Core Content E: How Effectively did the US Contain the Spread of Communism? Flashcards

Question

Who were the Viet Minh?

Answer 1

1. During the Second World War, when France (ex-colonial ruler of Vietnam) was defeated by Germany, Japan took control of Vietnamese resources (coal, rice, rubber, railways, roads) 2. This which led to the formation of a strong anti-Japanese resistance movement called Viet Minh, led by communist Ho Chi Minh, who inspired Vietnamese peasants to flight for an independent Vietnam. 3. In 1945 they entered Hanoi and declared independence which led to war in 1946 between French and Viet Minh. 4. When communists took over in China, American paranoia grew, and they spent $500 million a year to keep up anti-Viet Minh effort and keep Vietnam non-communist. 5. the Viet Minh was made of South Vietnamese peasants

Answer 2

1. the French were eventually defeated by the Viet Minh at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. 2. Negotiations began immediately afterwards and in July 1954 France signed the Geneva Peace Accord with the Viet Minh which temporarily divided Vietnam into two parts, North and South. This would last until internationally supervised elections took place in 1956. 3. However, the US prevented elections from taking place as they feared the Communists would win. This formally divided Vietnam into two.

Answer 3

1. They split up Indochina into different countries like Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand 2. Split Vietnam at 17th parallel. 3. Vietminh pulled out of south (replaced by Diem), French pulled out of north (replaced by Ho Chi Minh) 4. Free elections to take place July 1956

Answer 4

1. Diem’s regime was extremely unpopular with the Vietnamese people. 2. He was a wealthy elite, a Catholic who hated Buddhism and was very corrupt and harsh in his repression of opponents. 3. The Americans knew Diem was a problematic leader, but felt they had no choice but to back him as he was an anti-communist dictator

Answer 5

1. The Viet Cong were made up of South Vietnamese who opposed the government as well as Communists from the North under the orders of the Viet Minh. 2. The Viet Cong dedicated significant resources to gaining the support of the peasants, either willingly, or by intimidating any reluctant peasants against opposing them. 3. The Viet Cong were very well supplied with the Ho Chi Minh trail being used to transport supplies and manpower from the North to the South through the jungles of neighbouring Laos and Cambodia.

Answer 6

1. Like Korea, the Vietnam War was not a conflict started by the Americans, but a war between a divided country which they became involved in (but much more gradually in the case of Vietnam). 2. US was attacked and needed to face up to communism 3. Had been pouring in $500 million to support the French against Viet Minh communists already 4. Supported Diem’s corrupt and inefficient government who would have to give in to communists on their own.

Answer 7

1. The Viet Cong were made up of South Vietnamese who opposed the government as well as Communists from the North under the orders of the Viet Minh. 2. The Viet Cong dedicated significant resources to gaining the support of the peasants, either willingly, or by intimidating any reluctant peasants against opposing them. 3. The Viet Cong were very well supplied with the Ho Chi Minh trail being used to transport supplies and manpower from the North to the South through the jungles of neighbouring Laos and Cambodia.

Answer 8

1. The government in the South was propped up only due to the increasingly heavy backing of the US government which decided the South falling to communism would be a crucial part of the ‘Domino theory’ in action. 2. French army (AVRN) too weak, ill equipped and inefficient to defeat Viet Cong (Viet Minh) and could not cope with guerrilla warfare. South Vietnam could not win by itself. 3. US had been attacked by North Vietnamese patrol boats – USS Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin (August 1964); February 1965 –Vietcong had attacked US airbases, US soldiers killed 4. The US was cautious about getting too involved in the conflict. Instead they were dragged deeper and deeper into it over the course of multiple presidencies before finally withdrawing almost 20 years after first sending soldiers.

Answer 9

1. Pressure on USSR and China – they had fallen out of an alliance, USA tried to improve relations with them individually (SALT with USSR, Feb 1972 Nixon visited China) to persuade them to pressure North Vietnam to end the war 2. Peace negotiations with North Vietnam – early 1969 Henry Kissinger met with Vietnamese Le Duc Tho 3. Vietnamization of the war effort building up South Vietnamese forces and withdrawing 400, 000 US troops from April 1969 to end of 19711 4. increased bombing campaigns against North Vietnam to show USA was not weak. Also, invaded Viet Cong bases in Cambodia. 5. However, the war between the Viet Cong and South re-ignited with months of the final withdrawal. 6. This time, without the support of the US, the South was totally unable to repel the Communist forces who managed to totally defeat them by 1975. 7. The Communists therefore won and would unify Vietnam under their rule (under whom it remains today!)

Answer 10

The US was a vastly superior military force than the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese government yet despite putting a huge amount of effort into the war, they ultimately lost. This was mainly down to four main reasons: 1. Poor US tactics vs Strong Viet Cong tactics 2. Press and media coverage of the war 3. Anti-war protests 4. Individual events of 1968, e.g My Lai Massacre and Tet Offensive The US was increasingly being pulled into a war which, in retrospect, they had genuinely little chance of winning. Militarily it was impossible for the US to achieve the victory they were publicly claiming to aim for and as this became increasingly clear to the public, it was only a matter of time before the US eventually had to admit defeat in the war.

Answer 11

1. US had hi-tech tactics that used B-52 bombers, artillery and helicopters and killed innocent people demoralizing their own troops and losing local support 2. Whereas the Viet Minh used guerrilla warfare tactics, which were appropriate to the nature of the war and the relief features of Vietnam – they used booby traps, land mines, did not wear uniform and mixed with and helped the peasants which made it difficult to distinguish them and they won local support. 3. American troops were inexperienced and South Vietnamese government was inefficient and corrupt, whereas Viet Cong represented people well and had been fighting with Japan since World War 2 and later on with the French. They were determined to achieve independence and victory, whatever the cost. 4. American troops had hit rock bottom morale, it was an unpopular war – whereas Viet Cong was motivated for unification. 5. US had supplies coming from 8000 miles away whereas Viet Cong were supplied weapons by USSR and China through HO Chi Minh trail. Could not attack this trial without escalating the war.

Answer 12

1. The US relied mainly on bombing between 65-72, however despite the enormous damage done, this was not enough to defeat the Communists, only slow them down 2. US found it very difficult to know who was a Viet Cong fighter and so ‘Search and destroy’ mission in villages to hunt down any Viet Cong often involved killing far more innocent civilians mistaken for Viet Cong 3. Chemical weapons, Agent Orange and Napalm, were used to destroy jungles where Viet Cong hid, however many civilians killed or injured in brutal ways as a result 4. Extremely low quality soldiers once draft began, often young, uneducated men from poor backgrounds and little motivation to fight

Answer 13

1. The VC were heavily outnumbered and less well equipped and therefore always avoided open warfare 2. Instead fought guerrilla warfare and only ever engaged in combat on their terms, they had no headquarters that could be destroyed, they laid booby traps all over the countryside and mainly relied on ambushes to attack Southern/US soldiers 3. In contrast to US search and destroy, Viet Cong dealt far better with peasants and tried to be as helpful as possible to keep them on there side 4. Soldiers were deeply committed to the cause and had unshakable morale, severity of war only hardened resolve

Answer 14

1. Initially positive, as it became clear the war was a disaster, the US media turned on the government 2. Media attacked the war on two fronts, both on a practical level arguing the US was losing and debunking government claims otherwise and also regularly reporting on the atrocities being committed by American soldiers 3. The war was the first time that the public was getting a close to uncensored account of what was happening e.g peasants having huts set on fire, prisoners executed, children crying from napalm burns etc 4. The public could not support what they were seeing

Answer 15

1. Media coverage led to the war becoming increasingly unpopular which triggered large scale anti-war protests across the country 2. Whilst many people still continued to support the government, the anti-war movement was staunchly opposed to the war and US society became highly polarised and divided, especially due to actions of some protesters such as burning American flags at protests 3. Over 700,000 people attended a protest in Washington in November 1969. 4. The protests and social division they were creating was putting a huge strain on the government and put great pressure on them to end the war

Answer 16

1. Tet Offensive – media coverage was mostly positive until Tet Offensive shattered US government myth that Viet Cong were being worn down. Despite the offensive failure, it was clear that the US tactics were not working and the media lost patience with the government 2. My Lai massacre – among the worst atrocities committed by the US army, was uncovered. March 1968, a US army ‘Search and Destroy’ mission descended upon village of My Lai and murdered all 400 civilians in the village, mostly women and children – the truth of the event was revealed by an army photographer who captured evidence of the events. The event shocked the American public and support for the war massively decreased.