The Vietnam war era (1965-1975)

What were the 2 perspectives of the Vietnam War?

The war was dumb.

The war was heroic.

Describe the dumb view of the war

• it was impossible for the USA to win, Vietnam was fighting for home.

• There was nothing for the USA to gain.

• US government lied and withheld information from the American people.

Describe the heroic view of war

• fighting for the freedom of the Vietnamese

• Stopping the spread of communist dictatorship

• USA could have one dedicated more resources and have the support of the American people.

What is a war of attrition?

A prolonged war to see who gives up first.

What was the French’s goal?

To establish and maintain control over Vietnam as a colony, exploiting its resources and expanding French influence in Southeast Asia. They also wanted to take rubber from Vietnam to get more money.

Why were the French in Vietnam?

To get rubber to make more money.

What does the French do to people if they oppose them?

They chopped off their heads and display them.

What is the capital of Vietnam?

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam.

What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is a spiritual and philosophical tradition founded on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, focusing on the path to enlightenment through practices such as meditation, ethical conduct, and wisdom. This is the religion that the Vietnamese follow.

What is Catholicism?

Catholicism is a branch of Christianity characterized by its beliefs in the authority of the Pope, the sacraments, and the Tradition of the Church alongside Scripture. This is the religion that the French follows.

What was the Paris Peace Conference in 1919?

The Paris Peace Conference was a meeting held after World War I to negotiate peace treaties and redraw national boundaries, primarily resulting in the Treaty of Versailles, which aimed to establish lasting peace and address the aftermath of the war.

Who was Ho Chi Minh?

Ho Chi Minh was a Vietnamese revolutionary leader and the founding father of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, known for his role in the struggle for Vietnamese independence and unification.

Why did Ho Chi Minh want to meet President Wilson?

Ho Chi Minh sought to meet President Woodrow Wilson to gain support for Vietnamese independence and to propose that the principles of self-determination and national sovereignty, articulated in Wilson's Fourteen Points, be applied to Vietnam.

Why did Ho Chi Minh go to the Soviets?

Ho Chi Minh went to the Soviets to seek support for the Vietnamese independence movement, as he believed that the Soviet Union would help to provide the necessary resources and political backing to fight against colonial powers and establish a communist state.

Why did Ho Chi Minh travel all over the world?

Ho Chi Minh traveled internationally to seek support for Vietnam's independence, to learn from other revolutionary movements, and to gain foreign assistance in combating colonialism and promoting communism.

What did Japan want to take over?

Japan sought to expand its territory and influence in East Asia, aiming to control resources and establish itself as a dominant power, particularly during the early to mid-20th century.

What does Japan want to take over?

Japan sought to expand its territory and influence in East Asia, aiming to control resources and establish itself as a dominant power.

What is the Asia for Asians campaign?

The Asia for Asians campaign was a Japanese propaganda initiative during World War II aimed at promoting the idea of Asian unity and independence from Western colonial rule, framing Japan as a liberator of Asian nations.

Why did the Vietnamese starve?

Because Japan took all their rice from the 8 million Vietnamese and 2 million starved.

What does Japan claim they are doing?

They claim that they are helping to kick out the French, BUT THEY ARENT

What was the Viet Minh?

Vietnam army to fight the Japanese and French, used hit-and-run tactics.The Viet Minh was a nationalist group formed in 1941 that fought for Vietnamese independence from French colonial rule and against Japanese occupation during World War II, ultimately leading to the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

What did the Viet Minh do to fight?

They dug tunnels underground and cam eout of them to kill people and then go back into the tunnels to not be found.

Who was General võ Nguyên Giáp?

He was the Viet Minh general.

What type of warfare did the Viet Minh fight?

Guerrilla warefare, hit and run tactics

What was the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence?

The Vietnamese Declaration of Independence, issued on September 2, 1945, proclaimed the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, asserting the nation’s sovereignty and liberation from French colonial rule, influenced by the Declaration of Independence of the United States.

What was Truman’s huge decision and what did he choose?

He had to choose in supporting the French and their reconquest of Vietnam or the Vietnamese in their self governed country. He choose to support the French and now the Vietnamese are MAD!

Who does the Vietnamese go to after rejected by the US?

They go to the USSR and Stalin provides them military equipment to fight the French.

What was the First Indochina War?

The First Indochina War (1946-1954) was a conflict between French colonial forces and the Viet Minh, a nationalist and communist-led movement in Vietnam, primarily aimed at ending French colonial rule in the region.

What was the US response in helping the French?

They proved them with $2 billion.

What were the Vietnamese soldiers considered?

They were considered “ghost soldiers” and they were “everywhere and nowhere”.

What was the battle of Dien Bien Phu?

Dien Bien Phu was a military engagement in 1954 during the First Indochina War where Viet Minh forces besieged French troops, leading to a decisive victory for the Vietnamese and marking the end of French colonial rule in Indochina.

What was dien bien phu?

It was a French fortress

What is a rhyme to remover Dien bein phu?

“At dien bein phu, the French don’t know what to do.”

Why did the French surrender?

Because they were all trapped at dien bien phu, and were starving. So they all retreat back to France.

What is the Geneva Convention?

The Geneva Convention is a series of international treaties established to ensure humane treatment in times of war, protecting the rights of the wounded and prisoners of war.

What did the Geneva convention do to Vietnam?

They divide it up on the 17th parallel, on half communist, the other half democratic.

WhAt do we send to south vietnam to protect them?

The green berets

What is Eisenhowers theory?

The domino theory

What is the domino theory?

this theory is what guides American foreign policy in south east Asia.

Which US president supported south Vietnam?

Eisenhower

Who was the president of South Vietnam during Eisenhower‘s administration?

Ngo Dinh Diem

What were key aspects of Ngo Dinh Diem‘s rule?

• no elections

• Supported by US with money and weapons

• His brother was in charge of secret police

• Suspected communists were arrested, tortured, and killed

• Catholicism was enforced, and Buddhist shrines were destroyed

What significant event happened in Saigon in June 1963?

A Buddhist monk burned himself alive in protest.

How did President Kennedy feel about Diem later on?

He secretly stopped supporting Diem.

What happened to Diem after losing US support?

He was assassinated by the south Vietnamese government

Who were the Viet Cong?

South Vietnamese communist, gorilla soldiers (V.C. Or “Charlie”), Who could be anyone, including kids.

What was the Ho Chi Minh Trail?

A network of trails through Laos and Cambodia that served as a supply line for the war materials from north Vietnam to Viet Cong.

What does ARVN stand for?

Army of the Republic of Vietnam

Why did the US send soldiers to train ARVN?

Because they were very weak, and President Johnson wanted to strengthen them.

Why was ARVN considered weak?

It struggled with poor leadership, low morale, and reliance on US support.

What was ARVNs main goal?

To protect south Vietnam, and prevent the spread of communism.

What was Viet Congs Main goal?

To overthrow the south Vietnamese government and reunify Vietnam under one communist rule.

What was “the great Society”?

Johnson’s program that declared”war on poverty” And aim to provide houses, schools, and food for the poor.

What happened to the money associated for “the great Society”?

None of it was spent

Who was Robert McNamara, and what happened to him in Vietnam?

He was the US secretary of defense, he had a nervous breakdown on March 1964 while getting on a helicopter. He started breaking down crying because he realized the US was losing the Vietnam war and he felt very overwhelmed.

Who was Daniel Ellsberg, and what did he know?

He was an aid to Robert McNamara, he knew McNamara was lying about US progress in Vietnam, but he didnt say anything

What happened in 1964 regarding the US presidency?

It was an election year, Lyndon B. Johnson against Barry Goldwater of Arizona.

Who won the 1964 election?

LBJ

What did Barry Goldwater say about Johnson?

That he was “Soft on communism”. He was implying that Johnson wasn’t doing enough to stop the spread of communism, especially in Vietnam.

What was the U.S.S Maddox?

American destroyer ship off the coast of Vietnam. It cut off all radio contact in the golf of Tonkin, they fire against North Vietnam and when they come and fire back at them, they put it on TV and convince the Americans that we are being attacked. THIS IS NOT TRUE!

What was the goal of war for the Americans?

The goal for was to spread of communism in north Vietnam

What was the Tonkin Gulf Resolution?

Passed by Congress, president Johnson is granted full war powers, LBJ calls for a draft to increase US military presence in Vietnam.

“Operation Rolling Thunder”

Goal is to bomb North Vietnam until they stop supporting the Viet Cong with weapons.

What was the “The Hanoi Hilton”?

The jail where American bombers got tortured.

Who was General Willam Westmoreland?

US general for Vietnam, World War II veteran, very respected general, struggled to find a strategy for the war.

What made the word difficult?

We are protecting the South Vietnamese. Some of the enemy are South Vietnamese (viet cong)

What were “Search and destroy” missions?

missions to go and find the vehicle and destroy them.