Asia 2.3 Johnson's War

Question 1

What happened at the Gulf of Tonkin in August 1964? What was the Gulf of Tonkin resolution? (AS 2.3)

Answer 1

• 3rd: US Ship ‘Maddox’ attacks 3 NV boats. They fire back, and planes sink one and damage the other 2.
• 4th: ‘Maddox’ claims another attack is coming but the captain isn’t sure. Johnson attacks anyway.
• 7th: Resolution allows Johnson to take any military measure in Vietnam.

Question 2

What happened in Camp Holloway, February 1965? What was the response? (AS 2.3)

Answer 2

• Vietcong attack, destroying ten helicopters, killing eight servicemen and leaving 100 wounded.
• 13th February: Operation Rolling Thunder began.

Question 3

What was Operation Rolling Thunder? How long was it supposed to last? How many bombs and marines were used by the end of 1965? (AS 2.3)

Answer 3

• Continuous bombing of NV government building, aiming to wear down the enemy.
• Supposed to last 8 weeks, lasted 3 years.
• One million tonnes, 200,000 marines.

Question 4

How did the Vietcong use the Ho Chi Minh trail? (AS 2.3)

Answer 4

• Ran through Laos’ and Cambodia’s thick jungles.
• Porters carry supplies on bike or pony.
• Impossible to destroy, many paths.

Question 5

How did the Vietcong use ‘Hanging on the belts’? How many US casualties were ambushes? (AS 2.3)

Answer 5

• Stayed close to Americans and ambushed, then disappeared.
• Mentally draining for US troops.
• 51% of casualties were ambushes.

Question 6

How did the Vietcong use a tunnel system? (AS 2.3)

Answer 6

• Moved underground, in 300km of tunnels.

- They had hospitals, workshops, bedrooms and kitchens.

Question 7

How did the Vietcong use booby traps? (AS 2.3)

Answer 7

• Punji traps. (Spike pits under leaves, smeared with excrement to cause infection).
• ‘Bouncing betty’ mines exploding at groin/stomach area.

Question 8

How did the Vietcong fight with violence? How many civilians did they kill between 1966 and 1971? (AS 2.3)

Answer 8

• Targeted southern government and public workers.

- Killed 27,000 civilians in this time.

Question 9

How did the USA use ‘Search and Destroy’ raids? (AS 2.3)

Answer 9

• Burnt and destroyed villages they believed contained Vietcong, in Zippo Raids.
• Destroyed few known Vietcong bases.

Question 10

How did the USA use bombing? (AS 2.3)

Answer 10

• Operation Rolling Thunder

- Cluster/Mother bombs which released 600 smaller bombs upon exploding.

Question 11

How did the USA use chemical warfare? (AS 2.3)

Answer 11

• Agent Orange: Prevented forest growth, but caused cancers and deformities.
• Napalm: Burned forests, but also skin and bones.

Question 12

How did the USA use their troops? (AS 2.3)

Answer 12

• Average age was 19.
• Conscripted for a 1 year tour.
• M-16 Rifles jammed easily.
• Many killed Vietnamese civilians.

Question 13

Did the USA’s tactics work? (AS 2.3)

Answer 13

• No.
• Supply routes were disrupted but not destroyed.
• Few Vietcong were captured.
• USA became unpopular and Vietcong became popular.

Question 14

What happened at the Tet Offensive? (AS 2.3)

Answer 14

• 30th January 1968, temporary ceasefire for Tet holiday.
• Vietcong broke it, attacked villages and cities.
• Wanted to inspire support, and make USA lose support.
• USA regained control quickly.

Question 15

What were the consequences of the Tet Offensive for the US military, public, and the Vietcong? (AS 2.3)

Answer 15

• 10,000 Vietcong and 50,000 NV died.
• USA used up a lot of artillery and air support.
• War was costing 30bn a year, and 300 died a week.
• US public losing faith.

Question 16

What happened at My Lai? (AS 2.3)

Answer 16

• March 1968: Reports of a base with 200 Vietcong in My Lai. US Charlie Company attack.
• 500 die. No Vietcong at all.
• 22 deaths reported, the rest were reported as Vietcong.
• Charlie Company praised.

Question 17

What were the consequences of My Lai? How was it exposed? What was the reaction of the public? (AS 2.3)

Answer 17

• A year later a young soldier wrote letters to US politicians and media.
• Lieutenant William Calley sentenced to life in prison in March 1971.
• US citizens were shocked and lost faith.
• 500,000 protested in Washington in the Anti-War movement in 1969.

Question 18

What factors led to the US public losing faith completely? (AS 2.3)

Answer 18

• USA’s awful violence.
• Media showing young soldiers and innocents dying.
• The draft forcing soldiers into war, and draft dodgers.
• The huge cost of the war.
• MLK spoke out in 1967.

Question 19

What were the consequences of the lost faith and disasters of war? (AS 2.3)

Answer 19

• Johnson refused to run for president in November 1968.

- Richard Nixon took over afterwards.