History: Vietnam

When did operation menu happen and what was its aim

1969, for the us to secretly bomb NV sanctuaries, supply routes

When was the Christmas bombing and what was the aim

1972, also known as operation line backer II, the aim was to pressure NV back to peace talks

What was the impact of the christmas bombing

Severly damaged transportation sites and military supply trails

WHat two cities had faced intense bombing

Hanoi and Haiphon

What was the opening diplomatic channels and what was it

1971, Where the US initiated secret talks with China

What was the impacts of the US improving relations with China on the NV

it had worried NV, had influence on NV war decisions, influenced Paris peace talks

When was the Shanghai Communique and what was it

1972, where US and China outlined mutual interests and desires for people

When was operation Lam Sam 719(Laos)

Febuary 1971 where the South Vietnam army with the US surport attacked Laos

When was the Kent state university protest, What happened there and what triggered the protest

4th May 1970, students protested at Kent state university and national guards here had shot and killed 4 students and injured 9, US announcing the attack on Cambodia

What was the impact of the protest

It had fueled more protests, critisism towards the government

What was the 1973 war powers act

The War Powers Act (1973) was a US law passed after the Vietnam War to limit the president’s power to send American troops into conflict without Congress’s approval.

What were key events which were captued by journalists

Tet offensive, My Lai Massacre

When was the Watergate scandal and what was it

17th of June 1972, A major political scandal in the US where Nixon assigned 5 people to break into the Democrat National commitee office and plant listening devices

What was the impact of the water gate scandal

It had heightened political tensions and opposition to the war and contributed to the US troops final withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973

When did the Paris peace talks begin and who had participated

13th May 1968, US SV BV VC

Who represented the US and he NV

Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho

What was the agreement of January 1973

The Paris peace accords were signed on 27th of January 1974 where an agreement to a ceasefire across Vietnam had been declared

When was the fall of Saigon and whan was it

30th of April 1975, Saigon had fell to the NV forces

What was the role of Henry Kissinger

He was the US`s national security advisor and became secretary of state in 1973, the key negotiator in the Paris peace accords

What did Henry Kissinger believe in

Real politik and to achieve piece with honour

What is real politik

Realpolitik is a type of political strategy based on practical decisions rather than morals or ideology.

What were Henry Kissingers early effects

He had initiated secret negations with the NV in 1969

What was Vietnamisation

Nixons secret plan to train the ARVN to be able to decrease Americas military war presence in Vietnam

What was he impact on SV following Vietnamisation

SV became increasingly reliant on financial and military funding, During the withdrawal it had left the SV vunerable to internal and external pressures

When was the spring offensive and what was it

March 1975, the NV rapidly capturing key cities in SV

What was the impact of the spring offensive

President of the south Nguyễn Văn Thiệu resigned on April 21 1975

When was operation frequent wind and what was it

April 29th 1975, It was the largest helicopter evac in history

How many Vietnamese deaths did the Vietnam war result in

3 Million deaths

How many American casualties did the Vietnamese war result in

More than 56 thousand

What was the impact on Vietnam

The extensive bombing had damaged Vietnam infrastructure and agricultural land which had been damaged by agent orange and had left the locals famished and malnutrition

Economic impact on the US following the Vietnam war

It had costed the US approximately $168 billion dollars and the war had contributed to inflation in the 1970s

What was the medias role following the tet offensive

Famous news reporter Walter Cronkite made his statement

There effect was extensive and impactful

Influential journalists reported giving vivid descriptions

What was the search and destroy tactics

A key strategy used by US implemented by General Westmoreland

Aimed to root out VC fighters and also burn their villages’s by setting fire to them

What were tactics used by the US

Search and destroy-A key strategy used by US implemented by General Westmoreland

Aimed to root out VC fighters and also burn their villages’s by setting fire to them

Fragging- bombing their parol officer to return home

Napalm and chemical warfare

What were VC tactics

Adapting the surrounding environment such as dense bushes and climate to reduce detection

hanging on their belts- secretly following a US troop and making subtle noises to make them paranoid and prevent them calling strikes on their position

punji sticks- smearing faeces on sharp sticks to stab someone and leave an infection weapons were able to be waterborne and still function they would dress like peasants to seem not VC

Being kind to peasants so they feel welcome and encouraged to join the VC

What was the Tet offensive

Happened on the 30th of January 1968 where the NV and VC coordinated an attack on South Vietnam where over 100 cities and military bases were attacked

Major battles occurred in Saigon Hue where the us embassy had been attacked

It had showed the extent which NV and VC would go and their military abilities

What was the My Lai Massacre

Happened in march 1968, where US soldiers had killed hundreds of innocent Vietnamese civilians in My Lai

The operation was initially kept secret by the military however was exposed by journalist Seymour in 1969

As a result sparked anti war resentment and slander towards the military and government

and Lieutenant William Calley was court marshalled in 1971

The media had informed the public of the extreme armful actions through newspapers and television

What was the gulf of tonkin incident

1964, where it was reported that NV boats attacked USS Maddox in the gulf this resulted in the gulf of Tonkin resolution being pasted

What was the gulf of tonkin resolution

It had allowed LBJ to take military action and he had deployed more US troops in Vietnam

By 1965 how many troops were in Vietnam

over 180,000

What was operation rolling thunder

started 2 march 1965 and the aim was to wreck VC supply routes including the Ho Chi Minh trail and pressure Vietnam into peace talks. Ended 2nd of November 1968

By 1968 how many troops were in Vietnam

Over 300,000

Under JFK the Strategic Hamlets programme was implemented. What was it

It began in 1962

Aimed to contain the influence of the VC in rural areas and to isolate the population of peasants from VC recruitment, it had sought to provide security by moving them into hamlets

What were challenges of the strategic hamlets programme

Many villagers resented relocations it had violated traditional values

Forced relocation led to distrust in SV government#

Villagers complained about inadequate food and resources and security

How had the effects of Vietnamisation been undermined

By 1969 25000 troops had left however he had called another 31000 for troops to land in Cambodia

What were the impacts of the Korean war

Over 2 million Korean civilians or soldiers had been killed or injured

What had fuelled Nationlism in Korea

Mainly for the desire for independence

The influence of Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial control fuelled resentment