Vietnam Slides Flashcards
(48 cards)
Vietnam is America’s _____ war.
Only war US ever ____
Vietnam is America’s longest war (1940s-1975)
Only war US ever lost
Presidents during Vietnam Truman
5 (FIVE!)
- Truman
- Eisenhower
- JFK
- Johnson
- Nixon
______ Americans serve, and _______ American troops die.
The war cost the US ____.
2.5 million Americans serve; 58,000 die
Cost $120 billion
________ Vietnamese civilians & soldiers die
(___% of Viet pop)
3.5 - 4 million civilians & soldiers died
10% of Viet pop
Public aversion to American military interventions
Reluctance to deploy ground troops due to the negative experiences of Vietnam.
“Vietnam Syndrome”
“Vietnam is still with us. It has created doubts about American judgment, American credibility, about American power—not only at home, but throughout the world.”
Kissinger
Vietnamese Imperialism over the years
Chinese, French, Japanese, French, America
One example of Vietnamese Resistance in the past
Trung sisters (unsuccessful) 4 AD.
China ruled for 1600 years.
Truman Doctrine
Support French w/ 2.6 B in aid. (80% of the war cost)
Vietnamese defeat the French
Dien Bien Phu 1954
Split VN at 17th parallel
what else?
Geneva Accords
also called for reunification through elections within two (2) years.
North VN
Ho Chi Minh Viet Minh & Viet Cong (SVN communists)
South VN
Ngo Dinh Diem & ARVN (Army of Republic of Vietnam)
basis for intervention & cited by every President during the war
Domino Theory
Eisenhower (1953-1961) supports Diem BUT
(why is Diem no good)
he’s a catholic in a Buddhist country
Johnson’s War
yur
What does kennedy (1961-1963) do
increases “advisors” (despite violating Geneva Accords)
tacitly backs coup of Diem
In 1961 JFK increases “_____” from _____ to _____
DESPITE…
“advisors” to from 1000 to 16000
despite violating Geneva Accords!!!!!
In 1963 JFK tacitly backs this.
Why?
What happens as a result?
JFK tacitly backs coup of Diem (he’s blatantly corrupt)
Nguyen Khanh becomes new leader in SVN
Johnson (1963-1968) inherits & _______ (escalates or de-escalates) war because he’s afraid of losing re-election
Johnson escalatesthe war
because he’s afraid of *losing re-election**
1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Covert sea missions in Gulf of Tonkin to prepare for attack on North VN; Vietnamese attack us
Resolution gives Pres. right to “take all necessary measures” to defend any nation in Southeast Asia threatened by communist aggression →gave Johnson power to send troops without a declaration of war
US. General in charge of Vietnam
what did he do that was controversial?
Westmoreland
secret bombings
1965 Operation Rolling Thunder
by Johnson to carpet bomb North Vietnam
First American troops arrive in _______: ______ by end of 1965
____ more by 1966
by end of 1967
Danang
200k
200k more
500k troops in Vietnam
