Vietnam war

Question 1

Who ruled Vietnam before World war 2 and what was it called?

Answer 1

Before the 2nd world war, Vietnam was ruled by the French and was known as Indochina

Question 2

Who occupied Vietnam before during World War 2?

Answer 2

During the war the Japanese occupied Vietnam

Question 3

Who set up a communist party in Vietnam and when did they do that?

Answer 3

In 1941, a communist, anti-Japanese resistance army, the Viet Minh, was set up and led by Ho chi Minh. In 1945, after the defeat of Japan, they declared independence for Vietnam

Question 4

Describe the Indochina war?

Answer 4

France wanted its colony back when the Japanese left and between 1945 and 1954 a war was fought between the Viet-Minh- controlled north and the French-controlled south. The USA supported the French financially, as part of its policy of containment

Question 5

What happened when France pulled out of the Indochina war?

Answer 5

In 1954, the French pulled out of Vietnam and the Geneva Peace Accord was signed. This temporarily partitioned the country in to north and south in preparation for free elections

Question 6

May 1954?

Answer 6

The Geneva Accords split North and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel, giving North to Ho Chi Minh and leaving the South supported by the US.

Question 7

December 1960?

Answer 7

The National Liberation Front (with an armed force called the PLAF) is set up by North Vietnam in order to ensure the liberation of South Vietnam.

Question 8

April 1961?

Answer 8

A US sponsored invasion of the Bay of Pigs in Cuba fails to remove Fidel Castro and his communist regime – humiliating Kennedy and the US.

Question 9

Nov 1963

Answer 9

Diem is assassinated in a CIA supported military coup. The MRC take control of South Vietnam under the leadership of General Minh. President Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

Question 10

January 1964

Answer 10

General Minh is overthrown due to his ‘neutralist’ stance and replaced by General Khanh who is unpopular with the South Vietnamese as he fully supports US

Question 11

March 1964

Answer 11

Despite aid, 40% of the South Vietnamese countryside is reportedly under the control of communist forces, including various ‘Strategic Hamlets’.

Question 12

August 1964

Answer 12

Two US ships are attacked by North Vietnamese torpedo boats. Congress pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution – legal justification to escalate involvement.

Question 13

November 1964

Answer 13

Johnson wins a landslide victory in the Presidential Election showing public support for the escalation of US involvement in Vietnam after the Gulf of Tonkin.

Question 14

February 1965

Answer 14

Nine US servicemen and five helicopters are destroyed at Pleiku by a Vietcong attack. This prompts swift retaliation in the Flaming Dart bombing attack.

Question 15

March 1965

Answer 15

Operation Rolling Thunder begins with the aim to stop the spread of enemy supplies in Vietnam and encourage the North to enter peace talks.

Question 16

June 1965

Answer 16

Johnson sends in the first US ground combat troops in order to support the bombing campaigns and carry out ‘Search and Destroy’ missions.

Question 17

November 1965

Answer 17

The first pitched battle between the US and NVA takes place at Ia Drang. Both sides learning the value of a war of attrition (11:1 death ratio in favour of the US).

Question 18

July 1967

Answer 18

The Phoenix Program begins – this is a counterinsurgency mission using torture to find out locations of Vietcong bases and their tactics.

Question 19

January 1968

Answer 19

The Tet offensive sees a widespread attack on US bases during the Tet holiday. It is a US military victory, but also a psychological defeat.

Question 20

March 1968

Answer 20

As many as 500 unarmed villagers are killed by U.S. Army troops in the hamlet of My Lai. Groups of women, children, and elderly men are shot at close range by elements of Charlie Company (US Infantry). Attempts to cover up the massacre begin almost before the shooting stops. Some officers and men were eventually charged.

Question 21

November 1969

Answer 21

Millions of people across the United States take to the streets to protest the continued U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The antiwar demonstrations represent the largest public protests in U.S. history to date.

Question 22

May 1970

Answer 22

Kent State shooting

Question 23

January 1973

Answer 23

Representatives of South Vietnamese communist forces, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and the United States conclude the Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Viet-Nam in Paris. U.S. troops are to be withdrawn within 60 days and the 17th parallel will remain the dividing line until the country can be reunited by “peaceful means.” Nixon called it “Peace with honor.”

Question 24

March 1973

Answer 24

The last U.S. military unit leaves Vietnam.

Question 25

April 1975

Answer 25

Operation Frequent Wind, the emergency evacuation of Saigon. Over the next 24 hours, some 7,000 Americans and South Vietnamese are flown to safety. The following morning, North Vietnamese troops enter downtown Saigon and the South Vietnamese government surrenders unconditionally.

Question 26

ARVN

Answer 26

The South Vietnamese Army. Weak and corrupt despite support and training from the US. They suffered a humiliating defeat at the Battle of Ap Bac in 1961, and had failed to stop the spread of communism by 1964.

Question 27

PLAF/VC

Answer 27

The People’s Liberation Armed Front, also known as the Vietcong, were the military arm of the NLF. Most of the members were South Vietnamese insurgents.

Question 28

MACV

Answer 28

The Military Assistance Command – Vietnam. This was originally set-up to provide US assistance to the ARVN in Vietnam and eventually became the command structure for all US forces in South Vietnam.

Question 29

NLF

Answer 29

The National Liberation Front was established by North Vietnam to help secure the ‘liberation’ of South Vietnam from the corruption of Diem and to help create a united Vietnam.

Question 30

PAVN/NVA

Answer 30

The North Vietnamese Army or People’s Army of Vietnam had originally fought the French and now with Chinese and Soviet allies fought to free South Vietnam and unite Vietnam.

Question 31

Which nation ruled Vietnam / Indochine before the the 2nd World War?

Answer 31

France

Question 32

Who formed the Viet Minh, or the League for the Independence of Vietnam?

Answer 32

Ho Chi Minh

Question 33

What ideology did the Viet Minh believe in?

Answer 33

Communsim

Question 34

What was the name of the city that Ho’s forces chose as their capital when they rose up and declared a Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) with Ho as president?

Answer 34

Hanoi

Question 35

What city did Emperor Bao use as his capital when he set up the state of Vietnam in July 1949?

Answer 35

Saigon

Question 36

What was the name of the battle where the French were defeated in 1954?

Answer 36

Battle of Dien Bien Phu

Question 37

The treaty signed in July 1954 at the Geneva conference split Vietnam along the line of latitude known as?

Answer 37

17th Parallel

Question 38

What was the name that President Diem gave to the communist insurgents that fought against his South Vietnamese government?

Answer 38

Government of the Republic of Vietnam

Question 39

Describe the Domino theory?

Answer 39

The domino theory was a Cold War policy that suggested a communist government in one nation would quickly lead to communist takeovers in neighbouring states, each falling like a row of dominos.

Question 40

Why was the Gulf of Tonkin incident significant?

Answer 40

Gave a reason for the USA to attack the North vietnamese.

Question 41

Napalm

Answer 41

War crime, jelly like liquid, highly flammable