Vietnam War Key Terms Flashcards

Flashcards covering the key vocabulary and concepts related to the Vietnam War for study and review.

Agent Orange

A herbicide used by the US military during the Vietnam War to eliminate forest cover; it had severe health impacts.

Tet Offensive

A major surprise attack by the North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnamese New Year in January 1968.

Mai Lai Massacre

A mass killing of unarmed South Vietnamese civilians by US troops in March 1968.

Kent State Massacre

An incident in 1970 where National Guardsmen shot and killed four students during anti-war protests.

VietCong

The communist guerrilla forces that operated in South Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

A network of supply routes used by North Vietnam to send arms and troops into South Vietnam.

Napalm

A flammable liquid used in warfare, particularly by U.S. forces in Vietnam, to destroy enemy territory.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

A resolution passed by Congress in 1964 that gave President Johnson authorization to increase military involvement in Vietnam.

Guerrilla Warfare

A form of irregular warfare in which small groups use tactics like ambushes and raids for fighting larger traditional military forces.

Search and Destroy Missions

Military operations aimed at locating and destroying enemy forces and resources.

Johnson’s Credibility Gap

The public's skepticism towards President Johnson’s statements about the Vietnam War.

Vietnamization

A policy aimed at reducing American involvement in the Vietnam War by transferring responsibility to South Vietnamese forces.

Silent Majority

A term used by President Nixon to describe the majority of Americans who supported the Vietnam War but did not publicly express their opinions.

Richard Nixon

The 37th President of the United States, who was in office during the Vietnam War and sought to end U.S. involvement.

Fall of Saigon

The capture of Saigon by North Vietnamese forces in April 1975, effectively ending the Vietnam War.

Paris Peace Accords 1973

An agreement to establish peace in Vietnam and end the Vietnam War, signed in January 1973.

Conscription

The compulsory enlistment for state service, typically into the armed forces.

Selective Service System

The system used in the United States to draft men for military service.