Week 9- Vietnam war Flashcards
Why did America get involved in Vietnam?
There was continued western fears about the growth of communism globally. Eisenhower wanted to engage in the pro-west southern Vietnam for similar reasons to Truman. Eisenhower said he got involved due to the “ Domino Theory”: neighbouring states are so interdependent, if one fell to communism the other would fall suit.
What remains true for America both in the Korean and Vietnam wars?
America was still too fearful to use nuclear weapons and underestimated Communist fighters.
From What time to what time did the Korean War go from?
1955-1975
What was one of the reasons, besides M.A.D, that Eisenhower did not use nuclear weapons in the Vietnam War?
There was a general taboo around the use of nuclear weapons by both the U.S. Government and people.
What did US officials repeatedly declare to justify the Korean War?
U.S. officials repeatedly declared that the United States could not tolerate the loss of Southeast Asia to communism, and that the war was vital for American interests, prestige and security.
What did America usually rely on to win straightforward battles and why wasn’t Vietnam straightforward?
The USA had always relied on their technology ( airforce/navy/army manpower+ weapons) to win straightforward battles, but Vietnam was not straightforward. The USA was unprepared for the heavily forested terrain and expert guerrilla tactics, sabotage and ambushes of the North Vietnamese.
What was operation “rolling thunder”?
Operation rolling thunder ( began in March 1965 and went for 3 years) dropped more bombs on Vietnam than had been dropped on all of Europe in WW2.( Starting in 1959) B52 bomber raids demolished vast areas in North and South Vietnam,Cambodia and Laos.US forces employed herbicides and defoliants to obliterate crop lands and forests, dropped napalm and eventually mined Haiphong harbour. Despite this, the Allied forces could not gain ground against the communists.
How did Australia greet the Vietnam War?
The war was the greatest cause of social and political dissent in Australia since the conscription referendums of the First World War.Many draft resistors, conscientious objectors and protestors were fined or jailed, while soldiers met a hostile reception on their return home as a new generation had now lost the enthusiasm to defeat communism.
How did the result of the war in Vietnam affect America’s perception of its role in the world?
Americans lost confidence in their mission as the world’s leading nation.
What happened in Vietnam during the Cold War?
In 1955, the USA went to the aid of the pro-western South Vietnam from attacks by the Communist North.
