Indochina Flashcards
(23 cards)
1
Q
how many years did it take france to take over indochina
A
35
2
Q
when did the japanese occupy indochina
A
1941
3
Q
what was the nature of vietnamese victory in 1954 against the french
A
- The Vietminh made several important gains in the struggle against the French. It forced the French to give up their colonies and gained much needed political and military experience that would be drawn upon in the future.
- The Vietminh created a national myth out of its ‘sacred war’ and dramatically increased its power and prestige in the region.
Victory in 1954 essentially guaranteed the complete independence and neutrality of Laos and Cambodia- at least in the short term.
- The Vietminh created a national myth out of its ‘sacred war’ and dramatically increased its power and prestige in the region.
4
Q
what was the significance of the geneva conventions
A
- The establishment of two states of Vietnam spilt at the 17th parallel
- The South was run by the French sponsored Bao Dai government
- The North was run by the Viet Minh
The independence of Laos and Cambodia, and the withdrawal of French troops.
5
Q
what was eisenhowers policies towards indochina
A
The US gave its full support to Ngo Dinh Diem. His foreign policy was fuelled by a belief in the Domino Theory.
6
Q
what was jfks policies towards indochina
A
Pressed the Diem government to institute political and economic reforms. Speculation as to JFK’s Intentions.
7
Q
what was lbjs policies towards indochina
A
Inherited Vietnam problem.
Communism was being spread by Moscow and thus the South about containment.
His aim was to put Vietnam on hold.
8
Q
what was foreign policy like towards indochina under LBJ
A
- By 1964 tensions in Indochina were extremely high.
- United States was spending over $2 million/day to support South Vietnam and its involvement in Laos continued to grow
- Although there were some isolated signs of progress in the South, the situation was deteriorating and the removal of Diem did little to improve stability.
- The United States and the DRV turned towards a policy of escalation during 1964-65.
- With support from China and the USSR the DRV began sending larger units of the NVA down the Ho Chi Minh Trial to support the NLF Insurgency. With this increased support, a period of bold attacks on the ARVN opened, seriously threatening South Vietnam’s survival.
The United States began bombing North Vietnam, initiated a naval blockade to protect South Vietnam, and in March 1965, committed the first 3500 US Combat soldiers to aid in the defence of the South. This escalated to over 500,000 by 1969.
9
Q
what was the gulf of tonkin
A
- A significant event that influenced US policy towards Indochina.
- Also known as the USS Maddox Incident, it is the event responsible for America’s entry into the Vietnam War.
- In early August 1964, the USS Maddox was fired upon by the North’s torpedo boats.
- Captain Herrick of the Maddox retaliated and opened fire on the torpedo boats.
- Two days later, the Maddox was under attack again in the same waters.
- In response to these reported incidents, Johnson requested permission from the US to Congress to increase military presence in Indochina.
The Gulf of Tonkin resolution authorised Johnson to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the US”.
10
Q
what is the nature and effectiveness of the strategy and tactics employed by the north vietnamese army
A
- “a raggedy-ass little fourth-rate country”- President Johnson on North Vietnam
- Conventional and Guerrilla Hybrid Warfare:
- Used both regular army units and guerrilla tactics.
- Ho Chi Minh Trail:
- Extensive supply network through Laos and Cambodia.
- Enabled sustained operations in the South despite U.S. bombing.
- Changed from taking 6 months to move from the North to the South, to only taking 1 week.
- Sent supplies and troops
- Some farmers and peasants would support the Ho Chi Minh Trail and would help out the soldiers and troops.
- The North and the NVA used the trail to send some NLF military and tactical strategies to the South.
- China and the USSR didn’t want a nuclear was so they didn’t send the NVA to the South as this would be viewed as aggression.
- War of Attrition:
- Aimed to outlast U.S. political will rather than win militarily.
- Effectiveness:
- Maintained supply lines despite heavy bombing.
Built strong morale and nationalist support.
- Maintained supply lines despite heavy bombing.
11
Q
what is the nature and effectiveness of the strategy and tactics employed by the national liberation front?
A
- One of the largest armies of the 20th century
- Consisted of regular units, regional forces, self-defence units, and village militia.
- From 1964, as the war progressed, the NVA began moving into the South in significant numbers.
- Installed heavy guns in isolated positions, making it hard for the US to advance over the territory they covered. These were not large targets, so they were difficult to remove by airstrikes.
- Between 1964-68, Giap was willing to engage in occasional set-piece battles with the Americans. The strategy was to prolong the conflict and wear down the Americans as they had the French.
- With a large number of NVA troops in the South, an American invasion of the North could be justified. To safeguard against this, Hanoi ensured good relations with China and the USSR - by 1966, there were Chinese anti-aircraft and mini-sweeper units in the North. This resulted in the destruction of 3800 US aircraft and 1 800 crew members.
12
Q
q
what is the nature and effectiveness of the strategy and tactics employed by the army of the republic of vietnam?
A
- Conventional Warfare Focus:
- Modelled on Western military structure.
- Reliance on US Support:
- Dependent on American air power, logistics, and training.
- Trained neither for a conventional or guerrilla war. Remained a defensive force.
- Corruption and Low Morale:
- Poor leadership and desertion issues.
- Many forced into service or from urban poor
- Low pay
- Effectiveness:
- Struggled to gain legitimacy and control rural areas.
- Mixed battlefield performance; often collapsed without U.S. support.
- Lack of trust in US forces.
13
Q
what is the nature and effectiveness of the strategy and tactics employed by the USA?
A
- Wanted North Vietnam’s surrender and a “new” Vietnam that would be sponsored by the USA.
- Numerically superior to North Vietnam and the Viet Cong.
- Unlimited firepower and resources
- Napalms, made from petroleum jelly and dropped in canisters, were used commonly. As soon as canisters hit the ground, they would scald human skin.
- By 1968, there were over 5 500 helicopters in Vietnam.
- They had little knowledge of Vietnam’s diverse geography and had no knowledge of guerrilla warfare.
- 5 500 helicopters were used, leaflets were then dropped, explosives/bombings then followed, people were then dropped down from helicopters to kill people. (4 step approach to the search and destroy campaigns)
- Average age of their soldiers were 19 years old. Fighting for their first time.
- Body count statistics were used to boast about them winning the war back home, and boosting morale to the army.
- Most of the current fighting was happening in South Vietnam.
- Search and Destroy Missions:
- Aimed to kill Viet Cong and NVA forces, not hold territory.
- Overall a focus on neutralizing the communist threat;
- Largest mission was Operation Cedar Falls resulting in as many as 750 enemy kills, more than 500 NLF defections and the capture of military hardware.
- Superior Firepower:
- Heavy use of artillery, air strikes, and chemical defoliants (e.g., Agent Orange) Up to 75 million litres of defoliants dropped on Indochina.
- Technological Warfare:
- Helicopters (air mobility over 5500 by 1968), B-52 bombers, napalm
- Strategic Bombing:
- Operation Rolling Thunder (1965–68) targeted North Vietnam.
- Operation Steel Tiger had some effect on the movement of men and supplies from the North to South.
- Effectiveness:
- Caused massive destruction but failed to break enemy morale.
Alienated Vietnamese civilians, fuelling support for the NLF.
- Caused massive destruction but failed to break enemy morale.
14
Q
what was the immediate outcome of the tet offensive
A
- None of the NLF- NVA’s main objectives were realised (no uprising and no overthrow of Nguyen Van Thieu’s government in the South)
- Approximately 40,000 NLF- NVA personnel were killed vs 1100 US and 2300 ARVN personnel killed
- An estimated 12500 civilians were killed and some historians estimate that as many as 1 million refugees were created as a result of the fighting.
- The Johnson administration and Westmoreland came under immediate pressure to explain the situation after widespread United States and international media coverage.
Led to increased anti-war movements in the United States
15
Q
what were the tet offensives broader impacts on vietnam
A
- Approximately 500,000 civilians died.
- Agent Orange caused birth defects in children and this chemical continues to have a negative effect on Vietnam.
- The country was reunified after the communist takeover of the South in 1976.
- Before the war, Vietnam had been a major rice exporter. The destruction of land during the war meant that the country could not produce enough food for the population.
- Many skilled and professional workers connected to the South Vietnamese regime left the country in fear of being persecuted.
The communist forces established concentration camps for enemies of communism and supporters of the South Vietnamese Government, where many were sent to be ‘re-educated’.
16
Q
what were the tet offensives broader impacts on the usa
A
- Approximately 58,000 American soldiers were killed and another 153,000 were wounded.
- During the Vietnam War, the USA spent $828 billion on its military. From 1965, it was spending more than $50 billion per year.
- Over 100,000 US troops lost limbs in the war and required treatment.
- ‘Draft dodgers’ were treated badly and some fled the country.
- American troops returning from the war were also subject to ill-treatment. Many civilians treated them as brutal thugs who should be punished or avoided.
- The fact that the USA, the great superpower, had lost to a much smaller and less powerful country was greatly demoralising. There was a loss of confidence in American military abilities.
17
Q
what was the cultural impact on civilians in vietnam
A
- Breakdown of traditional village structures > 90% of the Vietnamese population had lived in rural villages in the countryside prior to the war. Afterwards, 60% lived in urban areas.
Bars and brothels grew due to Westernisation, 500 000 South Vietnamese women became prostitutes during the war. (Antithetical to Confucian values).
18
Q
what was the social impact on civilians in vietnam
A
- WHAM: developed infrastructure (health services, education, and subsidised rice)
* Strategic Hamlet Program: Moved SV far from ancestral grounds, unpaid peasant labour, prison nature, strict rules. Turned many SV peasants to the VC.
* Migration to the cities (due to bombing and defoliants) caused overpopulation (increased by 45% by 1970.) Imposed slum conditions upon peasants and led to malaria and dysentery.
* 4 million Vietnamese were killed or wounded due to the war, with 500 000 civilians dying.
* NV civilians were united behind their government’s aims. Although bombing attempted to destroy North Vietnamese morale, they were not heavily affected
* 4000 NV villages were destroyed, this disrupted transport and communication. However, vital facilities were quickly rebuilt.
* 800 000 refugees created by Communist Victory.
* Political murder and assassinations removed trust in the government. Political repression was rife, as the regimes maintained power.
80 000 tons of bombs were dropped by the US air force, killing 250 000 civilians. This was part of the US Operation Menu.
19
Q
what is the environmental impact on the citizens of vietnam
A
- Irrigation/dyke systems were destroyed.
* Herbicides and defoliants. 19 million gallons of Agent Orange from 1961-1972.
* Legacy of unexploded ordinance remains a problem in the 21st century.
Babies were born with health defects due to Agent Orange.
20
Q
what was the economic impact on the citizens of veitnam
A
- By the 1970’s, inflation and the black market were massive. With the reduction of US troops, the economy fell.
* Trading with the Enemy Act; US post-war bans on trade and investment for two decades following the war.
* The amount of goods the North of the country was able to produce was cut in half due to bombing.
* No World Bank loans were given to Vietnam (due to US influence in the West)
* US bombing campaigns did severe damage to over 70% of the industries in the North.
21
Q
what was the nature of anti-war movements in the US
A
- Zeitgeist (spirit) of the 1960s was of less conformity and acceptance of authority. Many prominent civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr came to be critics the Second Indochina War.
- Americans were asking questions. Why were we there? Why were Americans taking part in such atrocities? What has happened to American Politics?
- The TV war showed the brutal reality of the War and the by 1968 the Tet offensive made it clear American was NOT winning as previously thought.
- Late 1960’s and early 70’s, several major political controversies related to the Second Indochina War broke out in the US. These were:
- The My Lai Massacre - 1968, American soldiers massacred SV civilians - found out that 500 people in the village were killed by US troops.
- Kent State University - students were killed and injured in 1970 when members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a crowd gathered to protest the Viet War.
- Pentagon Paper 1971 - papers were leaked to US media and revealed that American presidents had publicly lied about events taking place in Vietnam since the 1950’s.
The largest US moratorium was the ‘Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam’ which took place on November 15th 1969, 3 days after Seymour Hersh broke the story of the My Lai massacre
22
Q
what is the policy of vietnamisation
A
- The main policy was called Vietnamisation, and it’s aim was to transfer the responsibility back into the hands of South Vietnam, reversing the role and responsibilities. It was planned to happen through a staged withdrawal of US troops with increased funding to the Republic of Vietnam to expand their own military forces.
- Nixon was portrayed as a hero and peacemaker, effective, yet contradictory and ironic to promise of withdrawal - bombing in Cambodia and Laos.
- Vietnamisation consisted of three elements:
- Negotiation with the NLF. To achieve peace from a position of strength.
- A cover and overt aerial bombardment campaign to demonstrate US resolve and ensure successful negotiations. Also threated the Ho Chi Minh trail - formed part of his plan to maintain extreme pressure on North Vietnam and forced a negotiated settlement to the conflict.
- Training and expanding the ARVN to take over from US forces, allowing them to withdraw.
23
Q
what was the nature of anti-war movements in australia
A
- Australia’s initial response to the war was mediocre with little opposition to the Vietnam War alongside a deepening concern of Communism.
- The election of Gough Whitlam changed the public opinion to become and be reflective of anti-war sentiment in Australia. The Whitlam government brought home remaining Australian troops and ended conscription in December 1972.
- The Anti-War Movement incited a mass Moratorium Movement. May 8th 1970 saw 80 000 to 100 000 people marching in Melbourne.
- Furthermore, a strong anti-conscription movement permeated from the Anti-War Movement leading to a withdrawal of troops and resources.
- Anti-war movements around conscription and compulsory military service.
- Save Our Sons Movement - made up of mothers and other concerned citizens.
- Largest Anti-War activity emerged in the late 1960’s up to the PPC
- 1965-68: US tv showed that it was a heroic struggle of US soldiers to defeat communist menaces in SV
- US and allies were led to believe that they were winning the war up until the Tet Offensive
The general public developed their own political thought and action towards Vietnam.
