JFK Through Vietnam RUSH Study Guide

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the JFK Through Vietnam lecture notes to aid in exam preparation.

New Frontier

JFK's initiative aimed at improving the economy, supporting civil rights, advancing space exploration, and fighting poverty.

Silent Spring

A book by Rachel Carson that sparked the environmental movement and led to the Clean Air Act.

Operation Rolling Thunder

A U.S. military campaign aimed at weakening North Vietnam but resulted in increased resistance.

Agent Orange

A herbicide used in Vietnam to destroy vegetation, causing long-term harmful effects on health and the environment.

Great Society

Lyndon B. Johnson's programs expanding on JFK's vision, focusing on civil rights and poverty reduction.

Department of Housing and Urban Development

A government agency created to address urban poverty and improve living conditions in the 1960s.

Hawks

Supporters of the Vietnam War who believed in fighting for national security.

Doves

Opponents of the Vietnam War who opposed it on moral and practical grounds.

26th Amendment

An amendment lowering the voting age to 18, reflecting justice and political pressure during the Vietnam War.

Credibility gap

The public's growing distrust of government statements regarding the Vietnam War.

Vietnamization

A policy aimed at shifting the combat responsibility to South Vietnam while reducing U.S. involvement.

Pentagon Papers

Classified documents revealing U.S. government deception about the Vietnam War, leading to a demand for transparency.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Legislation that granted extensive war powers to the president without a formal declaration of war.

Tet Offensive

A coordinated series of attacks by North Vietnam, which was a military failure but a psychological victory.

My Lai Massacre

A tragic event that symbolized moral and ethical issues within the Vietnam War.

Fall of Saigon

The event that marked the end of U.S. involvement in Vietnam and North Vietnam’s victory.

War Powers Act

Legislation intended to limit presidential war powers and restore checks and balances.