Vietnam Flashcards
(22 cards)
Reasons for US involvement in Vietnam
Domino theory
US feared Vietnam would become communist as they bordered communist China. US especially feared that if Vietnam became communist, other countries in Southeast Asia woulf follow. This caused setup of SEATO (south east asia treat organisation) where members would would act together, by force if necessary, to stop communism spread
Tet Offensive summary
North Vietnamese working with Vietcong. 1968 it was a series of attacks on 26 cities including US Embassy Presidential Palace on Tet Lunar New Year one of Vietnam’s most important holidays. Usually a ceasefire during Tet, so many ARVN were off duty for holiday.
Tet Offensive key features
When launched they began successfully. In Saigon North Vietnamese and VC got into US embassy, Presidential Palace, ARVN headquayers, the radio station and airport. The sight of VC in US embassy was huge shock for American public who had be been told US was winning war. Old city Hie was also captured which told US and ARVN 3 weeks to recapture
South Vietnam cities were regard as the safest part of the country for the US and ARVN but now they seemed vulnerable
Tet Offensive significance
VC were almost wiped out but gained a huge propaganda victory. Despite eventual US victory on grounds of least casualties the American public saw Tet as humiliating defeat
Vietcong tactics
guerrilla tactics
VC were less well armed than South Vietnamese army (ARVN). They fought a guerrilla war which pit the ARVN at disadvantage. Dressed like ordinary Vietnams people and moved about in secret. Used simple ambushes and traps like pits with sharp bamboo poles. Stayed close to US troops so US planes couldnt bomb them.
US tactics
‘Search and Destroy’
missions were sent into the jungle. Their success depended on the body count. The number of dead Vietnamese brought back. It was usually impossible to tell which side they had been on.
Operation Rolling Thunder from 1965 led to heavy bombing of North Vietnam. The aim was to destroy military bases and equipment in North Vietnam and to destroy the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Operation Ranch Hand
24% South Vietnam sprayed with herbicides agent blue, kill crops,and agent orange napalm, kill jungle forests
Millions of Vietnamese and US troops affected
Villages sprayed many times without getting people out
Esculation of war by johnson
Gulf of tonkin
In August 1964 the USA claimed that US warships had been attacked in the Gulf of Tonkin. This gave the US the excuse
they needed and Congress gave Johnson the power to send US combat troops to Vietnam. Many believe that the Gulf of Tonkin incident was probably invented by the US government to justify US
intervention in Vietnam. In March 1965 the first combat troops arrived
Reaction to Vietnamisation
Most US citizens welcomed the fact that US troops would start to be withdrawn while US generals and South Vietnamese worried that the ARVN were not ready
Vietnamisation
USA was to withdraw troops but without looking like they had been defeated and without South Vietnam becoming communist.
Vietnamisation shifted fighting to South Vietnam
Ranch Hand effects
Public outrage in USA when media made it clear chemicals US sprayed were not only killing crops but also causing health problems, birth defects and deaths, further with ARVN deaths
October 1971, Defence Department stopped the spraying
Opposition of war
Tet offensive
Increase death toll, 1968 540,000 US troops 17000 deaths
Cost of war increase increase in tax,1968 $26000mill spent on war
Vietnam under JFK
increased the number of military advisors from 700 to 15,000
ordered the building of ‘strategic hamlets’. These were heavily defended
villages that South Vietnamese people were moved to. The idea was to get them away from the Viet Cong and protect by the ARVN (South Vietnam Army)
Diem’s rule
By 1963 Diem’s rule in South Vietnam was so corrupt that he was facing continuous opposition. Several Buddhist monks burned themselves to death in protest. Diem also faced opposition from trade unions and a general strike was called. Kennedy threatened to withdraw military aid and then backed a plot by South Vietnamese generals to arrest Diem. He was murdered just three
weeks before Kennedy’s own assassination.
Effect of operation rolling thunder
Industry
Bombing affected north Vietnamese industry
BUT
Most war suppliers were made in China or USSR
Destruction
Bombing (including napalm and pineapple bombs) caused destruction in North Vietnam
BUT
It made NV mire determined to oppose the USA. Thousands of civilians were being killed,which was bad for public opinion in US and worldwide
Aid
USSR still sent aid. Rose from $210mill in 1965 to $505mill in 1967
Vietname deaths 1970
335,000 send
6,000 died
$18,500mill
Nixon approaches to Vietnam war
Secret talks
August 1969 Henry Kissinger of USA began secret talks with Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam. Nixon didnt tell public or south Vietnamese
Secret bombing
March 1969 Nixon ordered secret bombing of the parts of Ho Chi Minh Trail that ran through Cambodia. Military orders and reports lied about bombing cuz Nixon knew expansion would be unpopular
Reactions to Vietnamisation
Most US citizens welcomed the fact that US troops would start to be withdrawn while US generals and SV worried that the ARVN were not ready to fight alone
Communist saw it as a chance to gain the upper hand
Why Vietnamisation failed US troops
Knowing US troops going home US troops no longer saw themselves as fighting to win. Some officers who tried to force troops to go into action were ‘fragged’
Cases rose from 96 in 1969 to 209 in 1970
ARVN
Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Why Vietnamisation failed ARVN
Did not have enough soldiers, despite conscription. In 1971, over half of SV men aged 15-49 were in ARVN
Desertion was common. About 24,000 of the deserters in 1971
Why Vietnamisation failed economically
Departure of US personnel also set iff an economical crisis and 300,000 SV lost their jobs. Many billions of dollars of US aid also stopped
Why Vietnamisation failed training and equipment
US supplied training and equipment. However over time congress restricted funding
US equipment and manuals in English. Many ARBN could not read English. Lessons were set ip but troop shortages meant few had time for them
