All Flashcards
Who was Ho Chi Minh?
The communist leader of North Vietnam who fought for Vietnamese independence.
Who was Ngo Dinh Diem?
The leader of South Vietnam, supported by the U.S., but assassinated in 1963.
Who was Lyndon B. Johnson?
U.S. President who escalated the war following the Gulf of Tonkin incident.
Who was Richard Nixon?
U.S. President who implemented Vietnamization and negotiated the Paris Peace Accords.
Who was General William Westmoreland?
Commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam who pursued a war of attrition.
Who was Lt. William Calley, Jr.?
U.S. officer convicted for his role in the My Lai Massacre.
Who was Walter Cronkite?
CBS newscaster who turned against the war after the Tet Offensive.
Who was Eisenhower?
U.S. President who articulated the domino theory and supported South Vietnam.
Who was Kennedy?
U.S. President who sent advisors to South Vietnam.
Who was McNamara?
Defense Secretary who recommended sending 100,000 combat troops to Vietnam.
What is the Domino Theory?
If South Vietnam fell to communism, other nations in Southeast Asia would follow.
What was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
It gave President Johnson broad authorization to use military force in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war.
What was Operation Rolling Thunder?
A sustained aerial bombardment of North Vietnam by the U.S. military.
What is 'Vietnamization'?
Nixon's policy of gradually withdrawing U.S. troops and transferring responsibility for the war to South Vietnam.
Define 'Peace with Honor'.
Nixon's stated goal of ending the Vietnam War in a way that preserved U.S. credibility.
What were the Paris Accords of 1973?
A peace treaty between North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and the United States to end the Vietnam War.
What was the Vietcong?
South Vietnamese communist rebels who fought against the South Vietnamese government and the United States.
What was the Nixon Doctrine?
Asian allies would receive US support, but without the extensive use of U.S. ground forces.
What was the Tet Offensive?
A series of surprise attacks by the Vietcong and North Vietnamese forces during the Tet holiday in 1968.
What was the significance of the 17th parallel?
It was the provisional military demarcation line between North and South Vietnam established by the Geneva Accords of 1954.
When was the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu?
- This defeat led to the Geneva Accords and the division of Vietnam.
When did the Gulf of Tonkin incident occur?
August 1964. It led to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and increased U.S. involvement.
When did Operation Rolling Thunder begin?
- It marked a significant escalation of U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.
When was the Tet Offensive?
January 1968. It was a turning point in the war and American public opinion.
When was the My Lai Massacre?
March 1968. It increased anti-war sentiment due to the killing of unarmed Vietnamese civilians.
When did Nixon announce Vietnamization?
- It aimed to gradually withdraw U.S. troops and transfer responsibility to South Vietnam.
When were the Paris Peace Accords signed?
- They were intended to end the Vietnam War but ultimately failed to prevent the fall of Saigon.
When did Saigon fall to North Vietnamese forces?
April 1975. This marked the end of the Vietnam War and the reunification of Vietnam under communist rule.
When was the Geneva Conference?
- It divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel.
When did LBJ announce he wouldn't run for president?
March 31, 1968. He also limited the bombing of North Vietnam and negotiated peace.