Vietnam War

What region did French Indochina cover?

Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos under French rule.

What was the Viet Minh?

Vietnam Independence League led by Ho Chi Minh.

Who was Ho Chi Minh?

Communist leader advocating for Vietnamese independence.

What was the First Indochina War?

Conflict for Vietnam's independence from French control.

What did President Truman do in Vietnam?

Sent over $100 million military aid to France to fight the Viet Minh.

What did the Geneva Conference do?

Split Vietnam into North and South at the 17th parallel; called for 1956 elections.

What was the Domino Theory?

Belief that communism spreads from one country to its neighbors.

What did Eisenhower do in Vietnam?

Sent military advisors to support South Vietnam; backed Diem.

What was the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?

Reported clash ( exaggerated) between U.S. destroyer and North Vietnamese torpedo boats in August 1964.

What did the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution allow?

Allowed the President to take military action in Southeast Asia without a formal declaration of war.

What did LBJ do in Vietnam?

First president to send combat troops; reached 500,000 by 1968.

What was Nixon's "Peace with Honor"?

Nixon's strategy to exit Vietnam without losing U.S. reputation or letting South Vietnam collapse immediately.

What was the Tet Offensive?

Massive, coordinated Communist assault on over 100 South Vietnamese cities and towns. Military U.S. victory but devastating psychological/political blow.

What happened at My Lai? (1968)

U.S. troops brutally massacred innocent women and children in the village of My Lai, leading to more opposition to the war.

What happened at Kent State? (1970)

4 students killed by National Guardsmen during a protest against the Vietnam War.

Who were the Viet Cong?

South Vietnamese communist rebels who used guerrilla warfare to try to topple U.S.-backed forces.

What were Agent Orange and Napalm used for?

Substances used by the U.S. military to destroy jungle vegetation (Agent Orange) and burn enemy positions (Napalm).

Why were Huey Helicopters significant in Vietnam?

First used in combat in Vietnam; could fly at low altitudes/speeds, land in small spaces, and were highly maneuverable. Over 7,000 used.

Why did many Americans oppose the draft?

Believed it targeted the poor and working class, since the wealthy could afford college deferments.

What was the Credibility Gap?

American public's growing distrust of statements made by the government during the Vietnam War.

What were the Pentagon Papers?

Government documents showing the public had been lied to about the status of the war.

How did WWII affect Vietnam?

Japan occupied Vietnam; Ho Chi Minh formed the Viet Minh to resist; after Japan fell, France tried to reclaim its colony.

Who was Ngo Dinh Diem?

U.S.-backed leader of South Vietnam who cancelled the 1956 reunification elections.

Why did the U.S. fight a limited war in Vietnam?

To avoid provoking China or the USSR into direct war and prevent nuclear escalation.

What was pacification?

U.S. strategy to win "hearts and minds" of South Vietnamese civilians (building schools, clinics, security).

What did the 26th Amendment do?

Lowered voting age from 18 to 21. Slogan: "Old enough to fight, old enough to vote."

Who won the 1968 election?

Richard Nixon (Republican) defeated Hubert Humphrey and George Wallace.

What was Vietnamization?

Nixon's policy to withdraw U.S. troops while training South Vietnamese to fight their own war.

What was Nixon's "Madman Theory"?

Making enemies believe Nixon was irrational enough to use nuclear weapons, pressuring them to negotiate.

Who were the Hmong in the Vietnam War?

CIA-recruited Hmong soldiers who fought communists in Laos; abandoned after the war.

What did the Paris Peace Accords do?

Cease-fire, U.S. troop withdrawal, POW return; allowed North Vietnamese troops to remain in the South.

When did South Vietnam collapse?

April 30, 1975. North Vietnamese tanks entered Saigon, ending the war.

What did the War Powers Act do?

Limited the president's ability to send troops into combat without Congressional approval (passed over Nixon's veto).