The Vietnam War - Chapter One

What was Vietnam’s condition after the war?

Poor, undeveloped, and devastated; heavy social and economic losses.

What event symbolized postwar hostility with China?

China’s 1979 invasion and destruction of Lang Son.

What did Pham Van Dong say about governance after war?

“Waging a war is simple, but running a country is very difficult.”

What were total Communist casualties?

Approximately 600,000.

How many Americans died or went missing in Vietnam?

57,939 (names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial).

How many refugees fled Vietnam after 1975?

Over 1 million, many as “boat people.”

How many refugees resettled in the U.S.?

About 500,000.

What were re-education camps?

Political prisons holding 50,000+ former officials in poor conditions.

What led to the failure of collectivization?

Peasant resistance forced the government to reverse its policy.

What social problems plagued cities after the war?

Prostitution, Amerasian ostracisim, black markets, and poverty.

When was the Vietnam Veterans Memorial dedicated?

1982.

What does the memorial symbolize?

National reconciliation—honoring sacrifice, not the war.

Who designed the memorial?

Maya Lin.

What emotion characterized the dedication ceremony?

Mourning mixed with pride; veterans in wheelchairs, fatigues, and suits.

How many names are engraved on the wall?

57,939.

What did Henry Kissinger say about the war’s impact?

It damaged U.S. credibility, judgment, and domestic unity.

How did the war affect America’s global image?

Ended the nation’s sense of moral superiority and invincibility.

What did the war symbolize for the U.S.?

The end of the “American Century.”

What was the U.S. belief behind intervention?

Manifest Destiny and the duty to spread democracy and freedom.

How many Americans served in Vietnam?

Around 3 million.

What percentage of veterans believed they weren’t allowed to win?

82%.

What did Col. Harry Summe

What was the “Vietnam Syndrome”?

U.S. reluctance for future foreign interventions.

How did Reagan reinterpret the war?

As a “noble cause” to restore national pride.”

What was Bardstown, Kentucky’s significance?

A small town that lost 16 men—symbol of local loss and disillusionment.

What did Vietnam demand from the U.S. in 1977?

$3 billion in war reparations (Nixon’s earlier promise).

Why did U.S.-Vietnam talks fail?

Carter refused reparations; focused on improving ties with China.

How many were sent to re-education camps after 1975?

About 400,000.

What caused early economic collapse?

Collectivization, corruption, and inefficient Five-Year Plans.

How did peasants respond to collectivization?

Resisted and sabotaged production; caused food shortages.

When did Vietnam begin market reforms?

1981.

What did early reforms allow?

Private farming, small trade, piecework factory pay.

What negative effects followed reforms?

Inflation, corruption, and growing inequality.

What quote summarized postwar disillusionment?

“For most people, the only ideology that counts is a full stomach.”

How did corruption manifest in postwar Vietnam?

Officials’ wives looted luxury goods; black markets flourished.

What did Dr. Duong Quynh Hoa, a former Communist, admit?

Communist had failed due to corruption and repression.

Who were the “jeunesse dorée”?

Wealthy young elites in postwar Saigon flaunting privilege.

What hardships did Amerasian children face?

Discrimination and poverty; few reunited with U.S. fathers.

What was life like in postwar Hanoi?

Crumbling infrastructure, rationing, and daily survival struggles.

What was Hanoi’s global role despite poverty?

A revolutionary training hub for Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Why did Vietnam invade Cambodia in 1978?

To stop Khmer Rouge incursions into the Mekong Delta.

How many died in Cambodia under Pol Pot?

Around 2 million.

How did China respond to Vietnam’s invasion of Cambodia?

Invaded Vietnam in 1979 to punish Hanoi.

How did U.S. policy ironically backfire?

Supported Pol Pot’s U.N. seat to oppose Vietnam’s Soviet alignment.

What was the overall outcome of the Vietnam War?

“A war that nobody won”—devastation, disillusionment, and moral loss for all sides.