Vietnam War History Flashcards

Vocabulary terms and historical events related to the Vietnam War, and US involvement, based on lecture notes.

Ho Chi Minh trail

A central resource route used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War.

Tet offensive

A series of attacks where Viet Cong fighters attacked over $100$ cities during the Vietnamese New Year holiday, breaking a ceasefire truce with South Vietnam.

My Lai massacre

An event covered by the media where US soldiers murdered unarmed South Vietnamese civilians.

Domino theory

The belief that if Vietnam fell to communism, other countries would also fall like a row of dominoes.

Truman doctrine

The United States policy of containment regarding the spread of communism.

Gulf of Tonkin incident

An incident that led the US to take decisive action, marking the beginning of direct military intervention in Vietnam.

Geneva conference

A conference where Vietnam was divided into North Vietnam and South Vietnam.

North Vietnam

The communist dominated region of Vietnam under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh.

South Vietnam

The non-communist region of Vietnam under the leadership of Diem.

Vietnamisation

The process of handling the responsibility of the war to South Vietnamese forces while withdrawing US troops.

Viet Cong

Fighters supported by North Vietnam who engaged in guerrilla warfare against South Vietnam.

Role of the media

The documentation of atrocities and the Tet offensive which convinced journalists the US could not win, swinging public opinion against the war after $1968$.