Section 3: Flashcards
(6 cards)
Vietnamization:
The administration introduced the policy of “Vietnamization,” a program designed to shift the responsibility of the war from the U.S. to the South Vietnamese, allowing the United States to gradually withdraw its troops from Vietnam.
My Lai Massacre:
My Lai Massacre, mass killing of as many as 500 unarmed villagers by U.S. soldiers in the hamlet of My Lai on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War.
Invasion of Cambodia:
The invasion of Cambodia, primarily by US and South Vietnamese forces, occurred in 1970 as an expansion of the Vietnam War. It involved US ground troops and South Vietnamese forces entering eastern Cambodia to target communist bases, a decision made by President Nixon. The invasion aimed to disrupt communist sanctuaries and support the pro-US Cambodian government, but it ultimately led to significant civilian casualties and intensified the anti-war movement in the US.
Pentagon Papers:
The Pentagon Papers were a top-secret, 7,000-page study of the US involvement in the Vietnam War, leaked to the public by Daniel Ellsberg in 1971. The study revealed that successive US administrations, from Truman to Johnson, had misled the public about the war’s true nature, scope, and the likelihood of success. The leak ignited a major controversy, leading to a Supreme Court case on press freedom and exposing a deep “credibility gap” between government claims and reality.
Christmas Bombings:
The “Christmas Bombings” in Vietnam, officially known as Operation Linebacker II, were a massive bombing campaign conducted by the U.S. against North Vietnam between December 18 and 29, 1972. The bombings occurred after peace talks between the U.S. and North Vietnam broke down, and the U.S. aimed to force North Vietnam to return to negotiations. The operation involved B-52 bombers and other aircraft dropping over 20,000 tons of bombs on targets in Hanoi and Haiphong. The campaign resulted in significant civilian casualties, and the U.S. also lost several aircraft.
South Vietnam Falls:
The Fall of Saigon, which occurred on April 30, 1975, marked the end of the Vietnam War as North Vietnamese forces captured the South Vietnamese capital, Saigon. This event led to the collapse of the South Vietnamese government, a mass evacuation of American personnel and South Vietnamese civilians, and the eventual reunification of Vietnam under communist rule.
