Key Events and Strategies of the Vietnam War

Viet Cong

Used guerrilla warfare, ambushes, and knowledge of terrain.

U.S. Military Strategies

Relied on superior firepower, air strikes, search-and-destroy missions, and body count metrics to gauge success.

Ngo Dinh Diem

The anti-communist leader of South Vietnam supported by the U.S.; his oppressive policies and corruption led to his assassination in 1963.

Geneva Accords

A 1954 agreement that temporarily divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel, with plans for nationwide elections that were never held.

The Highly Manipulatable Draft

The selective service system during the Vietnam War, criticized for allowing deferments based on class and education, making it unfairly impact poorer and minority communities.

Tet Offensive

A major 1968 surprise attack by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese during the Vietnamese New Year; although a military failure for communists, it shocked Americans and turned public opinion against the war.

Media/Living Room War

Vietnam was the first war widely broadcast on television, bringing graphic images into American homes and influencing public perception.

Ho Chi Minh

The communist leader of North Vietnam who led the fight for Vietnamese independence from France and later against the U.S.-backed South Vietnam.

Tonkin Gulf Incident and Resolution

Alleged attacks on U.S. ships in the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964 led to a congressional resolution giving President Johnson broad military powers in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.

Fall of Saigon

The capture of South Vietnam's capital by North Vietnamese forces in April 1975, marking the official end of the Vietnam War and the unification of Vietnam under communist rule.

Hawks/Doves

"Hawks" supported continued military involvement in Vietnam; "Doves" opposed the war and favored withdrawal.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

A network of jungle paths through Laos and Cambodia used by North Vietnam to transport supplies to the Viet Cong in South Vietnam.

Credibility Gap

The growing distrust between the U.S. government and the public due to misinformation or optimistic portrayals of the war that didn't match reality.

Dien Bien Phu

A decisive 1954 battle where Vietnamese forces defeated the French, leading to the end of French colonial rule in Indochina and the start of U.S. involvement.

1968

A pivotal year marked by the Tet Offensive, the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, rising protests, and President Johnson's decision not to seek re-election.

Domino Theory

The belief that if one nation fell to communism, neighboring countries would also fall, used to justify U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Ho Chi Telegram

A message from Ho Chi Minh to President Truman in 1945 requesting U.S. support for Vietnamese independence from France, which was ignored, leading to closer ties between Ho and communist allies.

Protests/ers

A widespread anti-war movement led by students, veterans, and civil rights groups, using marches, demonstrations, and acts of civil disobedience to oppose U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Pentagon Papers

A secret government study leaked in 1971 that revealed the U.S. had misled the public about the scope and aims of the Vietnam War.

War Powers Act

A 1973 law limiting the president's power to deploy military forces without congressional approval, passed in response to the perceived abuses of executive power during the Vietnam War.

Vietnamization

President Nixon's policy of gradually withdrawing U.S. troops and transferring combat responsibilities to South Vietnamese forces, aiming to achieve 'peace with honor.'

My Lai Massacre

The 1968 mass killing of hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians by U.S. troops in the village of My Lai, which intensified anti-war sentiment in the U.S.

Operation Rolling Thunder

A sustained bombing campaign launched by the U.S. against North Vietnam in 1965, intended to weaken enemy morale and war-making capacity.

Kent State Shootings

The 1970 killing of four students by the National Guard during a protest against the U.S. invasion of Cambodia, further inflaming opposition to the war.

Agent Orange

A toxic herbicide used by the U.S. to defoliate forests and destroy enemy cover, later linked to serious health problems for both Vietnamese people and U.S. veterans.

Napalm

A flammable gel used in bombs dropped by U.S. planes that caused devastating fires and severe burns; symbolized the brutality of the war.

Paris Peace Accords (1973)

An agreement intended to end U.S. involvement in Vietnam; it called for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of American troops.

Cambodia/Laos Bombing

Secret U.S. bombing campaigns in neighboring countries aiming to destroy North Vietnamese supply routes and bases, which escalated regional conflict and led to criticism of U.S. policy.