Vietnam War

Indo-Chinese peninsula

Location in Southeast Asia under China, bordering Laos and Cambodia.

Ho Chi Minh

Communist leader who declared Vietnam independent and gained control of northern Vietnam after WWII.

First Indo-China War

Conflict where the Vietnamese resisted French control, leading to eventual French withdrawal.

Domino Theory

The idea that if one Southeast Asian country fell to communism, others would follow.

Dien Bien Phu

The last battle of the First Indo-China War leading to the French defeat.

Geneva Accords

Agreement signed in 1954 that split Vietnam at the 17th parallel between the North (communists) and South (French control).

Ngo Dinh Diem

Leader of South Vietnam who faced severe challenges and was seen as unfit for leadership.

Vietcong

Communist rebels in South Vietnam who opposed Diem's government.

Strategic Hamlet Program

US initiative to consolidate Vietnamese villages for easier protection against Vietcong infiltration.

Tet Offensive

A major surprise attack by the Vietcong during the Vietnamese New Year, which shifted American public opinion against the war.

Vietnamization

Nixon's strategy to withdraw US troops and transfer responsibility for the war to South Vietnam.

My Lai Massacre

Incident in which a US Army platoon killed hundreds of innocent Vietnamese civilians.

Pentagon Papers

A classified document leaked revealing the US government's misleading statements about the Vietnam War.

War Powers Act

Legislation requiring the president to inform Congress within 48 hours of military deployments and limiting troop engagement without congressional approval.

Vietnam Syndrome

Public aversion to foreign conflicts after the Vietnam War due to perceived governmental deceit.