Confrontation and cooperation 1963-72 Flashcards
(112 cards)
1
Q
When did Johnson become president?
A
NOV 1963
2
Q
When did LBJ begin OPLAN 34a and what was it?
A
Jan 1964
Meant to lead to a quick victory without ‘americanising’ the war
a covert action in NV
increased military advisors and general involvement
3
Q
Quote on LBJ’s early actions in Vietnam
A
‘In the early months, he viewed all Vietnam options through the lens of the 1964 election.’
4
Q
How many military advisors did LBJ increase to and from in Vietnam, 1964
A
increased military advisors from 16,300 to 23,300
5
Q
LBJ personality
A
Domineering and Forceful: Johnson was famous for the “Johnson Treatment” — leaning into people’s personal space, towering over them, and using pressure tactics to get his way.
Insecure on Foreign Policy: He was far more confident in domestic politics (e.g., civil rights, the Great Society) and often felt out of his depth on international issues, especially after Kennedy’s death.
Deeply Anti-Communist: Johnson feared being seen as “soft” on communism — this insecurity shaped his escalation in Vietnam.
Politically Calculating: He constantly thought about how decisions would play back home — which made him cautious about appearing weak.
Stubborn and Secretive: Once committed to Vietnam, he found it hard to change course. He also kept the public and even Congress in the dark about the scale of US involvement
6
Q
Why was the Gulf of Tonkin passed
A
AUG 1964
News reached Washington fo an attack on a US navy vessel in the Gulf of Tonkin by a NV force
7
Q
what/when Gulf of Tonkin resolution
A
Aug 1964
gives Johnson a ‘blank cheque’ over Vietnam
HUGE TP IN VIETNAM WAR
‘take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent any further aggression’
Johnson says it is like ‘grandma’s nightshirt’ - it covered everything
Mcnamara - more soberly - says ti worked to ‘open the floodgates’
8
Q
When was Khr deposed and by who
A
Oct 1964
left due to an internal coup over domestic issues
BREZHNEV IN POWER - advocated restoration of relations with China, ultimately failed
9
Q
When did the PRC test their first A.Bomb
A
Oct 1964
10
Q
How was the situation in Vietnam deteriorating for the uS by the end of 1964?
A
- China agreed to provide military supplies to NV
- USSR established firm diplomatic links with the NLF and sent military equipment
- HCM trail started to be used
- bombing reponse to Gulf of Tonkin had failed to boost SV government
11
Q
When did operation rolling thunder begin
A
March 1965
Bombing of NV that lasted until 1968
Marked the start of ‘americanisation’ of war and esculation of US involvement
12
Q
What/when Pleiku incident
A
Feb 1965
Vietcong launched an attack on US helicopter bases
8 US soldiers killed
13
Q
Domestic support for involvement in Vietnam 1965, quote from NYT
A
praised Johnson for ‘an American policy… in which the country can take pride’
14
Q
When did the US put ‘boots on the ground’ Vietnam
A
March 1965
3500 US troops land
80% of Americans supported esculation in Vietnam
Americans taken further into the quagmire
15
Q
NV 4-point proposal
A
April 1965
* US troops must withdraw from SV in accordance to the Geneva accords
* Neither North or South may enter into any military allaince with a foreign power during the temporary division of Vietnam, in accordance with Geneva accords
* SV internal affairs must be settled by the people of SV, in accordance with NLF, NO EXTERNAL INVOLVEMENT
* Peaceful reunification must be settled only by the poeple of both zones
BASICALLY GENEVA ACCORDS !!!!!!! JOHNSON REJECTS
16
Q
Why did Johnson reject NV 4 point proposal
A
he believed that the acceptance may have led to a unified and communist Vietnamese state
INSTEAD HE ORDERED 20,000 TROOPS TO BE DEPLOYED AND ESCULATED (TWO MARINE BATTALIONS, AN AIR SQUADRON)
17
Q
How many troops had the US deployed by July 1965
A
75,000
18
Q
How many troops had the uS deplyed by 1968
A
536,000
19
Q
How many tons of bombs had been dropped on Vietnam by US 1967
A
226,000
20
Q
what/when Battle of Ia Drang
A
Nov 1965
First signifiacnt engagement of US and NV
Conventional battle
served to influence the NV tactics
USA suffered 300 losses while NV suffered 2500
BOTH SIDES SAW AS A VICTORY, US because of casualty figure and NV because they held their position
MADE NV REALISE THEY NEEDED A DIFF STRETEGY TO FIGHT US
21
Q
When was MLK’s speech against the Vietnam war
A
April 1967
reflected changing attitudes towards the war
emphasised that the war was undermining social reform and Johnson’s ‘Great Society’
22
Q
what/when Glassboro conference
A
June 1967
Discussions between Johnson and Kosygin
Failed to reach an agreement on arms, BUT ‘GLASSBORO SPIRIT’ with amicable relations
23
Q
Anti war protest in 1967
A
Oct 1967
100,000 participants
in Washington
CHANGING ATTITUDES
24
Q
USA strengths in Vietnam
A
- had the US’ economic strength behind it
- the forces had the most modern equipment in plentiful supply
- By 1967, about one million tons were arriving into SV each month
- superficially US troops appeared very strong BUT THE TACTICS THE DEPLOYED TOLD A DIFFERENT STORY
25
Indiscriminate weapons used by the US in Vietnam
* 'pineapple bombs' - caused thousands of pellets to be freed in the explosion
* napalm - gel that was spread over a wide area and set on fire
26
what was search and destroy
* intended to find and destroy the enemy in the jungle and rural villages
* US forces would arrive by helicopter and effectively raid a village suspected of harbouring Vietcong
* WAS ALMPST IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCURATELY IDENTIFY THE ENEMY
* Resulted in many innocent civilians being killed, which undermined any US efforts to emgage rural peasants as allies, ended up pushing them closer to the Vietcong
27
USA weaknesses in Vietnam
* by 1968, US strengths were outweighed by their weaknesses
* SV army were unmotivated and uncommitted to the struggle
* weakened by widespread TV and press coverage of the war, growing anti-war movement in the US
28
North Vietnamese strengths
* greatest strength was the determination of their troops - COMMITTED TO THEIR CAUSE!!!!
* Knew the country and its people
* Strengthened by the ability to gain recruits among the peasntry in SV, ability to gain cooperation but also use terror if needed
* GUERILLA TACTICS!!!!! HCM trail, booby traps eg. trip wires
29
how many guns did China send to NV 1964
80,000
30
NV weaknesses
* degree of dependency on USSR and China
* No guaranteed support amongst peasants - shown when Tet Offensive didn't materialise an uprising
31
what/when Tet Offensive
Jan - Feb 1968
* during a period of religious celebration (Tet) when the fighting had died down, Vietcong launched a series of simultaneous attacks against US targets across SV
* Hoped to stimulate mass anti-American uprisings
* US embassy in Saigon was attacked, events were televised, no rapid US victory, ultimately a defeat for Vietcong
32
Why was the Tet Offensive a defeat for the Vietcong
* didn't succeed in gaining much support from SV
* 25,000 NLF killed and 5000 captured
* Vietcong had been decimated
33
Why was the Tet offensive a TP for Americans
* caused rapid realisation that US was not dominating this conflict as had been publicised, WIDENED JOHNSON'S CREDIBILITY GAP
* Walter Cronkite illustrated this by saying that Tet offensive hadn't shown a US defeat but had shown a stalemate, this reflected and shaped many US views
34
When did Johnson announce he did not intend to stand for re-election
March 1968
MARKS END OF ONE ERA IN VIETNAM AND BEGINNING OF ANOTHER
Announces he wants to start peace negotiations with the North, he had lost all credibility
35
WHAT/WHEN My Lai Massacre
March 1968, only beomes public knowledge Nov 1969
36
Preliminery peace talks in May 1968
begin in Paris
Us would not agree to stop blanket bombing
37
When did Nixon take office
Jan 1969
38
what did Nixon say about ending the Vietnam war when he came to office?
'I'm not going to end up like LBJ. I'm going to stop that war, fast'
39
what did Nixon want in Vietnam?
'Peace with honour'
amounted to maintaining that Vietnam remained an independent, non-communist state
40
Nixon and vietnamisation
* amounted to the withdrawal of US forces and their replacement by SV forces
* hoped this would negate the growing domestic opposition and strengthen Nixon's political security
* focus on strengthening SV military, so that NV believed that SV was safe from any threats from them
* aimed at encouraging Nv to negotiate as it showed a willingness to withdraw
41
number of US troops in June 1969 compared to number in June 1972
june 1969 = 543,000
June 1972 = 47,000
42
Improvements in SV military, as part of Vietnamisation
* troops paid more
* career structures improved
* benefits increased
* service conditions modernised
* equipment updated - introduction of the M-16 rifle
* increase in other weapons
* ARVN increased in size from 82,000 in 1968 to 1mill by 1970
43
Impact of vietnamisation
* seemed to transform SV army into an effectove fighting force, seemed to enable it to preserve stability in SV
* success in the spring offensive in 1972
* BUT chronic problems facing SV continued, morale remained low, vietnamisation was rushed through by Nixon, building the size of the ARVN was a facade
* US casualties decreased, but ARVN's increased
* continued corruption, officers were based on closeness to Thieu
* ARVN REMAINED INEFFECTIVE
44
Nixon strategies in Vietnam
'peace with honour' through:
* Vietnamisation
* traingulation
* madman theory
45
what/when Operation Menu
Starts March 1969
* Bombing of parts of Cambodia which were regarded as safe by the NV army
* Lasts until May 1970
* hoped to severe lines used by VC, HCM trail, pressure NV into entering a peace agreement,
46
what was the Khmer Rouge
* the communist party in Cambodia
47
Events in Cambodia 1970
* March, Cambodia's head of state was overthrown by pro-US General Lon Nol
* NV increased its presence in Cambodia by backing the anti-nol communist group
* Nixon feared the possibility of communism in Cambodia and thought intervention would reinforce the US commitment to SV
* RESULTED IN SV FORCED AND US AIR SUPPORT CARRYING OUT CROSS BORDER RAIDS INTO CAMBODIA and troops into Cambodia
48
Troops in Cambodia
April 1970
20,000 troops to Cambodia
INCREASES DOMESTIC OPPOSITION
49
When did the US lift some trade restrictions with China
July 1969
Ping Pong diplomacy and triangulation
Start of Sino-US detente
50
When did America put a man on the moon
July 1969
effectively wins the space race
51
Nixon Doctrine what/when
July 1969
formal announcement of Vietnamisation
52
When was Willy Brandt made chancellor of W.Germany
Oct 1969
(desired Ostpolitik, aimed to negotiate with GDR, chose to abandon Hallstein doctrine)
53
When did Kissinger first meet with Le Duc Tho
Feb 1970
during peace negotations
insisted a peace settlemtn must encompass a military and political solution
54
Nixon announcement April 1970
announces that 150,000 troops would be withdrawn from Vietnam within a year.
55
what/when Kent state shooting
May 1970
Anti-war protest, 4 shot dead
increases domestic opposition
56
when was the senate vote to remove the Tonkin resolution
June 1970
57
USSR-West Germany non aggression pact
Aug 1970
OSTPOLITIK IN ACTION
58
When did W.Germany recognise the post war oder-neisse border
Dec 1970
59
what/when operation Lam Son 719
* Feb 1971
* aimed to disable HCM trail through Laos
* congress had banned US troops entering Laos SO had to be carried out by SV forces with US air support
* an inadequate force of about 30,000 ARVN troops attacked
* ARVN was forced to withdraw
* served onlu to highlight ARVN weaknesses and its leadership
60
reasons for Sino-US detente
* Nixon and Kissinger recognised the advantages
* Chinese realised self-imposed isolationism was of no use to them
* Sino-Soviet split by late 1960s
* from 1968 Nixon advocated for it
61
First steps in Sino-Soviet detente
July 1969
USA removed trade controls and relaxed some travel restrictions
ARTICHOKE APPROACH, gradual removal of restrictions
62
When did Kissinger visit Beijing
July 1971
agreed to a later presidential visit and a Sino-American summit
visited a second time in Oct 1971
63
when did Nixon visit China
Feb 1972
'week that changed the world'
US agreed to remove troops from Taiwan
extremely symbolic
64
when were the world tennis championships
April 1971
ping pong diplomacy
65
When did the Paris Peace talks begin
May 1968
TALKS STALL WHEN US DON'T WANT TO STOP BOMBING CAMPAIGN
reached a stalemate by Oct 1968
66
what was the turning point in Peace talks in Vietnam
Oct 1972
NV changed their stance and said Thieu could remain in power, meant that these talks could progress and lead to the end of the war
67
When was the Moscow Test Ban Treaty
Aug 1963
bans testing in space, atmosphere and underwater
first treaty of its kind, DID NOT INCLUDE UNDERGROUND TESTING
but did nothing to actually reduce arms developments
Came after several years of negotiations
Signed by the US, USSR and UK, FRANCE AND CHINA REFUSED TO SIGN
68
Kennedy quote on changing approach to nuclear weapons post CMC
'i also believe we must reexamine our own attitude'
June 1963
'both the US and USSR have a mutually deep interest in a just and genuine peace and in halting the arms race'
69
JFK speech on working towards peace and decreased nuclear weapons in his inaugeration
Jan 1961
'let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us'
70
Johnson's report of a nuclear war between US and USSR
summer 1963
Johnson was the director of the national security council's net evalusation sub committee
'neither the US nor the USSR cann emerge from a full scale nuclear exchange without suffering very severe damage and high casualties'
estimated a nuclear war in 1963 or 4 would result in a combined casualty count of 93 mill
71
Who were the nuclear powers in 1963
US, USSR, UK and France
JFK believed it should remain this way, prevent spread
72
Khrushchev's attitudes towards the US and nuclear weapons post CMC
* KHr presented his withdrawl from Cuba as a triumph, with the Russian newspaper praising his 'calm and wisdom'
* was amenable to a US-Soviet relationship based on mutual restraint rather than brinkmanship
* concillaton was important to Khr particuarly because of the Sino-Soviet split
* KHr embraced JFK's desire for common agreements
* JFK and Khr agreed on ideas of limiting the number of countries withh nuclear weapons and manners by which nucs could be tested
* BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE THESE THROUGH, OUTSTED IN OCT 1964, but negotiations persisted under leadership after him
73
When was the Washington-Moscow hotline set up
June 1963
direct comunication between the leaders, much faster communication
UNPRECEDENTED AT THIS TIME BUT MORE SYMBLOLIC THAN ANYTHING, symbolised a new era of cooperation
74
what did the Moscow test ban treaty signify
* the signatories understood the dangers of nuclear technology and were willing to limit their usage
* first collective agreement
* a step on the way to further agreements
75
Nuclear non-proliferation treaty
July 1968
was a means of checking the spread of nuclear weapons
All signatories agreed that they would not 'transfer to any recipient nuclear weapons'
HOWEVER it allowed them to 'develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes'
established the principle that non-nuclear states would never be able to establish nuclear weapon arsenals by forming alliances with nuclear states
76
What did the USSR propose in April 1965 regarding the Vietnam War?
proposed a meeting with China and North Vietnam to create a collective response to U.S. escalation in Vietnam.
77
When and why did the USSR get forced to the bargaining table where ABM's were concerned
1968
when the USA developed MIRVs, these had multiple warheads and the Soviet ABM's weren't designed to stop them.
78
when did China first test an atomic bomb
Oct 1964
79
economic reasons for cutting back on arms
* arms race was very expensive
* cutting back on it would allow more of a focus on domestic affairs
80
what events in 1968 halted arms limitations discussions
* soviet interbention in Czechoslovakia
* Johnson's decision not to stand for re-election
81
when did SALT talks begin
1969
with Nixon's election and the resolution of the prague spring
82
when was SALT I signed
1972
83
When did Brezhnev become leader of the USSR
Oct 1964
84
what is the Brezhnev era often viewed as
a time in which the USSR reasserted itself as leader of the communist world
85
why was Khr removed from power
* ultimately the CMC and Berlin result were seen as failures
* his domestic policies had failed to improve the Soviet standard of living
* forced to retire
86
Czechoslovakian crisis date
1968
87
When was Novotny pressured into resigning and who was he replaced by
Jan 1969
replaced by Dubcek
88
what did Dubcek say on his appointment as party leader in Czechoslovakia
* called for a 'true invigoration and unification of all constructive and progressive forces in our republic'
* stated there must be a 'new start to socialism'
* QUICKLY BEGAN TO REPLACE KEY OFFICIALS WITH THOSE WHO WANTED REFORM
* Kremlin was watching Czechoslovakia very carefully
89
Dubcek's reforms and period of the Prague Spring:
* elminated press censorship, Honneckr says this exposed E.Europe to the possibility of 'democratic infection'
* April 1968, announced the Action Programme, stated the Communist party's determination to achieve socialism according to the Czechoslovak path - needed to allow basic freedom of speech, press and movement, INCLUDING TRAVEL TO W.COUNTRIES and freedom for economic enterprises to make decisions based on consumer demand, communist party would remain leading party but woudl recognise legitimacy of non-party institutions
90
what did Dubcek do to protect his reforms
assured Moscow that Czechoslovakia woudl remain loyal to the Warsaw Pact
91
When did the Warsaw Pact countries conduct military excercises in Czechoslovakia to intimidate Dubcek
June 1968
92
Letter from W.Pact members to Dubcek July 1968
* summariased Czechoslovakia's right to internal self-determination
* but argued that challenges to socialism within one country were a threat to the entire socialist movement and should not be tolerated
93
July 1968, meetings between Brezhnev and Dubcek
* end of July, had had 6 meetings
* Soviets were hoping to provoke a split within the Czechoslovak communist party and that a pro-Soviet group would emerge who would ask for assistance from the W.Pact members DID NOT HAPPEN
* Instead Brezhnev pressured Dubcek to repeal the reforms, Dubcek promises to do so
* BUT CONTINUES ON HIS LIBERALISING PATH, hence invasion
94
When did W.Pact forces invade Czechoslovakia
20-21st Aug 1968
95
How many Czechoslvaks and Slovaks killed and injured in the invasion
100 killed
500 injured
96
Consequence of Czechoslovakian crisis
BREZHNEV DOCTRINE
97
What was the Brezhnev Doctrine
* said could invade to maintain communism and protect the good of all communist blocks
* defined what a deviation from communism would lead to
98
when was Dubcek removed from power
April 1969
replaced with Huask who conformed to Soviet line and remained there until the collapse of communism in 1989
DEPENDENT ON CONTINUED SOVIET MILITARY PRESENCE, RED ARMY REMAINED IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA UNTIL 1990
99
SINO-SOVOET SPLIT, EVIDENCE THROUGH KHR ACTIONS
* indirectly supported India in its border disputes with China in 1959
* withdrew technological aid from Chinese by removing Soviet experts in 1960
* refused to fufill his agreement to provide a prototype A.bomb
* did not notify China of the decision to place nucs on cuba
100
sino-soviet split, evidence through Mao's actions
* provoked the USA through the bombing of Quemoy and Matsu
* criticised Khe for being unwilling to use nucs
* criticised Khr for removing missiles on Cuba
* ACCORDING TO THE CHINESE KHR HAD ABANDONED THE STRUGGLE AGAINST CAPITALIST IMPERIALISM
101
Brezhnev's initial view on relations with China when he came to power
* initially advocated for teh restoration of positive relations
* motivated by the US' increasing involvment in Vietnam
* believed the USSR and China had to settle twhir differences and support N Vietnam
* ATTEMPT TO RESTORE RELATIONS FAILED
102
what/when Malinovsky incident
At sino-soviet talks in Moscow in kate 1964, sovoiet defence minister, Malinovsky, suggested to a Chonese delegate that they should just get rid of Mao completely just as the uSSR had replaced Khr, talks immediately collapsed and rift widened
103
104
How did China respond to the USSR’s proposal for a joint meeting in 1965?
China resisted the proposal, and the meeting never took place.
105
Why did Mao oppose involvement in Vietnam?
Mao wanted North Vietnam to remain dependent on China and sought to limit Soviet influence in the Vietnam War.
106
What military proposal did the USSR make to China in 1965 and why?
The USSR proposed establishing an air force base at Kunming in southern China to station 12 MiG-21 fighter planes.
To protect the Sino-Vietnamese border from potential U.S. aggression
107
How did China view the proposal for a Soviet air base in Kunming
China saw it as a Soviet military intrusion on its territory.
108
What was Mao’s view of the USSR by 1965?
He believed the USSR was a revisionist and imperialist state and a threat to China and his regime.
109
What did Mao believe about Soviet relations with the USA
He thought the USSR had attempted to reconcile ideological differences with the USA
110
what was the cultural revolution
1966
Mao embarked in this
as a response to what he saw as a drift away from the ideological purity of the Chinese revolution
designed to restore ideological correctness and identify ideological deviants
enabled Mao to strengthen his own power, by elminating opposition on the basis that they were revisionists
111
Border disputes between the Chinese and USSR
* in the face of increasing hostilities from China
* USSR decided to station military forces in Mongolia and Eastern Khazakhstan
* BUILD UP OF SOVIET FORCES ON SINO-SOVIET BORDER
* Alarmed Chinese and reinforced the view that the USSR meant to attack
* leads to China adopting a strategy on 'active defence', based on limited aggression to deter Soviet forces
112
Chinese 'active defence' in action
* 2 March 1969
Soviet border patrol nesr Zhenbao island was ambushed by Chinese forces
* Aug 1969, similar event in Xinjiang
