Vietnam 1945-63

Question 1

Who was the leader of the Vietnamese Communist Party?

Answer 1

Ho Chi Minh

Question 2

How much of the French bill for the First Vietnam War was America paying by 1953?

Answer 2

80%

Question 3

Give three reasons why the French decided to leave Vietnam in 1954.

Answer 3

Dien Bien Phu
Lack of French public support
Tactics of Giap and the Viet Minh
Popularity of Ho Chi Minh

Question 4

When was the Geneva Conference?

Answer 4

1954

Question 5

Who was the leader of South Vietnam after 1955?

Answer 5

Diem

Question 6

Give three reasons why Diem was unpopular

Answer 6

Corrupt
Nepotism - brother Nguyen
Catholic
Weakness of the military

Question 7

How many Communists were there in the South by 1959?

Answer 7

2000

Question 8

How many advisers were in Vietnam in 1960?

Answer 8

800

Question 9

How many advisers were in Vietnam by 1963?

Answer 9

16,000

Question 10

What was the Strategic Hamlet programme?

Answer 10

Villagers would be moved to new settlement and guarded. It was believed that they would be able to identify Communists by isolating them.

Question 11

How many Strategic Hamlets had been created?

Answer 11

3000

Question 12

How many Strategic Hamlets were under the control of the VC by 1963?

Answer 12

2,600

Question 13

When was the Battle of Ap Bac?

Answer 13

January 1963

Question 14

What happened during the Battle of Ap Bac?

Answer 14

ARVN forces faced only 350 lightly armed VC fighters. Failed to defeat them.

Question 15

Give three reasons why JFK might have escalated the war in Vietnam

Answer 15

Domino Theory and containment
Personal beliefs
Situation in South Vietnam
Actions of previous presidents

Question 16

What was the Buddhist Spring?

Answer 16

A large scale protest against discrimination against Buddhists in Spring 1963. At least 9 were killed when the police and army fired at the crowd.

Question 17

Who was Thich Tri Quang?

Answer 17

First Buddhist to carry out self immolation in June 1963.

Question 18

When was JFK assassinated?

Answer 18

November 1963

Question 19

Who assassinated Diem in November 1963?

Answer 19

Generals of the South Vietnamese Army

Question 20

Who was Henry Cabot Lodge?

Answer 20

US Ambassador to South Vietnam in 1963

Question 21

When did the First Vietnam War begin?

Answer 21

1946

Question 22

What was the Domino Theory?

Answer 22

Eisenhower believed that if one country fell to the Communists it’s neighbour would also fall like a domino.

Question 23

How much of Laos did the Communists control by the 1950s?

Answer 23

50%

Question 24

What was the name of the Communist Party in Laos?

Answer 24

Pathet Laos

Question 25

What did Kennedy sign in Laos?

Answer 25

A neutrality agreement. He disliked it as he thought it made him look weak.

Question 26

Who was Dean Rusk?

Answer 26

Kennedy’s Secretary of State.
Cool relationship with Kennedy

Question 27

Who was Robert McNamara?

Answer 27

Secretary of Defense
Warm relationship with Kennedy

Question 28

How successful was Kennedy?

Answer 28

Didn’t send in ground troops
Problems in Vietnam only developed in 1963

Allowed the coup to take place
Failed to force Diem to provide reforms including land reforms

Question 29

How successful was Eisenhower?

Answer 29

Did not escalate the war
Did not try to replace the French

Introduced the concept of the Domino theory
Introduced military advisers

Question 30

When did Kennedy start peace talks?

Answer 30

1962