Vietnam War - U.S. Involvement

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Vietnam War

A conflict that occurred in Vietnam from 1955 to 1975, involving the North Vietnamese government and its allies fighting against the South Vietnamese government, which was backed by the United States.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

A resolution passed by Congress in 1964 giving President Johnson the authority to escalate U.S. military involvement in Vietnam without a declaration of war.

Ho Chi Minh

Leader of the Viet Minh and later the North Vietnamese government, he was a key figure in the fight for Vietnamese independence and a proponent of communism.

Domino Theory

The belief that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would also fall, leading to widespread communist influence in a region.

Viet Cong (VC)

The guerrilla fighters in South Vietnam who supported the North Vietnamese government and opposed the South Vietnamese government.

Tet Offensive

A major surprise attack by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces in January 1968 that marked a turning point in public opinion about the Vietnam War.

Vietnamization

Nixon's policy to gradually withdraw U.S. troops from Vietnam and transfer the responsibility of fighting to the South Vietnamese forces.

Agent Orange

A chemical defoliant used by U.S. military forces in Vietnam, which had devastating health effects on both Vietnamese civilians and American soldiers.

Pentagon Papers

A top-secret Department of Defense study published in 1971 revealing that the U.S. government had misled the public about the Vietnam War.

Geneva Conference

The conference held in 1954 that resulted in the division of Vietnam at the 17th parallel, with the North being communist and the South being pro-Western.