APUSH Chapters 36-37 The Vietnam War

Can't read "Saigon" without Martin Sheen's Cpt. Willard voice in my head. Also "La-Drang" and "Charlie"

France

Vietnam was historically under the control of ____.

Ho Chi Minh

A Communist nationalist. Refused to accept foreing rule after WWII and established “Democratic Republic” in the northern section of Vietnam.

Battle of Dien Bien Phu

The French suffered a major military defeat, forcing them to pull out of Vietnam

Geneva Conference

Divided Vietnam along the 17th parallel and promised to hold an election to unify the country

North Vietnam

Communist, Ho Chi Minh

South Vietnam

Non-Communist, Ngo Dinh Diem

Domino Theory

The thought that when one nation falls to communism the impact is such as to weaken the resistance of other countries and facilitate, if not cause, their fall to communism.

South East Asia Treaty (SEATO)

Pledged joint action against Communist aggression. (US, FR, GB, NZ, AUS, PH)

Viet-Cong (Charlie)

Supplied by Ho Chi Minh, was growing in numbers-Communist rebels in SV who fought the pro-American Government

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Allowed the President (LBJ) to “take all necessary measures to protect US forces & stop further aggression”

Pleiku

Feb 1965, VC attacked the South Vietnam headquarters and US military base, ___.

Operation Rolling Thunder

A massive bombing campaign against NV. Hoping to cause Ho Chi Minh to abandon his efforts and help balance the war. Pushed the US over the line from helping SV to leading the war effort.

Guerilla Warfare

Fighting tactic of the VC

Viet Cong Batallion

300-600 men and women who were masters of their environment and supported by the people

General Westmoreland

Developed the US war strategy Search and Destroy

War of Attrition

War of wills, who could last longer

Battle of LaDrang

North Vietnamese outnumbered US tropps by 3 to 1 but we are able to win battles & secure the area w/ superior weapons

Civilians

____ suffered just as much as soldiers

Saigon

Town where VC set off bombs, and tortured and murdered SV villagers who opposed them

Free Fire Zones

US established these areas in SV where all people were considered the enemy and bombs wre dropped at will

Ho Chi Minh Trail

US heavily bombed this supply trail through NV to Laos

My Lai Massacre

Small village in SV rumoured to be harboring Viet Cong. US only found women and children but William L. Calley still ordered everyone rounded up and killed. Over 400 were slaughtered and it shocked Americans at home.

Saturation Bombing

Air raids that dropped thousands of tons of explosives over large areas

Fragmentation Bomb

Unleashed metal casings in all directions

Agent Orange

Made leaves fall off trees and expose Viet Cong

Napalm

Jellylike substance which burned uncontrollably as it stuck to skin and burned off flesh

2nd Vatican Council

Met and passed reforms aimed at modernizing church liturgy and practices

Beatniks

(1950s) Small group of people captured the Beat Generations contempt for the middle class suburban conformity and authority

• Wanted to break away and march to their own “beat”

• Laid the foundation for the counterculture of the 1960s

Allen Ginsburg

Author at the core of the Beat Generation

On The Road - Jack Kerouac

Was the quintissential hipster novel about sontaneity

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

Leading student organization of the New Left who believed radical changes were the only way to solve problems

Free Speech Movement (FSM)

Mario Savio led the student movement to protest limitations of political activities on campus (institutions had banned different forms of political discourse)

Berkeley

FSM held 1st student revolution at ____ where students argued their free speech was limited and organized a sit in

3 p’s for the upheavels of the 1960s

• Population bulge of the Baby Boomers

• Protest against racism and the Vietnam War

• Prosperity that seemed permanent for post-war US

Selective Service System

Much anger was directed at the _____

• was racist and targeted poor and working class families

Ways People Objected the Draft

• Burned draft cards

• Left eh country-fled to Canada

• Claimed to be Conscientious Objectors who opposed to fighting in the war on moral grounds

• Moved to an area with lenient draft boards

• Went to jail

• Sought medical deferements

• Enrolled in college

The Weather Underground

Violent and angry SDS faction

“wise men”

LBJ’s, previously JFK’s, military advisors who LBJ followed w/o thought bc he was lowk inept at foreign policy.

Crossover Point

Point at which US government could no longer claim we were winning the war

TV

Spread images of the war and largely turned the US public against the war

Hawks

People who supported the war and believed the US must stop Communism and honor our premise to defend SV

Doves

People who were against the war and believed US shouldn’t interfere b/c it was a waste of money and lives

Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

(William Fullbright) Held televised hearing where prominent people aired their largely anti-war views (antagonists w LBJ like they were agnst e/o)

Sec. of Defense Robert McNamara

Expressed concern and was quietly eased out of the cabinet

Cointelpro

CIA (an INT. org!) program ordered by LBJ to spy on leading “doves” and make false reports of them being Communist sympathizers

LBJ challengers to the presidency

Sen Eugene McCarthy and RFK

Sirhan Sirhan

Assasinated RFK

1968 Democratic Convention

Chicago Mayor Richard Daly worried about protests, arranged barricades, and a police presence “Fort Daly”

• Protestors wanted to embarass the Dems, called names, threw shit. (VW was the Dems War)

• Humphrey (LBJ VP) was blamed for the riots

American Independent Party

George C. Wallace (insane, pro-segregation and his running mate said to bomb Vietnam to dust, it was his whole thing)

Hippies

People who consciously rejected conventional norms and have contempt for middle class value. (Peace peace peace all peace bc anti-war anti-VW) “Make peace not war”, wh all makes sense now

😲 all bc of the VW, idealists in some ways

“Summer of Love”

Flocked to Haight-Asbury

Woodstock Music & Art Fair

Trouble free weekend full of sex, drugs, and rock and roll

Altamont Rolling Stones Concert

Stones hired their own security, Hell’s Angels. Violence was a contradiciton to their lifestyle

Nixon Doctrine

Stated the US would honor its existing defense commitments but in the furture, countries would have to fight their own wars

“Peace with Honor”

Nixon’s plan in Vietnam

Vietnamization

Removing US troops and replacing them w/ SV soldiers

Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam

A massive demonstration across the US. 1st time the anti-war movement reached a full-fledged mass movement

“silent majority”

Nixon appealed to the ______

Kent State University

Students rioted on cmapus against the newest increase in violence, the secret bombing of Cambodia. National Guard fired at protestors when they felt threatened.

Jackson State College

(historically black college) Highway patrol fired into a student dorm, killing 2 students

26th Amendment

Changed voting age from 21 to 18

Pentagon Papers

Leaked by a former Pentagon officical, revealed gov’t officials lied to Congress and American public about the war. Esp ab the provoking of NV at the attack of the Gulf on Tonkin

Retaliation

Nixon ordered the massive bombing of NV, to force them back to the conference table

War Powers Resolution

Limits the President’s ability to wage war w/o Congressional approval

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Created in D.C. to recognize their courage and help heal their wounds