Vietnam War Flashcards
(45 cards)
Bombing Campaign
1965 - 1968
- Directed by Johnson
- Response to attack on American base, PLIEKU
- 400 tons a day on NV (more than entirety of WWII)
- first major escalation of war
- came with first wave of American troops
“Carrot and Stick”
bomb, bomb, bomb and only stop for negotiations
If negotiations = unsuccessful, bombbombbomb again
Not very effective
American commander in charge
General Westmoreland
War of attrition
kill as many people as possible so NV might give in
- show body count on evening news
- RESULTS: NV responds in kind
Erosion
erode away ability to attack war; i.e. attack strategic locations like industrial sites
-Ho Chi Minh trail too
RESULTS: not very effective; most supplies came from USSR -> China
Support of Containment
- in support of Truman Doctrine; contain NV
- first and foremost a Civil War - would have gone on without US involvement
Superiority of US industry/technology/fire power
“We’re better, so how can we not win?”
Technology only goes so far though because we’re not going to use nuclear warfare
Use of Special forces
increased funding for training of special forces in covert operations (navy Seals)
“Market Time”
1965 - 1971
Cut off coastal areas as supply routes (from N->S)
-starve off Vietcong
-problem: 1200 miles means hard to defend entire area
Arrival of the Marines
March 1965
focus: secure areas along the coast to use as safe bases to rest at when men come back from battles
Helicopter War
-move men in & out of fighting
“Search and Destroy”
then fly back…don’t claim territory
Agent Orange
chemical that comes out of planes w/ orange belt
- kill vegetation along Ho Chi Minh Trail to expose Vietcong
- also affects villages and crops
Napalm
like Vaseline: burns
The Draft
- at the beginning of the war, most = volunteers
- more needed, instate draft, less support…
- no consistent platoon because everyone on their own rotations
- avg. age = 19
For Vietnam…
low tech war; few planes, few pilots
used tunnels and camoflage
Control fo S. Vietnamese Population
terrorism, assassinations, kidnapping
mostly to people in cities favorable to US
Troops reduced by half
1972
Troops before = 550,000
Reduced to 250,000 between 1968 - 1972
Vietnamization
Turn the war over to Vietnamese while gradually withdrawing troops
- money goes to material, but less
- bombing of north continues
Paris Peace Accords
-January 12, 1973
Ends American involvement (Civil War continues to rage on)
-Allows for POWs to be released
NOW stop bombing north
President Thieu (South) resigns
March 1975
Evacuation/Fall of Saigon
April 29, 1975
American military returns to evacuate remaining Americans
Effects of Peace Accords on North Vietnam
- ceasefire
- drop demands for coalition government
- release American POWs
Effects of Peace Accords on America
- ends the war
- bases dismantled and men come home
- agree to stop interfering in South Vietnamese government
- agree to rebuild North Vietnam (doesn’t happen)
Effects…on South Vietnam
- agree to reunification negotiations
- allow polls for people
- allow 160,000 troops from NVA to remain in the south
