Vietnam War Flashcards
1
Q
Causes
A
- North Vietnam was Communist (Leader: Ho Chi Minh Support: Larger and more populous and had support of the Soviets)
- South Vietnam was Capitalist (Leader: Ngo Dinh Diem Support: USA gets involved )
- French lose battle of Dien Bien Phu (1954) and leave Vietnam and Cambodia
- Geneva Conference/ Accord: Temporarily divided Vietnam along 17th Parallel and Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are independent countries
- Diem refuses to hold promised elections at Geneva Conference (Diem Discredited 1963)= North Invades South
2
Q
Event
A
- Operation Rolling Thunder means continual bombing raids by South Vietnamese and led by USA (Agent Orange and Napalm used in bombs as well)
- Vietnam has by 1967 are 485.000 Us troops has you cannot fight Guerilla Tactics with Airforce
- The Ho Chi Minh Trail is build (100miles of human trail) and runs Laos and Cambodia
- US bombs Laos and Cambodia to destroy the Trail as the humans carry supplies from North to communists troops in the South
- Tet Offensive: North begins attack begins January 30, 1968 which were coordinated attacks against cities, in effort to control large US held cities (militarily unsuccessful)
- Loss of US Support: People disillusioned (No hearts and minds) and 45% by 1967 feel troops shouldn’t be in Vietman Tet Offensive and My Lai Massacre make this worse in 1968-1969
- US ends major bombing campaigns, starts to pull ground troops out of Vietnam, work towards armistice
- Nixon elected 1968
- 1973 Peace Agreements, US withdraws from Vietnam (500,00 soldiers leave)
- By March 1975 country reunified under Northern and Communist Rule
3
Q
Consequences
A
- Most striking failure of the USA policy of containment
- Reputation of USA in the dumps
- USA spent huge amounts of money ($111bill) on War, Go into economic deficit, overwhelmed
- Establishes US tendency to fight unwinnable wars
- Human loss (approx. 58,000 for US and 250,000 for North but more permanent damage to Vietnamese lands with Agent Orange defoliation)
