The US at the End of the Sixties: Vietnam War Focus

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers key terms, individuals, and events surrounding the US involvement in the Vietnam War and the resulting social movements during the 1960s.

Détente

A moment in the Cold War when the US and the USSR try to restore some communications and to limit the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Containment policy

The US strategy to prevent the spread of communism, which served as the rationale for US involvement in the Vietnam War.

Viet-minh

The communist party that declared the independence of Indochina in 1945 and proclaimed a communist government.

Indochina

A former French colony consisting of four territories that gained independence in 1954: Laos, Cambodia, Annam, and Vietnam.

Domino Theory

The belief that if Vietnam fell to communism, neighboring countries like Cambodia and Laos would fall next.

Viet Cong

The Communist Led National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam which utilized guerrilla tactics against the South Vietnamese Government.

Gulf of Tonkin

The location of an attack on US boats that prompted President Johnson to retaliate by sending 3,500 US marines to Vietnam.

Guerilla

A tactic where forces retreat when the enemy attacks and attack when the enemy retreats, designed to wear down soldiers and wreck their morale.

Ho Chi Minh's trail

The supply route used to bring weapons and equipment into South Vietnam to support the Viet Cong.

Operation Rolling Thunder

Extensive bombing raids on military and industrial targets in North Vietnam launched in February 1965.

Agent Orange

A highly toxic 'weed killer' chemical weapon used by the Americans to destroy the jungle where the Viet Cong hid.

Napalm

A chemical used to destroy the jungle that caused horrific burns to the skin of civilians and soldiers.

Search and destroy

A US military tactic where soldiers used helicopter raids to descend on villages and destroy any Viet Cong forces found.

Tet Offensive

A 1968 communist offensive against major cities and military targets that marked a turning point in the war and shifted American public opinion.

Kent State University

The Ohio location where National Guard troops opened fire on students protesting the invasion of Cambodia, killing 4 students.

My Lai Massacre

A 1968 incident where American soldiers killed mostly civilians, including children, women, and old men; it was initially claimed as a success but later revealed as a scandal.

William Calley

The Lieutenant in charge of the mission during the My Lai Massacre who was tried and charged for the event.

Saigon

The capital of South Vietnam which fell to the North Vietnamese in December 1974, leading to a communist victory.

Asymmetrical war

A conflict where the military power of the US was challenged by communist forces who operated using unconventional guerrilla tactics.