Deepening involvement in Vietnam

Question 1

What did Bobby Kennedy, Brother of JFK and attorney general under JFK, say when questioned about Vietnam ?

Answer 1

‘Vietnam, Vietnam … we have 30 Vietnams in a day’

(situation in Vietnam isn’t that profound to JFK administration)

Question 2

What was JFK’s aim for the number of military advisors in Vietnam by the end of his presidency ?

Answer 2

aimed to withdraw advisors by the end of his presidency

Question 3

Which tow figures was North Vietnam led by ?

Answer 3

1) Ho Chi Minh

2) Vo Nguyen Giap

Question 4

When did French rule of IndoChina end ?

Answer 4

1954

Question 5

What agreement came into effect following the end of French IndoChina rule ?

Answer 5

Geneva Agreement 1954

Question 6

Give 2 things that were included within the Geneva agreement of 1954

Answer 6

1) free elections were scheduled for 1956

2) Divided into 2 across the 17th parallel to avoid a complete communist takeover

Question 7

How did American backed Ngo Dinh Diem break the Geneva agreement in 1955 ?

Answer 7

held an early referendum making him President of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) claiming he had won by 98.2% of the vote.

Question 8

Despite violating the Geneva agreement of 1954 in oct 1955, Why did America continue to support Ngo Dinh Diem ?

Answer 8

He was strongly anti-communist

Question 9

How did Ngo Dinh Diem trat Catholics in comparison to Buddhists ?

Answer 9

1) His attitudes towards 70-80% of the buddhist population turned more and more people against him

2) Offered political favours to Catholics, promoting them to government positions ahead of Buddhists

Question 10

The discriminatory behaviour towards buddhists by Ngo Dinh Diem led to the self immolation of who ?

Answer 10

Thich Quang Duc

Question 11

When was the self immolation of Thich Quang Duc ?

Answer 11

June 1963

Question 12

How did Diem treat peasants ?

Answer 12

land was taken from peasants and given to Diem’s friends and supporters

Question 13

The US administration pushed ____ to make reforms, but he refused

Answer 13

Diem

Question 14

In Dec 1960, the previously disbanded Vietminh group, which was supposed to have left the South, was reformed. What was this group called ?

Answer 14

National Liberation Front - Vietcong

Question 15

Who were the Vietcong supported by ?

Answer 15

Ho Chi Minh (the North)

Question 16

How many military advisors were there at the start of the JFK administration in Vietnam ?

Answer 16

800

Question 17

What was Operation BEEF-UP ? (what did it do ?)

Answer 17

Increased the number of military advisors in Vietnam from 800 in 1961 to 16,000 by 1963

Question 18

The 16,000 military advisors that were present in (South) Vietnam by 1963 was in addition to the ________ strong South Vietnamese army (ARVN)

Answer 18

250,000

Question 19

What was the role of US military advisors in Vietnam ?

Answer 19

To train the ARVN

Question 20

What is a limitation to the 16,000 military advisors and 250,000 South Vietnamese troops under JFK ?

Answer 20

struggled to combat the 12,000 Vietcong they faced - due to guerilla tactics

Question 21

What programme was introduced by the JFK administration that moved peasant farmers to fortified hamlets under American protection to prevent them from being targeted by the Vietcong ?

Answer 21

Strategic Hamlet programme

Question 22

When was the Strategic Hamlet programme established ?

Answer 22

1962

Question 23

Give 2 Ways in which the Strategic Hamlet programme, introduced in 1962 by JFK was largely unsuccessful

Answer 23

1) displaced peasant farmers from their land

2) Vietcong still managed to gain support by providing food and treating the peasants better than the Americans did

Question 24

Due to the Strategic Hamlet programme being largely unsuccessful, it was ended in Nov ______

Answer 24

1963

Question 25

When was a coup against Diem carried out, and he was executed ?

Answer 25

1st Nov 1963

Question 26

How were the US government involved in the coup against Ngo Dinh Diem ?

Answer 26

They admitted to being aware of the coup being planned

Question 27

What Battle in Vietnam marked the first time that the US were noticeably involved in the Vietnam War ?

Answer 27

Battle of Ap Bac

Question 28

When was the Battle of Ap Bac ?

Answer 28

2nd Jan 1963

Question 29

At JFK's inauguration speech, summarise what he said about protecting liberty worldwide.

Answer 29

That America would pay any price to assure the survival and success of liberty

Question 30

At JFK's inauguration speech, summarise what he said about building better relations with former enemies.

Answer 30

That America requested a 'quest for peace' against nations who would make themselves 'our adversary' (opponent)