History

French involvement in Vietnam (before and after WWII) -

They went in 1946 to fight the Viet Minh. 

Ho Chi Minh -

The former communist president of North vietnam and founder of the indochinese communist party in 1930. 

Vietminh -

wanted independence of vietnam  from france his reign and they were a member of a communist dominated nationalist movement in 1941  

Domino theory -

The belief that if one nation in Asia fell to communist, neighboring countries would follow. 

Guerillas -

A member of an armed band that carries out surprise attacks and sabotage rather than open warfare. 

Dien Bien Phu -

the first Indochina war that took place between March 13 and May 7th 1954. 

Geneva Accords

signed in 1954 and aimed to end the first indochina war and establish peace in indochina.

Ngo Dinh Diem - 

was a nationalist that led the geneva accords  divide of the vietnam along the 17th parallel and was supported by Eisenhower 

President Lyndon Johnson -

was the 36th president of the united states from 1963 to 1969 

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution -

A congressional resolution passed in 1964 that authorizes president Lyndon B. Johnson to take all necessary measure.s 

Operation Rolling Thunder -

A U.S bombing campaign against North Vietnam 

Agent Orange -

A chemical defoliant used to clear vietnamese jungles during the vietnam war. 

Ho Chi Minh Trail -

trials comprising thousands of miles and they used to move troops and supplies to north vietnam . South  vietnam  , Cambodia , Laos  and the US had a bombing  campaign. 

William Westmoreland -

was a commanded U.S force the Vietnam war from 1964 to 1968

Credibility gap -

A lack of trust or believability 

Morley Safer -

Reporter on 60 minutes who covered the Vietnam war

Counterculture/Woodstock -

Sought to create alternative society = known as hippies = characterized by flamboyant dress, rock music, drug use, and free living. Woodstock is a music festival.

Doves/hawks - 

the 2 sides of the vietnam war the doves wanted the united states to leave vietnam while the hawks wanted the anton to stay and fight in the war, 

MLK, Jr./opinion on Vietnam War -

He did not support the war he thought it was a attack on the poor and there were too many deaths. 

Tet offensive -

Tet Offensive = on Vietnamese New Year, Viet Cong + North Vietnamese launched surprise attack on American air bases in South Vietnam + South’s major cities/provincial capitals

Democratic National Convention/Chicago -

August 1968  where Humphrey won the democratic vote but was a hawk. 

Robert Kennedy -

the democratic nominee and then was assassinated on june 1668

Election of 1968 -

after lyndon decide to to re run richard nixon won in the election of 1968

George Wallace -

was the governor of alabama and his foreign policy position different and wanted to withdraw troops 

Henry Kissinger -

was the secretary of state Henry Kissinger and was head of the national security council  in president Nixon cabinet. 

Linkage -

A policy of improving relations with the Soviet Union and China in hopes of persuading them to cut back their aid to North vietnam. 

Invasion of Cambodia -

  April 1970 = Nixon announced American troops had invaded Cambodia to destroy Vietcong military bases

Kent State University -

Kent State University = May 4, 1970 = Ohio National Guard soldiers fired on demonstrators = killed 4 students + wounded 9

Pentagon Papers/Daniel Ellsberg -

leaked by former Defense Department

Daniel Ellsberg to NY Times

  secret document = showed many gov’t officials had privately questioned the war while publicly defending it = also showed how various administrations had deceived the public about the war

Fall of South Vietnam -

On april 30th north vietnam captured saigon vietnamese which is the south vietnam capital and they fell under