The Vietnam War

Monday - April 28, 2025

Provide a basic rundown of the Vietnam War.

North Vietnam (communist) attacks South Vietnam (anti-communist)

Did we win the Vietnam War?

No

Which side of Vietnam does the US support and why?

South Vietnam because they’re anti-communist

When was the Vietnam War?

1964 - 1973

In 1946—when containment was starting to become popular—who colonized Vietnam?

France

What did US CIA operatives do?

Helped South Vietnam

From 1950 - 1954, how many operatives did the US send into Vietnam?

50

From 1954 - 1960, how many operatives did the US send into Vietnam?

500

When was JFK assassinated?

November 22, 1963

From 1960 - 1963, how many soldiers did LBJ, JFK’s VP, send into Vietnam?

16,700 soldiers

After becoming President, what did LBJ specifically say he did NOT want to do?

To escalate things in Vietnam

In Early August of 1964, what was the trigger cause that brought the US into the Vietnam War? How did LBJ respond?

The Gulf of Tonkin Incident → LBJ sends thousands of soldiers into Vietnam

When and what was the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?

August 2nd & 4th → a series of attacks on 2 US boats by North Vietnam

When did LBJ come up with the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution? What was it?

August 7th → LBJ has wide-ranging power

When did LBJ declare Operation Rolling Thunder?

February 1965

Operation Rolling Thunder was a military attack. How did US troops disturb Vietnam?

They carpet-bombed Vietnam & had soldiers on the ground

What was the name of the Southern Vietnam group against US troops interference?

Vietcong

What difficult issues did US soldiers deal with while in Vietnam?

weather, diseases, and mountains

What kind of question did soldiers/Americans begin asking themselves about Truman’s Containment Policy by 1965?

Why are we doing this?

What was the average age of US soldiers fighting in Vietnam?

18 - 25 years old

The Vietnam War was described as what word by newspaper editors?

A quagmire, or a situation you can’t get out of

If LBJ pulled out of the Vietnam War, what did he believe he’d lose and look like?

national pride & he’d look like a loser to Russia

From 1965 - 1968, how did US press report US progress within Vietnam?

They said we were winning (we were not)

What happened on January 30, 1968?

North Vietnam launched a huge offensive on South Vietnam

What was the name of North Vietnam’s huge offensive against South Vietnam?

The TET Offensive

When did North Vietnam launch a huge offensive against South Vietnam?

January 30, 1968

What happened in NV’s TET Offensive?

80,000 NV troops attacked 100 SV cities

What major event took place on March 16, 1968?

The Mylai Massacre

When did the Mylai Massacre happen?

March 16, 1968

What happened at the Mylai Massacre?

US soldiers attacked 350-500 innocent Vietnamese people thinking that they were pro-communist Vietcong members