GCSE History Flashcards: Civil Rights and the Vietnam War

Flashcards covering key events, figures, and concepts related to the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War.

Why did the USA become involved in Vietnam?

To stop the spread of communism (domino theory), especially after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident in 1964.

Who were the Viet Cong?

Communist guerrilla fighters in South Vietnam who used unconventional tactics against the US and South Vietnamese forces.

What tactics did the Viet Cong use?

Guerrilla warfare, tunnels, booby traps, ambushes, and blending in with the local population.

How did the USA respond militarily in Vietnam?

Bombing campaigns (e.g. Operation Rolling Thunder), search and destroy missions, and the use of chemical weapons like Agent Orange and Napalm.

What was the Tet Offensive (1968) and why was it significant?

A surprise Viet Cong attack during the Vietnamese New Year; it shocked the US public and reduced support for the war.

What was Vietnamization?

President Nixon's policy to gradually withdraw US troops and train South Vietnamese forces to fight.

Why did opposition to the Vietnam War grow in the USA?

High casualties, graphic media coverage, the draft, moral concerns, and incidents like the My Lai Massacre.

What happened at the Kent State protests (1970)?

National Guard troops shot and killed four students during anti-war protests.

When did the USA withdraw from Vietnam, and what was the outcome?

US troops left in 1973; by 1975, South Vietnam had fallen to the communists.

What were Jim Crow laws?

Laws enforcing racial segregation in the southern USA.

What was Brown v. Board of Education (1954)?

A Supreme Court case that declared segregated schools unconstitutional.

Who was Rosa Parks and what did she do in 1955?

She refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Who was Martin Luther King Jr.?

A civil rights leader who promoted non-violent protest and gave the I Have a Dream speech in 1963.

What was the Civil Rights Act (1964)?

A landmark law that banned segregation and discrimination based on race, religion, or gender.

What was the Voting Rights Act (1965)?

It banned literacy tests and other obstacles to African American voting.

What happened in the Birmingham Campaign (1963)?

Peaceful protesters, including children, were met with police brutality, shocking the nation and increasing support for civil rights.

What was the Black Power movement?

A more militant civil rights approach emphasizing racial pride and self-reliance; associated with figures like Malcolm X and groups like the Black Panthers.

What caused the Watts Riots (1965)?

Tensions over police brutality and poor living conditions in African American communities in Los Angeles.

How did the Vietnam War impact the Civil Rights Movement?

Many African Americans were drafted disproportionately, leading civil rights leaders like MLK to oppose the war.

What role did media play in civil rights?

Televised brutality against peaceful protesters helped gain national and international sympathy for the movement.