9: Vietnam War Comprehensive Study Guide Flashcards

These question-and-answer flashcards cover major causes, events, figures, strategies, and consequences of the Vietnam War, providing a comprehensive review for exam preparation.

What were two major forms of exploitation under French colonial rule that bred Vietnamese resentment?

Resource extraction (rubber, rice, etc.) and heavy local taxes enforced through colonial monopolies on goods like salt, opium, and alcohol.

Which organisation did Ho Chi Minh found in 1941 to fight for Vietnamese independence?

The Viet Minh (League for the Independence of Vietnam).

Why did the United States initially provide limited aid to the Viet Minh during World War II?

Ho Chi Minh downplayed communist aims and positioned the Viet Minh as an anti-Japanese resistance group, aligning with U.S. anti-Axis interests.

What decisive 1954 battle ended major French hopes of retaining Vietnam?

The Battle of Dien Bien Phu, where the Viet Minh cut French supply lines and forced surrender.

What temporary line divided Vietnam after the Geneva Conference of 1954?

The 17th parallel.

Which South Vietnamese leader cancelled the nationwide reunification elections scheduled for 1956?

Ngo Dinh Diem.

How did Diem legitimize his rule in October 1955, and why was it controversial?

He staged a rigged referendum that claimed 98 % approval to depose Emperor Bao Dai and install himself as president; votes exceeded registered voters in some areas.

What was the primary purpose of North Vietnam’s Group 559 created in 1959?

To build and maintain the Ho Chi Minh Trail for transporting weapons and troops to the South.

Define the ‘Domino Theory’ as applied to U.S. policy in Southeast Asia.

The belief that if one nation fell to communism, neighboring nations would soon follow, like a row of dominoes.

What name did South Vietnam and the United States give to the communist-led insurgency in the South?

The Viet Cong (officially the National Liberation Front for South Vietnam).

Why did Diem’s pro-Catholic stance inflame unrest in early 1960s South Vietnam?

It marginalized the Buddhist majority, prompting protests and dramatic self-immolations by monks.

What U.S. program attempted to isolate rural civilians from Viet Cong influence by relocating them to fortified villages?

The Strategic Hamlet Programme.

Which 1964 naval event led directly to broad U.S. congressional authorization for military action in Vietnam?

The Gulf of Tonkin Incident involving the USS Maddox.

What power did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution grant President Johnson?

Authority to take “all necessary measures” to repel attacks and prevent further aggression in Southeast Asia, effectively green-lighting full U.S. intervention.

What was President Kennedy’s primary military contribution to South Vietnam before 1963?

Sending thousands of military advisors under MACV to train the ARVN.

Name the first major conventional battle between U.S. and North Vietnamese forces in 1965.

The Battle of Ia Drang Valley.

Which surprise 1968 offensive altered U.S. public perception of the war’s progress?

The Tet Offensive.

Despite severe Viet Cong losses, why was the Tet Offensive considered a strategic success for North Vietnam?

It shattered U.S. confidence, spurred anti-war sentiment, and eroded political will for a prolonged conflict.

What infamous 1968 atrocity intensified anti-war sentiment in the United States?

The My Lai Massacre, where over 500 unarmed civilians were killed by U.S. soldiers.

Which photo, nicknamed “Saigon Execution,” became a symbol of the war’s brutality?

The image of ARVN General Nguyen Ngoc Loan shooting a captured Viet Cong officer in Saigon (1968).

What was President Nixon’s 1969 strategy to reduce U.S. ground involvement called?

Vietnamisation, transferring combat duties to South Vietnamese forces while U.S. troops withdrew.

Which 1973 agreement formalized the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam?

The Paris Peace Accords.

How did the Watergate scandal affect post-1973 U.S. aid to South Vietnam?

It undermined Nixon’s authority, and Congress refused further military funding, hastening South Vietnam’s collapse.

When did Saigon fall, and what was it renamed?

April 30 1975; it was renamed Ho Chi Minh City.

What was Operation Frequent Wind?

The final helicopter evacuation of U.S. personnel and at-risk Vietnamese from Saigon as North Vietnamese forces entered the city.

After reunification, what system of detention was used for former South Vietnamese officials?

‘Re-education camps’ involving indoctrination, forced labor, and harsh conditions.

Which regional organization was formed in 1967 partly in response to fears of communist expansion after U.S. setbacks in Vietnam?

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

Explain how the Sino-Soviet Split influenced support for North Vietnam.

China and the USSR competed for communist leadership, each escalating military and economic aid to Hanoi to assert dominance.

What Cold War policy guided U.S. efforts to block communist expansion in Vietnam?

Containment.

Which U.S. broadcaster’s post-Tet commentary is famously said to have swayed public opinion against the war?

Walter Cronkite of CBS News.

What metric did U.S. commanders often cite to prove progress, despite its flaws?

Enemy ‘body count’ rather than territorial control.

State one ‘positive’ and one ‘negative’ impact of French colonial rule cited in Vietnamese history.

Positive: Introduction of Western education and healthcare; Negative: Exploitation of resources and imposition of heavy taxes/monopolies.

Why did thousands of people flee North Vietnam after 1954?

Fear of communist land reforms, show trials, and political repression under Ho Chi Minh.

Give one reason Ngo Dinh Diem’s land-reform efforts stalled.

His main supporters were large landowners who resisted redistribution, and he showed little interest in genuine reform.

What was the Ho Chi Minh Trail and why was it vital?

A network of paths through Laos and Cambodia used to move troops and supplies from North to South Vietnam, sustaining the insurgency.

Which two superpowers supplied the Viet Cong/North Vietnam after 1964?

The Soviet Union and China.

What was President Johnson’s main objective regarding Vietnam when he assumed office?

Contain communism without committing to an all-out war, though events led to large-scale troop deployments.

Name two U.S. allies that sent combat troops to Vietnam.

Australia and South Korea (others include New Zealand and Thailand).

How did the media’s access differ in Vietnam compared to earlier wars?

Journalists had unprecedented front-line freedom, leading to rapid and graphic reporting dubbed the ‘first television war.’

What 1972 treaty reflected a détente mindset influenced by U.S. lessons from Vietnam?

The Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty between the U.S. and USSR.

Which two major Cold War powers did the U.S. pursue rapprochement with after Vietnam, exemplified by Nixon’s visits and agreements?

The People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union.

Define ‘proxy war’ and explain why the Vietnam conflict fits this term.

A conflict in which major powers support opposing sides without engaging each other directly; the U.S. backed South Vietnam while USSR/China backed North Vietnam.

What year did Ho Chi Minh die, and why is that significant?

1969; he did not live to see Vietnam’s reunification in 1975.

Describe the Strategic Hamlet Programme’s main flaw.

Forced relocation alienated rural peasants, often driving them toward Viet Cong sympathy instead of isolating them from insurgents.

Which communist leader after 1976 oversaw the Socialist Republic of Vietnam?

Le Duan.

State two long-term effects of the Vietnam War on U.S. foreign policy.

Erosion of public trust in government interventions (‘Vietnam Syndrome’) and a turn toward détente and more cautious overseas military commitments.

What is meant by a ‘show trial,’ and who used them during the 1950s in Vietnam?

A public trial with predetermined verdict intended for political messaging; Ho Chi Minh’s regime used them during land-reform campaigns.

How did the ‘body count’ approach mislead U.S. strategy makers?

It equated high enemy casualties with success even though territorial control and political objectives remained unmet.

Identify one reason China feared a non-communist Vietnam aligned with the U.S.

It would place a hostile power on China’s southern border, threatening Chinese security and influence.

What 1975 set of agreements continued the spirit of détente by addressing European borders and human rights?

The Helsinki Accords.

Explain why the ARVN struggled after most U.S. troops left.

Despite training, it lacked U.S. air support, faced corruption, and struggled with morale, making it ineffective against renewed North Vietnamese offensives.

How did operation ‘Rolling Thunder’ relate to Johnson’s escalation strategy?

It was a sustained bombing campaign (1965-1968) intended to pressure North Vietnam and disrupt its support for the Viet Cong.

What was MACV, and who led it during peak U.S. troop levels?

Military Assistance Command, Vietnam—the unified command for U.S. forces; notably led by General William Westmoreland.

Which Cold War conflict earlier inspired Mao to support North Vietnam as an anti-U.S. buffer?

The Korean War (1950-1953).

In what way did the fall of Saigon influence future U.S. interventions?

'Fear of another Vietnam' made policymakers wary of prolonged ground wars without clear objectives or domestic support.

What international concept was illustrated when ASEAN declared Southeast Asia a ‘Zone of Peace, Freedom, and Neutrality’?

Regional collective security and an effort to limit superpower interference.

Why did Congress ultimately block President Ford’s 1975 request for additional aid to South Vietnam?

War-weariness, distrust after Watergate, and perception that continued aid would only prolong inevitable defeat.

How did the media’s relationship with the U.S. military change after the Tet Offensive?

Journalists abandoned prior restraint and became more openly critical, highlighting contradictions between official statements and battlefield realities.

Which Cold War doctrine largely shaped U.S. engagement in Vietnam before 1964?

The Truman Doctrine of supporting free peoples resisting communist subjugation.

Summarize the main reason the Viet Cong lost popular support in some rural areas after 1968 despite earlier gains.

Their heavy losses and harsh reprisals weakened local influence, while North Vietnamese regulars increasingly directed the war effort.

What was the immediate economic consequence for Vietnam after reunification?

A devastated infrastructure and economy requiring extensive Soviet aid to rebuild.

Give one example of how the Vietnam War affected popular culture in the United States.

It inspired a wave of protest music, films, and literature critical of war and governmental authority.

What key lesson about guerrilla warfare did U.S. commanders underestimate in Vietnam?

Superior technology and firepower cannot guarantee victory against a motivated enemy adept at blending with the civilian population.