History - Conflict & Tension in Asia

Who was the leader of North Korea during the Korean War?

Kim Il Sung

Who was the leader of South Korea during the Korean War?

Syngman Rhee

What was North Korea?

Communist

What was South Korea?

Capitalist

Why was the decision made to send UN troops into North and South Korea?

The USSR boycotted the UN meeting and so were unable to veto the decision

Where did UN troops initially land in Korea?

Inchon & Pusan

What is the border between North and South Korea known as?

The 38th Parallel

What did North Korea do in June 1950, starting the Korean War?

They invaded the South

When did UN forces land in Korea?

September 1950

Who was President of the USA when the decision was made to intervene in Korea?

Truman

Who later became President during the Korean War, promising to end it?

Eisenhower

When did China become involved in the Korean War?

October 1950

What were the Chinese forces known as?

People's Volunteers

Why did Chinese forces become involved in the Korean War?

A decision was made by UN forces to continue the invasion into North Korea, despite warnings from Mao Zedong

Who was the leader of China during the Korean War?

Mao Zedong

When did the Chinese and North Korean forces manage to push the UN forces back past the 38th Parallel?

January 1951

When did General MacArthur blatantly ignore Truman and openly threaten to attack China?

March 1951

When was General MacArthur removed from his position as a result of threatening China?

April 1951

When did Korean War peace talks initially begin?

June 1951

Why did the Korean War peace talks of June 1951 fail?

There was a dispute between the exchange of prisoners of North and South Korea

When did Korean War peace talks begin again after having initially failed?

1952

When did the succeeding US President of Truman, Eisenhower, become elected?

November 1952

What did President Eisenhower promise?

To put an end to the Korean War

When did the leader of the USSR, Stalin die?

March 1953

Who was the leader of the USSR during the Korean War?

Stalin

What did the death of Stalin mean for the Korean War?

He died without an obvious successor, so North Korea and China's future was uncertain, making them less confident

When was the Korean War peace agreement made?

July 1953

Where was the Korean War peace agreement made?

Panmunjom

How many UN casualties were caused as a result of the Korean War

30,000

How much was the USA's defence spending after the Korean War

$60 billion

What happened to the relationship between China and the USSR because of the Korean War?

It improved

What happened to the relationship between China and the USA because of the Korean War?

It worsened

How many casualties did China suffer as a result of the Korean War?

Around 500,000

How many casualties did Korea suffer as a result of the Korean War?

Approximately 1.3 million

Who ruled Vietnam (at the time Indochina) before the Second World War?

France

Which strong anti-French group was formed, led by Ho Chi Minh?

Viet Minh

When did the Viet Minh take control of Hanoi, declaring Vietnam independant of French rule?

1945

What was the span of wars between the French and Viet Minh?

1945-1954

Who did Ho Chi Minh have the support of during his leadership

China & the USSR

How much did the USA give the French per year to help control Vietnam?

$500 million

In which battle were French forces defeated by the Viet Minh?

Dien Bien Phu

What year did the battle of Dien Bien Phu take place?

1954

How many French forces were killed during the battle of Dien Bien Phu?

8,000

Which agreement was made to stop the fighting, temporarily divide Vietnam into North and South, and planned a democratic election in 1956?

The Geneva Agreement

Who led the South Vietnamese government from 1954?

President Diem

Why was President Diem supported by the USA?

He was anti-Communist

Why was President Diem unpopular during his leadership?

He ruled harshly, arresting enemies and poorly treating the Buddhist population (he was Catholic)

What happened to President Diem in 1963 as a result of his poor leadership?

He was killed by his own troops

How many leader did South Vietnam have in the two years after President Diem's death?

10

When did Ho Chi Minh take control of North Vietnam?

1954

What did Ho Chi Minh form to fight against the USA and South Vietnam?

The National Liberation Front (NFL)/Viet Cong

How many Viet Cong fighters were there in South Vietnam by 1961?

20,000

How much money was sent from the USA to South Vietnam between 1954 and 1960?

$1.6 billion

How many US military advisors were sent to South Vietnam by 1962?

11,000

What did President Kennedy do for the Vietnam War?

He increased US involvement

What is the term called used to describe the idea of countries falling to Communism because of other Communist countries around them?

The Domino Theory

What shocking act did Buddhists perform to protest the poor leadership of President Diem?

Self-immolation

What programme moved whole villages from Viet Cong-controlled areas to areas controlled by the South Vietnamese goverment?

The Strategic Hamlets Programme

Why wasn't the Strategic Hamlets Programme successful?

Many villages did not want to move from their homes or work without pay to rebuild a new one. Most Vietnamese peasants did not feel threatened by the Viet Cong. It ended up having the opposite effect

When did the Gulf of Tonkin Incident take place?

August 1964

What did Congress pass as a result of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

What did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution mean for President Johnson?

He could take any measures necessary for the war

What increased in 1965 resulting in the approval of a mass bombing campaign from the US?

Viet Cong attacks

What was the name of the mass bombing campaign which launched in 1965?

Operation Rolling Thunder

When did US troops land in Da Nang, marking the start of US involvement?

March 1965

How many US marines landed in Da Nang?

3,500

Why were the Viet Cong troops difficult to identify?

They had no definite uniform or headquarters

How many civilians did the Viet Cong kill between 1966 and 1971 for working with the South Vietnamese goverment?

27,000

How many Vietnamese worked to keep the Ho Chi Minh trail open, despite heavy US bombing?

40,000

What tactics were used by the Viet Cong soldiers?

Guerilla Tactics

What strategies are used with guerilla tactics?

Avoid open battle; attack quickly, unexpectedly and then retreat; the use of booby traps, e.g. pits filled with booby traps and bouncing bettys

What percentage of casualties were caused by booby traps during the Vietnam War?

11%

How much was it estimated that it cost to kill a Viet Cong soldier in 1967?

$400,000

How long did Operation Rolling thunder last until?

1972

What were the main tactics of the USA?

Bombing, search and destroy and chemical weapons

What was the problem with search and destroy missions?

They were often based off inadequate information and meant that many civilians were also killed and injured (e.g. the My Lai Massacre). Many inexperienced troops often walked into booby troops.

How much Agent Orange was used during the Vietnam War?

82 million litres

What was Agent Orange?

A weed-killer-like chemical that destroyed areas of jungle to reveal where Viet Cong troops hid

What was Napalm?

A chemical which destroyed areas of jungle where the Viet Cong might hide and also burnt through skin to bone.

What was the problem with the US soldiers from 1967?

They were conscripted into the army and so many were inexperienced and did not want to fight.

How many desertions were recorded during the Vietnam War?

500,000

What happened to soldiers as the Vietnam War continued?

They lost respect for their officers. There were incidents of fragging (killing their officer)

What was the My Lai Massacre?

A search and destroy mission which killed hundreds of innocent civilians. Although technically classified as a success, it brought up many questions about the state of the war

How many civilians were killed during the My Lai Massacre?

400

How many Viet Cong soldiers were killed during the My Lai Massacre?

90

When was the My Lai Massacre?

March 1968

When were the press told about the story of the My Lai Massacre?

November 1969

When did the Tet Offensive launch?

Early 1968

What was the Tet Offensive?

A massive, widescale attack from the Viet Cong on 100 cities and military targets

What was the hope from the Tet Offensive?

South Vietnamese would rise up and join the Viet Cong, but they did not

How many Viet Cong soldiers were killed during the Tet Offensive?

10,000

Why was the Tet Offensive a turning point in the Vietnam War?

The fact that the Viet Cong could launch a major attack on the US like this made people at home question whether they were really being successful in the war.

When did Vietnam War peace talks initially begin?

May 1968

Where did Vietnam War peace talks initially take place?

Paris

What was the name of one of President Nixon's main policies?

Vietnamisation

What was the idea behind Vietnamisation?

It aimed to gradually reduce the US involvement from the Vietnam War by slowly withdrawing US troops and military advisors from South Vietnam

When did secret peace talks between North Vietnam and the US take place?

September 1969

How many troops were pulled out of Vietnam in June 1969?

25,000

How many troops were pulled out of Vietnam in September 1969?

30,000

When did Nixon visit China and the USSR, improving their relations?

1972