vietnam war

Containment

The U.S. foreign policy to prevent the spread of communism.

Massive Retaliation

Eisenhower's policy to use nuclear weapons in response to communist aggression.

Flexible Response

Kennedy and Johnson's strategy to adapt military response to the level of conflict.

Domino Theory

The idea that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would follow.

Proxy War

A conflict where two opposing countries support combatants that serve their interests instead of waging war directly.

Geneva Accords

The 1954 agreement that split Vietnam at the 17th parallel into North (communist) and South (anti-communist).

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

The 1964 Congressional resolution that authorized President Johnson to take military action in Vietnam.

Agent Orange

A herbicide used in Vietnam that defoliated trees and had harmful health effects on humans.

Tet Offensive

A major 1968 attack by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces that shifted U.S. public opinion against the war.

Nixon Doctrine

The U.S. would support allied nations financially but not with troops.

My Lai Massacre

The 1968 killing of over 500 unarmed Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers.

Kent State Shootings

The 1970 shooting of unarmed college students by the Ohio National Guard during a protest.

Pentagon Papers

Classified documents that revealed U.S. government policy in Vietnam from 1945 to 1967.

Fall of Saigon

The 1975 capture of Saigon by North Vietnamese forces, leading to the end of the Vietnam War.

Vietnamization

Nixon's strategy to equip and train South Vietnamese forces to assume responsibility for the war.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident

Alleged attacks on U.S. ships that escalated U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Operation Rolling Thunder

A sustained bombing campaign against North Vietnam from 1965 to 1968.

Military Advisors

U.S. personnel sent to support and train South Vietnamese forces without direct combat involvement.

Credibility Gap

The public's skepticism about the truthfulness of government statements, particularly regarding Vietnam.

Peace with Honor

Nixon's promise to withdraw from Vietnam in a manner that would preserve U.S. dignity.

Destabilization

Political disorder or upheaval resulting from conflict or foreign intervention.

Refugees from SE Asia

People displaced from Southeast Asia due to war and its aftermath, often seeking asylum.