Vietnam War Quiz prep

Gulf of Tonkin

August 2 1964- North Vietnamese attacked USS Maddox (naval ship)

August 4- another attack 2 days later started grounds for Gulf of Tonkin Resolution ( turned out to be fake)

President Johnson asked Congress to pass Gulf of Tonkin Resolution ( authorization to use military force in Vietnam ( not a declaration of war)

August 7th- LBJ uses broad powers to defend Vietnam at any cost

March 1965- Operation rolling thunder—> first US combat troops arrive in Vietnam

Vietcong

communist opposition group in South Vietnam fighting against ARVN ( army of the republic of vietnam) and US

Supported by Ho Chi Minh through Ho Chi Minh Trail

Guerrilla warfare

unusual form of military combat which uses raids, surprise attack, sabotage, and other irregular tactics. Involves small groups of men with limited training, attacking large military groups

people in Vietcong used this method

Tet Offensive ( January 1968)

North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong attack South Vietnam all at once, US and ARVN beat back the offensive but it’s seen as an American winning by the Media

Credibility Gap

the difference between what the government was telling the public and what they were seeing in the news

My Lai Massacre ( may 16 1968)

a search and destroy mission in My Lai turns into a massacre. 300 unarmed civilians executed

Counter culture

creating a new society based on peace and love, a better way of life compared to the usual norms of getting married

vietnamization

(1960) policy announced by president Nixon, in which the US will gradually shift the burden of the war to the South Vietnamese Army

Silent Majority

Americans who didn't join in the large demonstrations against the Vietnam War at the time, didn’t join in counterculture, and didn’t participate in anything

Domino Theory

if one country fell into commnism, the surrounding countries would fall like dominoes

war in the Living Room

Vietnam was the first war ever fought without censorship. Without that, things can get confused in the public and television can paralyze the country.

Kent state

6 student anti- war protesters were killed at Kent state and Jackson state university in May. This is due to Nixon announcing that us troops will attack enemy locations in Cambodia (1970)

Operation rolling thunder

bombing campaign that was designed to force Ho Chi Minh to abandon his ambition to take over South Vietnam

LBJ vs Nixons policy in vietnam

LBJ planned on escalating war even when he said he wouldn't ( when running for president)

Nixon- he made a campaign that promised an end to the war, runs a law and order platform

Draft dodging

ways of avoiding the draft was through medical exemptions, join national guard or coast guard, go to college, get married/ children, or an objector

Opposition to war

Hippies and doves bc they wanted a positive source of change, turned against US soldiers, Vietnam is unwinnable or not worth it— Soldiers and Hawks ( self image = true patriots, despised counterculture, more force= victory in Vietnam

Impact of Viet War

Agriculture, business, and industry were disrupted and cities were super damaged

Peace with Honor

Nixon sabotages peace, Johnson organizes Vietnam peace talks, Nixon fears peace treaty will ruin chances for prez