Vietnam war Flashcards
(32 cards)
Ho Chi Minh and Le Duan
-ho chi minh helped build indochinese communist party
-created vietminh in 1941
-fled ussr and china during the 30’s
- got aid from ussr and US
Le Duan founding member of indochina communist party
Domino Theory
-Eisenhower believed if Vietnam turned communist rest of southeast asia would follow
Dien Bien Phu
-French struggling
-Guerrillas troops blending into civilian population
- french ordered to occupy mountain town, dien bien phu
- may 7, 1954 french fell to vietnam at dien bien phu
-battle ended the french colonial rule in indochina
Geneva Accords
-held in geneva, switzerland to discuss end of conflict
-vietminh control of NV, pro western control of SV
-recognized cambodia’s and Laos independence
- US protect new giv in SV, led by ngo dinh diem
-april 26, 1954
Vietcong, NVA, ARVN
-vietcong was a communist led military and political organization that fought against SV
-NVA was the north vietnam army
- the ARVN was the main SV army or the Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Strategic hamlets
-program by SV and US its aimed to protect villages from VC influence used with weaponns
Buddhist uprising
-Quan Doc kills himself in protest
- police tore buddisht flags down
- madam Nhu hate buddihst
-people feared dien regime
- bruning monk becomes huge in media
-diem cut phone phone lines and sent troops to buddhist
Diem’s overthrow
Diem’s overthrow
diem discriminated against buddhism
- buddhist monk poured gasoline over himself and burnt to death for protest
horrified americans
august 1963 US ambassador Henry Cabot lodge goes to V
-V generals plotting to overthrow Diem
-Nov 1, 1963 diem was executed
-SV government grew weak
Gulf of Tonkin and the aftermath
-NV had hit 2 american destroyers, happened again days later
- US insisted attack was unporckoced
- George Ball worried we were to involved in V
Search and destroy missions
-American troops went on search and destroy
- VC used hididng in jungles or tunnels in the ground
- americans used naplan and agent orang
- americans willing to bomb and kill numbers of VC
Ho Chi Minh Trail
-NV sent supplies throught ho chi minh trial
- went through laos and cambodia
-
napalm and Agent Orange
-naplam is fire bruning gel
-agent orange is a chemical to die vedigation
Ia Drang Valley
-find nemy and kill
-drang valley very beautiful
-7 times american strength on the mountain
-platoon men killed
-enemy soldiers camoflahouded in jungle
-many VC died
- 79 of moores troops soliders died
- 10 to 1 ratio
Credibility gap
-publics view on the gov not being truthful about the wars progress
DMZ
-Vietnames Demilitarized zone
guerilla warfare
-where the VC would sabotage the US army or do hit and runs to wear down the army
Teach-ins
-started in uni of michigan
-discussed issues about the war
-may 1965 national teach in for anti war
Anger at the draft
-1962 draftees made up 62% of battle deaths
-AA made up good amount of military
-estimated 500,000 draftees refused
-
Hawks and doves
-people who wanted to withdraw from war were the doves
-people who wanted stay and fight were hawks
Tet Offensive
jan 30, 1968 NV and NV launched surprise attack
-militarily, Tet was a disaster for VC
- Tet nearly destroyed VC
- NV scored a major political victory
- media critized the effort
-presidents approval rating plummeted
MLK/Bobby
-April Earl Ray arrested for killing MLK
- 2 months later RK died june 5
DNC
clash between antiwar protesters and police at Democratic national convention in chicago
Nixon wins
-chaos was associated with democratic party benefited republic party
-Nixon had wide lead over Humphrey and Wallace
-nixon promised to end war and restore order at home
LBJ drops out
-democrats looking for knew candidate for 1968 election
- Eugene Mccarthy-dove challenges johnson
- Robert kennedy also enters election
