Cold War & Vietnam War Study Guide

Flashcards about the Cold War and Vietnam War

Containment

U.S. policy to stop the spread of communism.

Deterrence / MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction)

Fear of nuclear war prevented countries from using nuclear weapons.

Flexible Response

avoiding fighting the soviet union and instead fighting their allies like north vietnam which led to proxy wars.

NSC 68

U.S. decision to use military strength to deter Soviet threats.

Domino Theory

The theory that if one country falls to communism, others nearby will too.

Monolithic Theory

The idea that all communism is the same and directed by the USSR.

Korean War (1950–1953)

North Korea that invaded South Korea; U.S. and allies pushed back, then the soviets pushed back and ending in stalemate.

Marshall Plan / Truman Doctrine

MP: Provide financial aid to countries in western europe after ww2

TD: Support nations resisting communism. Ex: south korea and south vietnam.

Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech

Speech warned about how communist countries are seperate from the rest of the world

Advisers Phase (Vietnam War)

The phase where U.S. sent military advisors to support South Vietnam. Advisors to combatants and back to advisors 1954-1975

white flight

when white middle class people left the citys and were replaced with minoritys

Vietnamization (1969–1975)

Nixon’s plan to train South Vietnamese to take over the war.

Tet Offensive (1968)

Surprise attack by North Vietnam on US bases and showed how strong the VC still were.

My Lai Massacre

U.S. soldiers killed a village of Vietnamese civilians under the suspicion that they were VC, worsening public opinion.

Rolling Thunder

US bombed villages in north vietnam to try to get north vietnam to negociate. largest bombing campaign in US history.

Fall of Saigon (1975)

North Vietnamese captured South Vietnam’s capital, marking the end of the war.

McCarthyism

Senator Joseph McCarthy accused people in the government of being communist but he lied about alot of things and was not beliveable.

HUAC

Investigations by House Un-American Activities Committee. investigated alleged communists in hollywood and college.

Counterculture

Young people who rejected traditional values and questioned the government.

Suburbanization

Post-WWII movement to suburbs; middle-class migration.

White Flight

White Americans moved out of cities as minorities moved in.

Baby Boom

Large population increase post-WWII.

Kent State (1970)

National Guard killed four college students protesting the Vietnam War.

Détente (1970s)

Period of easing Cold War tensions between U.S. and USSR. they wanted the soviets to have their part of the world and the US to have theirs.

SALT I Treaty

Limited nuclear weapons during the Detente Period.