Part 3 - 1963 - 1975 (Vietnam - The quagmire) Flashcards

Question

What was NV response to the 1965 escalations?

Answer 1

**In April 1965, North Vietnam issued the Four-Point Proposal in response to U.S. escalation.** It called for a return to the principles of the 1954 Geneva Accords, demanding temporary division at the 17th parallel with future reunification via free elections, the removal of all foreign troops and alliances from South Vietnam and peaceful reunification without external interference. While framed as a diplomatic opening, the proposal was immediately rejected by President Johnson, who viewed it as a strategic attempt to legitimise the NLF and destabilise the U.S.-backed Saigon regime. **Its rejection underscored Washington’s commitment to a military solution and marked a missed opportunity for negotiation, reinforcing the shift toward full-scale war.**

Answer 2

**By the end of 1966, there were over 385,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam (up from 180,000 in 1965).**

Answer 3

They tried tactics like Rolling Thunder, Search and destroy missions where US troops raided villages suspected of harboring Viet Cong. As early as 1962, JFK approved operation Ranch Hand - however LBJ utilised it where agent orange defoliated forests to expose the enemy and agent orange in an attempt to starve the North Vietnamese.

Answer 4

**Instead of capturing territory or holding ground, U.S. success was judged by the number of enemy soldiers killed.** * Inflated or falsified numbers became common — units sometimes reported civilians as enemy dead. Commanders WANTED to be successful and so inflated the figures. **Created pressure on commanders to produce kills, rather than focus on long-term success.**

Answer 5

**U.S. commander General Westmoreland** aimed to wear down the Viet Cong and NVA by inflicting heavy casualties, believing the enemy would eventually run out of men and **will to fight.** Success was measured by body count, not territory gained. This strategy led to massive U.S. troop deployments and large-scale search-and-destroy missions, but failed to break North Vietnamese resolve and contributed to rising U.S. casualties and public disillusionment.

Answer 6

**My Lai Massacre (March 1968)** * **US soldiers from Charlie Company (regiment) killed between 347–504 unarmed Vietnamese civilians in the village of My Lai** /// Victims included women, children, and elderly – many were raped or mutilated before being killed /// **Massacre was initially covered up by the military** – only came to light in late 1969 after whistleblowing by soldiers like Ron Ridenhour /// Lieutenant William Calley was the only soldier convicted – served just 3 years under house arrest /// **Sparked global outrage and became a symbol of American brutality and moral failure in Vietnam** /// Deepened anti-war sentiment at home and further undermined public trust in the U.S. government and military.

Answer 7

**Tet Offensive (January 1968)** * The Tet Offensive was a coordinated series of surprise attacks launched by the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong against more than 100 cities, towns, and U.S. bases across South Vietnam. It began on January 30, 1968, during Tet, the Vietnamese New Year holiday — **traditionally a ceasefire period — catching U.S. and ARVN forces off guard.** Major targets included Da Nang, and even the **U.S. Embassy in Saigon, which was briefly occupied**.

Answer 8

Militarily, the offensive was a disaster for the communists: over **40,000 Viet Cong** and NVA troops were killed, and none of the attacks sparked the popular uprising in the South that Hanoi had hoped for. But despite this, the psychological and political impact on the U.S. was massive.

Answer 9

**Americans had been told the war was nearly won** — General Westmoreland had claimed **“light at the end of the tunnel”** — **but Tet showed the enemy was far from defeated**. Media coverage of the fighting, especially in Saigon and Hue, shocked the U.S. public and led to a collapse in support for the war. **Influential news anchor Walter Cronkite said the war would likely end in stalemate, and public trust in LBJ's leadership eroded.** This was combined with the My Lai massacre 2 months later!!!

Answer 10

Within months, President Johnson announced he would not seek re-election. **Tet exposed the gap between military reality and political rhetoric**, marking a turning point in public perception of the war, and ultimately accelerating the path toward Vietnamisation and U.S. withdrawal.

Answer 11

* **Advanced weaponry - B52 bombers, Napalms etc.** * In theory have the economy and industry to sustain long term military campaigns. * Massive troop expenditure (at its peak it was 500,000 in 1968) * Strong allies like South Korea also involved

Answer 12

The U.S. was trained for conventional warfare, but the Viet Cong’s guerrilla tactics made it difficult to fight them. The North Vietnamese also exploited the environment that was unknown to the Americans using tunnel systems, dense jungles etc. **The US troops , were often young and had low motivation. USA wasn’t making justifiable progress in Vietnam and by 1968 it was exposed to the world**

Answer 13

By the end of 1968, there were approximately **536,000** U.S. troops in Vietnam.

Answer 14

"peace with honor" in Vietnam RFK (leading democrat was assassinated in 1968) and so they were divided. ## Footnote **Framed himself as the candidate of law and order, moral clarity, and traditional values.**

Answer 15

**Operation Ranch Hand (1962–1971)** * Approved as early as in JFKs presidency in Jan 1962 **The most infamous was Agent Orange, its goal was to defoliate forests, destroy crops, and eliminate jungle cover used by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army.**

Answer 16

* Millions of Vietnamese civilians and U.S. soldiers were exposed to dioxin. **Linked to cancer, birth defects, immune disorders, and chronic illnesses.** * Destroyed vast swathes of rainforest, mangroves, and agricultural land. **Caused long-term ecological collapse in some regions.** * Caused a huge backlash during and after the war. * Became a symbol of the moral failure and indiscriminate destruction of the U.S. war effort.

Answer 17

**1969 anti-Vietnam War protests – largest in U.S. history** * **OCTOBER 15th AND NOVEMBER 15th** * Marked a turning point in public opposition to the war * **Oct 15**: Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam – nationwide protest involving ~2 million people, including students, workers, clergy /// **Marches across 200+ cities** /// * **Nov 15**: March Against Death – 500,000+ gathered in Washington D.C., reading names of fallen soldiers /// Reflected mainstream backlash – no longer just student radicals /// Pressured Nixon despite **“Silent Majority” speech (Nov 3)** /// Symbolized growing moral and political crisis around the war.

Answer 18

**Nixon’s “Silent Majority” speech – Nov 3, 1969** * In between the two Moratorium protests in 1969 * **Outlined Vietnamization** – gradual U.S. withdrawal, shifting responsibility to South Vietnamese forces /// Rejected calls for immediate withdrawal – warned it would lead to dishonor and communist victory /// * Appealed to “silent majority” – Americans who didn’t protest but supported Nixon’s leadership /// **Speech aimed to counter rising anti-war protests (e.g. Oct 15 Moratorium)** /// Temporarily boosted Nixon’s approval ratings – **reinforced divide between pro- and anti-war America.**

Answer 19

12m Gallons over 6m acres of land.

Answer 20

Nixon thought if he presented himself as crazy then he might force Ho Chi Minh into negotation. *“I call it the Madman Theory, Bob. I want the North Vietnamese to believe I’ve reached the point that I might do anything to stop the war.* | Maybe why he bombed Cambodia?

Answer 21

**U.S. bombing campaign in response to North Vietnam’s Easter Offensive** /// Targeted supply routes, bridges, and ports in the North (esp. Hanoi, Haiphong) /// First use of precision bombing + mined harbors /// **Aimed to protect South Vietnam and pressure Hanoi in Paris peace talks** ## Footnote MAY 1972

Answer 22

**Massive B-52 bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong after peace talks broke down and NV left peace talks** /// Last major U.S. air campaign of the war /// F**orced North Vietnam back to the table → led to Paris Peace Accords (Jan 1973)** /// Controversial but effective — **seen by Nixon as necessary for “peace with honor”**

Answer 23

**Paris Peace Accords - Jan 1973** * Agreement signed by U.S., North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and the Viet Cong to end U.S. involvement in Vietnam * South Vietnam to remain independent but VC allowed to remain in South. * Marked Nixons "Peace With Honour" exit after pressure exerting on NV with Operation Linebacker. Fighting continued though.

Answer 24

**Peak: ~543,000 troops** **Date: April 1969** | LBJs work even though Nixon was president

Answer 25

Essentially 0 **Only 24,000 by 1972!**

Answer 26

Mid 1969 after Nixon Doctorine announced

Answer 27

**30th April 1975** * **Marked the official end of the Vietnam War** * North Vietnamese forces captured Saigon, capital of South Vietnam * South Vietnam surrendered unconditionally; **country reunified under communist rule as Socialist Republic of Vietnam** * Symbolised the failure of U.S. containment in Southeast Asia /// Major Cold War humiliation for the U.S. – ended years of involvement in Vietnam

Answer 28

South Vietnam signed the Agreement reluctantly - Thieu - their leader understood only too well this was the beginning of the end for South Vietnam.

Answer 29

**After US withdrawal in 1973 - North Vietnamese intensified its guerrilla tactics despite the Paris Peace talks agreeing on a ceasefire.** * While Nixon promised to economically support the ARVN - he was dealing with his own problems within Watergate and other areas of the world (Chile). * Battling continued and the Americans did nothing to stop the North Vietnamese advance, Thieu resigned as president and fled the country while South Vietnam surrendered to the Viet Cong who achieved a fully reunified communist state. **Their victory was a result of pure attrition - they wore down the Americans who were their only real opponents.**

Answer 30

* The economic cost of the war was unbelievable, **over $167 Billion was poured into the war.** LBJ didn't have the funding for the Great Society project and couldn’t run from the stigma of Vietnam. American society suffered economically. **Many veterans found they were rejected by the general public who had a strong anti war sentiment.**

Answer 31

After 1975, USA were hostile to Vietnam - with Ford opposing their attempt to join the UN - they were isolated from the wider international community. Ford also placed a trade ban (embargo) on Vietnam and overall cut off any possibility of Vietnam developing into a proper serious power.

Part 3 - 1963 - 1975 (Vietnam - The quagmire) Flashcards

(56 cards)