Set 1: Vietnam War Basics & Key Events

Q: What was French Indochina?

A: A French colony made up of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

Q: Which country occupied Vietnam during World War II?

A: Japan.

Q: Who were the Viet Minh?

A: A communist-led nationalist group that fought for Vietnamese independence from France.

Q: What event ended French colonial rule in Vietnam?

A: The Viet Minh’s victory at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu (1954).

Q: What did the Geneva Accords decide in 1954?

A: Vietnam was temporarily divided at the 17th parallel into communist North and anti-communist South.

Q: What was the Domino Theory?

A: The belief that if one country fell to communism, neighbouring countries would follow.

Q: Why did the U.S. support France in Vietnam?

A: To stop the spread of communism during the Cold War.

Q: What incident led to increased U.S. involvement in 1964?

A: The Gulf of Tonkin Incident.

Q: What did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution allow President Johnson to do?

A: Use military force in Vietnam without declaring war

Q: What was Operation Rolling Thunder?

A: A U.S. bombing campaign against North Vietnam starting in 1965.

Q: What was the Tet Offensive (1968)?

A: A surprise attack by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces on South Vietnamese cities; it was a psychological turning point in the war.

Q: What was the Battle of Long Tan?

A: A 1966 battle where 108 Australian soldiers defeated a larger Viet Cong force; symbolised Australian bravery.

Q: What happened at the My Lai Massacre?

A: U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians, an act considered a war crime.

Q: What were “strategic hamlets”?

A: Fortified villages meant to protect peasants from the Viet Cong but often caused resentment.

Q: Why was Diem overthrown in 1963?

A: Due to his corrupt, oppressive rule and persecution of Buddhists.

Q: Why did Australia join the Vietnam War?

A: To support the U.S. and prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.

Q: What was the conscription system during the Vietnam War?

A: A lottery system selecting 20-year-old men for compulsory military service.

Q: How did television affect public opinion?

A: Graphic war coverage turned many Australians against the war.

Q: What were the Moratorium marches?

A: Mass protests against the Vietnam War and conscription in Australia.

Q: What is the significance of the Battle of Long Tan in Australia?

A: It’s commemorated each year on Vietnam Veterans Day.

Q: What happened after the fall of Saigon in 1975?

A: North Vietnam took control, ending the war and uniting the country under communism.

Q: Why was communism persuasive to the Vietnamese people?

A: Communism appealed to many Vietnamese because it promised equality, independence, and national unity. Most people were poor peasants, and it offered land reform to end inequality. In contrast, Ngo Dinh Diem was corrupt, Catholic in a Buddhist country, and his strategic hamlets disrupted village life, making him unpopular. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh inspired people with a strong sense of national identity and independence, leading many to believe communism was the best path for Vietnam’s future.