Vietnam Flashcards
How did the USA first get involved?
Diem - the leader of south Vietnam
His government was corrupt and southern Vietnamese started supporting the Vietcong
The Vietcong began a guerrilla war against the south Vietnamese government
Diem’s government was weak and needed US support
The US started supplying materials, money and advice
By 1961, under Kennedy, 16,000 US advisors were sent to Vietnam to assist the army
After kennedys assassination in November 63, Johnson sent large numbers of combat troops into Vietnam
In August 1964, a north Vietnamese patrol boat fired at the US Maddox at the gulf of Tonkin, this made Johnson retaliate
Why did the USA get increasingly involved?
During the Cold War the policy was containment
Domino theory
Vietcong tatics
Had 170,000 soldiers and weapons from USSR
USA had 500,000 troops in Vietnam by 1968
Tatics were :
Retreat when enemy attacks
Surprise attacks
Pursue enemy when they retreat
Ambushes and booby traps
Local terrain, jungle and tunnels to hide
Live amongst civilians
Didn’t wear uniform
USA tatics
Bombing : Good - Vietcong supply lines disrupted North Vietnam's industry and military production damaged Encouraged communist leaders to negotiate end to war Bad - north Vietnam wasn't stopped Underground tunnels were affected Cost Chemical Weapons : Agent orange and napalm Search and Destroy : Vietcong set traps Wrong villages attacked Large number of civilian casualties Unpopular with villagers
Problems with Vietnam
Morale - up to 1967 US troops were volunteers but after it was conscription
US casualties high and young troops
South Vietnamese Government - people didn’t like the government and now didn’t like the US for killing civilians
Tet Offensive - Jan 1968
Vietcong lost about 10,000 fighters
Attacked 100 Vietnamese cities
Before Tet Offensive :
US leaders convinced they could win
US weren’t expecting Vietcong to be so coordinated and effective
Problems at home
Media :
First televised war
1964 - 1967 US weren’t criticised
After 67 they were - TV took over newspapers and reports received from Vietnam- these were often shocking and violent
My Lai Massacre :
March 1968
400 civilians (mostly children and women) killed and no Vietcong were found
Incident became known in 1969 after a soldier gave an account
Soldiers were put on trial and Lieutenant Calley was served 20 years
Protests against the war :
1968 protests against the war about civil rights and poverty
Vietnam war showed inequalities, many white men were able to avoid conscription by going to universities (22.5% of casualties were African Americans and 11% were white)
US withdrawal
1968 they realised the needed to support ending the war of loss the election
Nixon looked for a way to end the war without looking like a US defeat
