vietnam war

• Who was president during the Vietnam War?

  Lyndon B. Johnson for the main part and the ending part was Richard Nixon
• What was Johnson's goal for the Vietnam War?

  For U.S. troops to strengthen South Vietnam's defenses until South Vietnam could take over.
• Who was the communist leader of Vietnam?

  Ho Chi Minh
• Containment?


  The United States foreign policy of containing communism at all costs.
• Who did the U.S. support?

  The United States did not want to contradict their policy of containment, so instead they began aiding France in 1950.
• Before the U.S. got involved, what was going on in Vietnam?


  The Vietnamese had suffered under the French colonial rule for nearly six decades and then Japan invaded portions of Vietnam in 1940. In 1941, Ho Chi Minh returned back to Vietnam and he established the Viet Minh to get rid of the invaders of Vietnam.
• When was the Vietnam War?

  1959-1975
• What was the Viet Minh?

  A group whose goal was to rid Vietnam of their invaders: Japan and France
• Democratic Republic of Vietnam


  Established by the Viet Minh to announce the creation of an independent Vietnam which had a new government called the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
• The "Domino Theory" introduced by Eisenhower


  The United States had this theory that if the one country of Southeast Asia fell to communism, then all would fall, causing a domino effect.
• Why did the French pull out of the war in 1954?

  They suffered from a large defeat at Dien Bien Phu.
• Geneva Agreement 1954


  Stipulated a cease fire for the peaceful withdrawal of FRENCH forces and the temporary division of Vietnam along the 17th parallel. In addition, a general democratic election was to be held in 1956 that would reunite the country under one government.
• 17th Parallel Division


  North Vietnam- communist

  South Vietnam- non-communist
• How did the U.S. react to the proposal of a democratic election in 1956?


  They did not like it because then that provided a chance for the communist group to win and take over Vietnam. The U.S. refused to participate.
• Effect of the U.S. refusing the democratic election of 1956 all over Vietnam?

  South Vietnam only held the election in South Vietnam. Ngo Dinh Diem was elected.
• Ngo Dinh Diem


  His leadership was so horrible that he was killed in 1963 by a coup supported by the United States. (US helped bring him down from power.)
• National Liberation Front/ Viet Cong

  Established by the communists in order to use guerrilla warfare against the South Vietnamese in 1960.
• Gulf of Tonkin Incident


  When the North Vietnamese fired directly upon two U.S. ships in international waters on August 2 and 4, 1964.
• Gulf of Tonkin Resolution


  This resolution gave the President the authority to escalate U.S. involvement in Vietnam. President LBJ used that authority to order the first U.S. ground troops to Vietnam in March 1965.
• Tet Offensive


  On January 30, 1968, the North Vietnamese surprised both the U.S. forces and the South Vietnamese by orchestrating a coordinated assault with the Viet Cong to attack about a hundred South Vietnamese cities and towns. Even though the United States and South Vietnam could easily battle off the attack, the realization came that they were up against a big enemy.
• Why was the Tet Offensive a turning point?

  The Tet Offensive was a turning point in the war because President Johnson, faced now with an unhappy American public and bad news from his military leaders in Vietnam, decided to no longer escalate the war.
• Who won the Tet Offensive?

  The North Vietnam and Viet Cong did not win because there were many more casualties for them than for the United States and South Vietnam.
• Vietnamization


  President Nixon's plan to remove U.S. troops from Vietnam while gradually strengthening the South Vietnamese in July 1969.
• Mad Man Theory


  Nixon's strategy to make North Vietnam, China and the Soviet Union believe that he would do anything to win the Vietnam War i.e. nuclear weapons.
• How did Nixon's expansion of the war cause a reaction among people?

  Created thousands of protests, especially on college campuses, back in America as he expanded the war by bombing Cambodia, Laos etc.
• Paris Peace Accords


  On January 27, 1973, a cease-fire agreement was established. The last U.S. troops left Vietnam knowing they were leaving a weak South Vietnam unable to withstand the North.
• Spring/Easter Offensive

  When the U.S. had withdrawn most of its troops from Vietnam, the North Vietnamese staged another massive assault on March 30, 1972. Invading South Vietnam and capturing their land. The remaining U.S. forces and the South Vietnamese army fought back, leading to Paris Peace Accords.
• What happened after the United States withdrew from the war?

  South Vietnam officially surrendered to communist North Vietnam on April 30, 1975. On July 2, 1976, Vietnam was reunited as a communist country, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
• Who won the Vietnam War?

  The communists: Viet Cong and North Vietnam
• What is the credibility gap?

  The Americans were starting to question whether or not the United States government was a credible source. The Pentagon Papers proved they were not.
• Pentagon Papers


  These were papers that held the secret plans of the United States government and Nixon tried very hard to keep them from the American people. e.g. expansion of war, coastal raids etc.
• Operation Rolling Thunder


  bombing campaign over North Vietnam, supposed to weaken enemy's ability and will to fight
• hearts and minds strategy


  a plan to win over the feelings and opinions of people
• Search and Destroy


  a U.S military raid on a south vietnamese village, intended to root out villagers with ties to the Vietcong but often resulting in the destruction of the village and the displacement of its inhabitants
• My Lai Massacre (1968)


  This killed over 300 unarmed south Vietnamese civilians. Gained American attention reducing the number of support for the war.
• Chemical Warfare in vietnam

  Unable to win against the guerrillas on the ground, the U.S. began "carpet bombing" millions of acres of farmland and jungle to drive out the guerillas. They dropped napalm, which burned vegetation, and agent orange - a weed killer. Napalm also struck humans, burning their skin, and agent orange caused sickness in farm animals. This turned South Vietnamese peasants against the U.S.