Vietnam Era Study Guide

William Westmoreland

United States Army general who commanded U.S. forces during the Vietnam War.

Vo Nguyen Giap

General of the Vietnam People's Army and a key military leader during the Vietnam War.

Lyndon B Johnson

36th President of the United States who escalated U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Richard Nixon

37th President of the United States who initiated Vietnamization and aimed to withdraw U.S. troops.

Robert McNamara

U.S. Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War, known for his role in escalating U.S. involvement.

Gerald Ford

38th President of the United States who oversaw the end of the Vietnam War.

Clark Clifford

Advisor to President Johnson on the Vietnam War, known for his change in stance towards the war.

Robert Kennedy

Senator and presidential candidate who opposed the Vietnam War.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

1964 resolution that authorized President Johnson to use military force in Vietnam.

USS Maddox

U.S. Navy destroyer involved in the Gulf of Tonkin incident that led to greater U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Domino Theory

The belief that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would also fall.

Tet

The Vietnamese New Year celebration, and the name of the 1968 offensive launched by North Vietnam.

New Left

Political movement in the U.S. in the 1960s that criticized traditional social structures and sought reforms.

Rolling Thunder

A campaign of aerial bombardment against North Vietnam conducted by the U.S. during the Vietnam War.

Students for a Democratic Society

A student organization that was a major advocate for civil rights and opposed the Vietnam War.

Free Speech Movement

A student protest for free speech and academic freedom at the University of California, Berkeley.

Walter Cronkite

Prominent CBS news anchor whose opinion on the Vietnam War influenced public sentiment.

Jane Fonda

Actress and anti-war activist known for her opposition to the Vietnam War.

John Wayne

Iconic American actor who was a strong supporter of U.S. military efforts in Vietnam.

Bob Dylan

Singer-songwriter who became a prominent voice of the anti-war movement.

Hawk

A person who advocates for war or military action.

Dove

A person who opposes war and advocates for peace.

M-16 A 1 Assault Rifle

Standard-issue rifle for U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War.

Napalm

Flammable liquid used in warfare, infamous for its use by American forces in Vietnam.

Agent Orange

Herbicide used by the U.S. military to destroy vegetation during the Vietnam War.

Hearts and Minds

Strategy aimed at winning the support of the Vietnamese people during the war.

Viet Cong

South Vietnamese communist insurgents fighting against the U.S. and South Vietnamese government.

National Liberation Front

Political organization in South Vietnam that supported the Viet Cong.

Tunnel System

Complex underground networks used by the Viet Cong for military operations.

Saigon

Capital of South Vietnam; its fall marked the end of the Vietnam War.

Nguyễn Văn Thiệu

President of South Vietnam during the war.

Dương Văn Minh

Last President of South Vietnam before its collapse.

ARVN

Army of the Republic of Vietnam, the military force of South Vietnam.

NVA

North Vietnamese Army, the military force of North Vietnam.

MACV

Military Assistance Command, Vietnam; responsible for overseeing U.S. military operations.

LZ

Landing Zone; an area designated for helicopter landings.

Huey’s

Nicknamed for the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, helicopters widely used during the Vietnam War.

Guerrilla Warfare

A form of irregular warfare in which small groups use ambush tactics.

My Lai

Site of a mass killing of Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War.

LT. William Calley

U.S. Army officer convicted for his role in the My Lai Massacre.

Operation Menu

Secret U.S. bombing campaign in Cambodia during the Vietnam War.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

A network of supply routes used by North Vietnam to transport troops and supplies to South Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh

Leader of North Vietnam and key figure in the struggle for Vietnamese independence.

Vietnamization

U.S. policy of reducing American troops and increasing the South Vietnamese military's responsibility.

Watergate

A political scandal involving President Nixon that led to his resignation.

Pentagon Papers

Classified documents that revealed government deception in the Vietnam War.

Operation Frequent Wind

The final evacuation of U.S. personnel from Vietnam as Saigon fell in 1975.