Vietnam war

Question 1

By who was Vietnam ruled by and how was it called before the Japanese invaded?

Answer 1

The french and it was called Indochina.

Question 2

How did the communist movement start in Vietnam?

Answer 2

The Japanese conquered Vietnam in WW2, and they treated Vietnamese people very harshly. Therefore, a strong anti-Japanese movement started, the Viet Minh.

Question 3

Who was the leader?

Answer 3

The Viet Minhand the communists were lead by Ho Chi Minh, who believed in communism.

Question 4

When did Vietnam declare independence?

Answer 4

The communists entered the city of Hanoi after the WW2, and declared independence in 1949.

Question 5

How did the French react to the independence and what did they do?

Answer 5

France was not happy and came back in 1945. Another 9 years of war followed, as the North was controlled by The Viet Minh, and the south was controlled by the French.

Question 6

What did china do in 1949?

Answer 6

Communist China started supporting Ho Chi Minh, by giving military aid.

Question 7

How did the USA respond?

Answer 7

It gave the French 500 million a year for the war effort, as they wanted to oppose the spread of communism.

Question 8

When did the French pull out of Vietnam?

Answer 8

In 1954

Question 9

What was decided at the Geneva peace conference?

Answer 9

The country was divided into North and South, until elections could be held to decide its future.

Question 10

Why did the Americans not allow to give free elections in Vietnam?

Answer 10

They feared that Vietnam would become communist, and that other countries would then too. (domino effect)

Question 11

What did JFK do?

Answer 11

He sent an elite group of soldiers, he doubled military founding, he authorised the use of Na Palm.

Question 12

What did the americans do in 1955?

Answer 12

They helped Ngo Dinh Diem to set up the Republic of South Vietnam, as he was very anti-communist. They gave him $1.6 billion.

Question 13

What was the problem with this republic?

Answer 13

The people hated Ngo Dinh Diem due to massacres, and he eventually became a dictator.

Question 14

What happened to Ngo Dinh Diem?

Answer 14

He was assassinated.

Question 15

What was the new problem then for the USA?

Answer 15

JFK didn’t know how to replace him.

Question 16

What happened in between 1964 and 1965.

Answer 16

Lots of government changes in the south and the Vietcong started to attack in the countryside.

Question 17

What was the operation Rolling Thunder in the 60’s?

Answer 17

It was a bombing strategy, the USA hoped to make the North surrender by mass bombing and without sending ground troops.

Question 18

What did Johnston do in March 1965?

Answer 18

For the first time he sent ground troops ; to avoid humiliation.

Question 19

How much did the Vietcong control of the countryside of South Vietnam in 1965?

Answer 19

3/4

Question 20

What was the American strategy?

Answer 20

To damage the Ho Chi Min trail, as they believed the North wouldn’t be able to sustain itself without it. So, 3 million tons of explosives would fall on the Laos part of the trail.

Question 21

What did Johnston decide to do between negotiating with North Vietnam and to sending more troops?

Answer 21

he sent 200,000 more men.

Question 22

Why were the conditions difficult for the men in Vietnam?

Answer 22

The jungle made the territory very difficult to pass, leaches caused infected wounds, grenades, booby traps and land mines were frequent.

Question 23

By the of 1967 how many Americans had already died?

Answer 23

20,000 men

Question 24

What did the American population do?

Answer 24

They started to protest against the brutal war.

Question 25

What was the Tet offensive?

Answer 25

84,000 men from the Vietcong attacked 36 provincial capitals, with 6 largest cities.

Question 26

What did Johnston announce on the 31st of March?

Answer 26

He said that he would stop bombing in North Korea?

Question 27

What did Nixon do?

Answer 27

He started training the South Vietnamese population, so that he could start withdrawing troops.

Question 28

What on October 22 1969?

Answer 28

Ho Chi Minh passed away.

Question 29

What did the USA do?

Answer 29

It bombed Hanoi, which forced North Vietnam into a deal.

Question 30

Why did the South fall apart?

Answer 30

Due to the stop of help of the US.

Question 31

What happened in the end?

Answer 31

Vietnam was reunited as one communist nation, after 30 years of war and 2 million deaths.