Vietnam War- 1990s

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Authorized President Johnson to take broad military action in Vietnam

Operation Rolling Thunder

This was the first extensive U.S. bombing of North Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh Trail

A network of paths used by North Vietnam to transport supplies to the Vietcong in South Vietnam

Viet Cong (VC)

South Vietnam rebels who used guerilla warfare to try to topple US powers in Vietnam

My Lai Massacre

In 1968 American troops massacred more than 200 women and children in this village; this deepened American people's disgust for the Vietnam War.

Lyndon B. Johnson

36th U.S. President. 1963-1969. Democratic

Tet Offensive

a massive surprise attack by the Vietcong on South Vietnamese towns and cities in early 1968.

Anti-War Movement

this was a protest movement that grew, especially on college campuses, during the Vietnam War

Truman Doctrine

Stated that the U.S. would support any nation threatened by Communism.

Communism

A theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.

guerrilla warfare

A hit-and-run technique used in fighting a war; fighting by small bands of warriors using tactics such as sudden ambushes

Lyndon B. Johnson

President during the Vietnam War

Ho Chi Minh

He led the Indochinese Communist Party and fought French, Japanese, and U.S. forces for the independence of Vietnam.

Ngo Dinh Diem

This anti-Communist South Vietnam president canceled elections that were supposed to unify Vietnam.

Agent Orange

The U.S. military used planes to spray this leaf-killing toxic chemical, which devastated the landscape of Vietnam

Napalm

To expose Vietcong tunnels and hideouts, U.S. planes dropped this gasoline-based bomb that set fire to the jungles of Vietnam.

Credibility Gap

Critics of Johnson's policies in Vietnam used this term to describe their distrust of what the Johnson administration reported to the public about the war

Search and destroy missions

Conducted by U.S. soldiers, these resulted in the uprooting of Vietnamese villagers with suspected ties to the Vietcong, the killing of their livestock, and the burning of their villages.

New Right

Conservative political movements in industrialized democracies that have arisen since the 1960's and stress "traditional values," often with a racist undertone.

Hawks

Americans who supported the Vietnam War.

Doves

Americans who opposed the Vietnam War.

Richard M Nixon

He won the 1968 presidential election, he is Republican.

Robert Kennedy

He was a Democrat who ran for president in 1968 promoting civil rights and other equality based ideals. He was ultimately assassinated in 1968, leaving Nixon to take the presidency but instilling hope in many Americans.

MLK Jr.

His assassination was followed by riots in 130 cities

George Wallace

He ran for president in 1968 as an independent supporting states' rights and segregation

War Powers Act

requires the president to inform Congress before committing US troops to an armed struggle, and are not to remain for longer than 90 days without Congressional approval or declaration off war.

Pentagon Papers

Publication of this revealed, among other things, that the Johnson administration had lied to the public about its intentions in Vietnam.

Vietnamization

This called for a gradual withdrawal of US troops in Vietnam

Phyllis Schlafly

She opposed the Equal Rights Amendment

Feminism

A female movement for gender equality, and the theory behind the Women's Movement

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

constitutional amendment passed by Congress but never ratified by the states that would have banned discrimination on the basis of gender

Betty Friedan

wrote The Feminine Mystique, and described "the problem that has no name"

National Organization for Women (NOW)

Founded in 1966, the National Organization for Women (NOW) called for equal employment opportunity and equal pay for women. NOW also championed the legalization of abortion, more child-care facilities and passage of an equal rights amendment to the Constitution.

Roe v. Wade

The 1973 Supreme Court decision holding that a state ban on all abortions was unconstitutional. The decision forbade state control over abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy, permitted states to limit abortions to protect the mother's health in the second trimester, and permitted states to protect the fetus during the third trimester.

Southern Strategy

President Nixon's attempt to attract the support of Southern conservative Democrats who were unhappy with federal desegregation policies and the liberal Supreme Court. It would take away welfare and the supervisory role of government.

Stagflation

the dual problem of rising unemployment and inflation

OPEC

This organization of oil producers cut off oil sales to the United States after the U.S. sent aid to Isreal during the Yom Kippur War

New Federalism

Nixon's plan to distribute a portion of federal power to state and local governments

Watergate Scandal

1972; Nixon feared loss so he approved the Commission to Re-Elect the President to spy on and espionage the Democrats. A security guard foiled an attempt to bug the Democratic National Committee Headquarters, exposing the scandal. Seemingly contained, after the election Nixon was impeached and stepped down

Archibald Cox

The Special Prosecutor that was hired to investigate the Watergate Scandal, and sues the president to obtain the tapes

edited tapes

in 1974 Nixon releases these, but they fail to satisfy investigators

US v. Nixon

Supreme Court intervenes in battle between President Nixon and Congress (impeachment process). President cannot use executive privilege as an excuse to withhold evidence in impeachment process. Nixon must hand over unedited tapes

entitlement programs

Government benefits that certain qualified individuals are entitled to by law, regardless of need.

conservative coalition

An alliance of intellectuals, business leaders, middle class voters, Christian groups, and disenchanted Democrats

Evangelical Christians

a group of people believing that they should spread the word of Christianity; influenced movements such as abolition of slavery, the prohibition movement, pro-life, school prayer, literal translation of the bible

Silent Majority

Term used by President Nixon to describe Americans who opposed the counterculture

George H.W. Bush

Reagan's VP and president of the US who was commander-in-chief during the Persian Gulf War. Lost 1992 election to Bill Clinton

Reaganomics

Reagan's economic policy; tax cuts, arms build up, budget cuts

supply-side economics

An economic philosophy that holds the sharply cutting taxes will increase the incentive people have to work, save, and invest. Greater investments will lead to more jobs, a more productive economy, and more tax revenues for the government.

SDI (Star Wars)

Radical and impractical plan by Reagan to magically shoot down missiles with lasers in space

Sandra Day O'Connor

first woman supreme court justice. appointed by Reagan

Geraldine Ferraro

The Democratic nominee for Vice President in 1984, first female candidate for a major party

L. Douglas Wilder

a Virginia governor who was the first African American to be elected a state governor in the United States

Jesse Jackson

A black candidate for the Democratic nomination in 1984 and 1988 election who attempted to appeal to minorities, but eventually lost the nomination to Michael Dukakis

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome)

a virus that spread during the 1980s, as did concern over preventing further infection

Asian Women United

this organization aims to end racism toward Asian Americans and generate awareness of Asian culture

Affirmative Action

A policy intended to correct the effects of discrimination, both past and present, of the employment and education of minority groups and women

Persian Gulf War

(1990 - 1991) Conflict between Iraq and a coalition of countries led by the United States to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait which they had invaded in hopes of controlling their oil supply. A very one sided war with the United States' coalition emerging victorious.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Head of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991. His liberalization effort improved relations with the West, but he lost power after his reforms led to the collapse of Communist governments in eastern Europe.

Sandinistas

Members of a leftist coalition that overthrew the Nicaraguan dictatorship of Anastasia Somoza in 1979 and attempted to install a socialist economy. The United States financed armed opposition by the Contras. They lost national elections in 1990.

Commonwealth of Independent States

Organization formed from the former republics of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Iran-Contra Affair

scandal including arms sales to the Middle East in order to send money to help the Contras in Nicaragua even though Congress had objected

Operation Desert Storm

1991 American-led attack on Iraqi forces after Iraq refused to withdraw its troops from Kuwait

Glastnost and Perestroika

Allowed more freedoms and restructured government under Gorbachev. Made communism fall faster.

Tienanmen Square

1989 - University students in China protested, wanting freedom of speech and a greater say in govt. China's leader ordered military to slaughter students