vietnam did the Viet Minh control by 1945?

A

The North.

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7
Q

What broke out in Vietnam between 1945 and 1954?

A

A war between France and the Viet Minh (France wanted control of Vietnam back after Japanese occupation during WW2)

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8
Q

How was the US involved in the war between France and the Viet Minh (1945-1954)?

A

They gave approx. $500 million each year to France. (80% of the cost of the war)

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9
Q

What happened at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu?

A

The French built an airstrip at Dien Bien Phu to lure the Vietminh into battle. But they were surrounded by 50,000 Vietminh with anti-aircraft guns. After 55 days the French surrendered.

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10
Q

3 reasons the French were defeated at Dien Bien Phu.

A

France had suffered during WW2 - could not afford it.
China supported the Vietminh with weapons and ammunition.
Vietminh had local support.

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11
Q

What happened in Geneva after Dien Bien Phu?

A

Peace Agreement signed.

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12
Q

4 things agreed at Geneva.

A
  1. To withdraw French troops.
  2. To temporarily divide Vietnam into North and South along the 17th parallel.
  3. North would remain communist under Ho Chi Minh.
  4. Elections would be held in 1956 to reunify Vietnam.
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13
Q

How did China help the Vietminh at Dien Bien Phu?

A

Supplied 20,000 bikes to help move supplies.
Supplied artillery and AA guns.

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14
Q

How did local conditions help the Vietminh at Dien Bien Phu?

A

They were much more familiar with their environment than the French were.

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15
Q

How did local support help the Vietminh at Dien Bien Phu?

A

Locals would spy and move supplies.
Villagers helped build 5 new roads.

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16
Q

What is Guerilla Warfare?

A

Small, mobile groups of soldiers who take on a larger, better equipped armies. Tactics include ambushes, sabotage, raids and lightening strikes.

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17
Q

What is French Indochina?

A

Countries in South-East Asia controlled by France before WW2: Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

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18
Q

What is a Nationalist?

A

A person who believes in national independence from any foreign power.

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19
Q

Why did the Japanese lose control of Vietnam?

A

They were defeated in WW2.

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20
Q

When were the Geneva Accords?

A

21 July 1954.

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21
Q

What was France’s aim at the Geneva conference?

A

Wished to retain control of Vietnam and were reluctant to see US military intervention.

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22
Q

What was the Vietminh’s aim at the Geneva conference?

A

Wanted independence for the whole of Vietnam.

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23
Q

What did China want at the Geneva Conference?

A

Preferred French control to that of Americans but, in reality, wanted no colonial involvement.

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24
Q

What did the USA want at the Geneva conference?

A

To contain communist gains, but did not wish to be involved in an agreement that didn’t work.

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25
Q

Who was S. Vietnam led by after 1954?

A

Bao Dai then Ngo Dinh Diem.

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26
Q

What were the beliefs of S. Vietnam after 1954?

A

Anti-communist.

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27
Q

What was the capital of S. Vietnam?

A

Saigon.

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28
Q

Who supported S. Vietnam?

A

America.

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29
Q

Who was N.Vietnam led by after 1954?

A

Ho Chi Minh.

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30
Q

What was Ho Chi Minh’s beliefs?

A

Communist.

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31
Q

What was the capital of N. Vietnam?

A

Hanoi.

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32
Q

Who supported N. Vietnam after 1954?

A

China.

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33
Q

Why did America get increasingly involved?

A

Eisenhower feared that if Vietnam became communist, other neighbouring countries would follow. (Domino effect)

34
Q

How many people were arrested and killed by the ARVN?

A

65,000 arrested and 2,000 killed.

35
Q

How many countries were involved in the Geneva Accords?

A

9

36
Q

What was the ARVN?

A

Diem’s army in South Vietnam.

37
Q

What was Ho Chi Minh’s trail?

A

A series of dirt paths running through Laos and Cambodia from N. Vietnam to S. Vietnam.

38
Q

What was the Vietcong?

A

An armed communist organisation that fought under the North Vietnamese in the South.

39
Q

Two reasons why Kennedy gets involved in Vietnam 1961-1963.

A

Diem’s gov. is unpopular.
The communists are winning in the South.

40
Q

How many VC guerrillas were in the south by 1961?

A

12,000

41
Q

What tactic do the VC use against the ARVN?

A

Attack the ARVN then quickly disappear into local villages.

42
Q

Why is it hard for the ARVN to identify VC?

A

Because the VC dress in ordinary clothing, so it is impossible to distinguish VC and ordinary civilians.

43
Q

What was an act of protest against Diem’s government?

A

On 11th June 1963, 66-year-old monk Thich Quang Due set himself alight in Saigon. 5 more monks did the same.

44
Q

What happened 8 May 1963?

A

Buddhists met in Hue to celebrate Buddha’s birth - S. Vietnamese police opened fire, killing a woman and 8 children.

45
Q

How did Kennedy try to increase support for Diem in 1961?

A

Sent $270 million in military support for Diem alone.

46
Q

Who did Kennedy send to S. Vietnam in 1961?

A

16,000 American military experts to train the ARVN. Nicknamed the “green berets”.

47
Q

What was the ARVN?

A

South Vietnamese army.

48
Q

When was the Strategic Hamlets policy introduced?

A

1962.

49
Q

What was the Strategic Hamlets policy?

A

Meant to create safe villages and to stop the Vietcong from getting their supplies and soldiers from the villages.

50
Q

Why was the strategic hamlets programme introduced?

A

The Vietcong’s takeover of rural communities was a massive problem. Vietcong would use villages to store store weapons and forced thousands to join the Vietcong.

51
Q

Why was Diem unpopular?

A

Persecuted many buddhists and communists.
Did little to gain support from peasants.

52
Q

What evidence shows Diem’s government as weak?

A

Many communists still controlled areas of S. Vietnam.

53
Q

What happened to Diem in 1963?

A

Overthrown and killed by his own troops (this was supported by the USA)

54
Q

Why did the situation in S. Vietnam get worse. after 1955?

A

Communists groups in the South continued fighting against Diem (VC).
Refused to hold elections and make reforms.
Arrested and persecuted many.

55
Q

What were Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson’s aims in Vietnam?

A

Set up a democratic government in S. Vietnam.
Stop S. Vietnam becoming communist by keeping it separate.
Avoid nuclear war.

56
Q

What was the USA’s slogan?

A

Win over the heart’s and minds of the South Vietnamese people.

57
Q

Why did Eisenhower set up SEATO?

A

Domino theory. Fear that if one country fell to communism others like Laos and Cambodia would follow.

58
Q

What does SEATO stand for?

A

South East Asian Treaty Organisation.

59
Q

How did Eisenhower get involved in Vietnam between 1954-1960?

A

Sent equipment and military advisors.
Prevented elections from taking place in fear of communists winning.
Supported Diem with $1.6 billion.

60
Q

How did Kennedy get involved between 1961 and 1963?

A

Increases the number of advisors to more than 16,000 by 1963.
Allowed Diem to be assassinated and supported his replacement by anti-communist army generals.
Strategic Hamlets programme.

61
Q

How many hamlets were built by 1962?

A

5,000

62
Q

Why did Kennedy allow Diem to be assassinated?

A

Frustrated with Diem’s unwillingness to change.
Forced to accept his government was too unpopular and too undemocratic to survive.

63
Q

When was the Gulf of Tonkin incident?

A

2nd August 1964

64
Q

What happened at the Gulf of Tonkin?

A

Two US ships were patrolling the Gulf of Tonkin and one was fired upon by North Vietnamese torpedo boats.

65
Q

What happened 2 days after the 2nd of August?

A

The US ships claimed they had been fired at again, during a bad storm, however reports were unclear.

66
Q

What did Johnson do as a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incident?

A

Asked congress to give him money to prevent future attacks.

67
Q

What happened on 7th of August 1964?

A

Congress passed the gulf of Tonkin resolution, which gave Johnson power to “take all necessary measures to prevent further aggression and achieve peace and security in Vietnam” (declare war).

68
Q

4 reasons why the US became increasingly involved in Vietnam before 1965.

A
  1. Helping the French until 1954.
  2. Policy of containment of communism.
  3. Weakness of the S. Vietnamese government.
  4. Gulf of Tonkin Incident.
69
Q

What did the Gulf of Tonkin incident allow Johnson to do?

A

Send troops to Vietnam without declaring war . However the N. Vietnamese saw it as a declaration of war.

70
Q

What did Johnson want to do in Vietnam?

A

To set up a gov. the south Vietnamese wanted.
Stop communism - keep S. and N. separate.
Stop the war escalating and avoiding nuclear war.

71
Q

What was the situation in Vietnam after Diem’s assassination?

A

Only 30-40% of S. Vietnam was controlled by ARVN. New government was weaker than Diem’s, with no clear leader.

72
Q

What did LBJ do before Tonkin?

A

Sent more advisors and more aid. By end of 1964 there were over 20,000 advisors.

73
Q

Why couldn’t LBJ increase involvement in Vietnam before Tonkin?

A

Presidential election coming up so didn’t want to divide congress.

74
Q

Two reasons why Eisenhower got involved.

A
  1. To avoid the domino effect (1954 SEATO)
  2. To keep communists out of power.
75
Q

In which year did NV start using the Ho Chi Minh trail?

A

1959

76
Q

What happened in January 1963?

A

ARVN lost battle of Ap Bac embarrassing despite huge military support for US.

77
Q

How many countries attended the Geneva Accords in 1954?

A

9

78
Q

What was the Tet Offensive?

A

The North and VC launched a surprise attack on 26 cities in South during the 1968 New Year’s Tet festival.

79
Q

What did the Tet Offensive lead to?

A

Peace talks in 1968

80
Q

What two famous things were captured in the Tet Offensive?

A

US embassy in Saigon
City of Hue

81
Q

How many communist troops were involved in Tet?

A

84,000

82
Q

How many cities were attacked in tet?

A

26