Vietnam War (1954-1975)
French Indochina Ho Chi Minh Viet Minh Dien Bien Phu Guerrilla warfare U.S. Financial Support of France Containment Domino Theory Kennan’s X Article Truman Doctrine Geneva Conference Hanoi Saigon Ngo Dinh Diem National Liberation Front (NLF) VietCong (VC) (Charlie) Green Berets Role of early Military Advisors Tonkin Gulf Incident Maddox Tonkin Gulf Resolution Lyndon B. Johnson Robert McNamara Operation Rolling Thunder Napalm Agent Orange Search and Destroy Missions A “frontless” war Measures of success in the war Credibility Gap Quagmire Clicks Huey “LZ” frag Peaceniks My Lai General William Westmoreland Role of the Media Doves Hawks SDS burning draftcards “How to Avoid the Draft” Campus sit-ins, teach-ins Campus building occupation “America…Love it or leave it” Generational Rifts “Generation Gap” Tet Offensive Johnson Decides not to run again Candidates RFK and McCarthy Dem. National Convention Chicago Richard Nixon “Silent Majority” Vietnamization/ “Peace with Honor” Henry Kissinger Secret bombing Cambodia/ Laos Kent State Pentagon Papers 26th Amendment Voting Age to 18 War Powers Act Paris Accords Hanoi Hilton POW-MIA “Boat People” Evacuation Roof of U.S. Embassy Vietnam Veterans Memorial Hard Hat Rally Hump Veterans Against the War (Kerry) “Getting his ticket punched” free fire zone Lessons of the Vietnam War Lt. William Calley
“You can kill ten of my men for every one I kill of yours, but even at those odds, you will lose and I will win” -Ho Chi Minh “If its dead and Vietnamese, it’s VC” - U.S. body count policy as explained “in country” “We used mass to compensate for the absence of brains, somewhat reminiscent of the dinosaurs” -Loren Baritz Backfire “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost middle America.” -LBJ on support for the war Is Vietnam… a war against an imperialist power (Vietnamese vs. French)? ….a civil war between the Vietnamese (N. Vietnam vs. S. Vietnam)? … a revolution within S. Vietnam (VC, supplied by the Viet Minh vs.Diem Regime)
“Lessons Learned from the Vietnam War” Death Toll Vietnamese/Southeast Asia immigration to U.S. Environmental Effects Power of the Media Generational and Class rifts Power politics Incremental involvement “Vietnam Syndrome” “Exit Strategy” Betrayal of Public Trust by the Government Economic Effects of the War 1960s War on Poverty 1970s “Stagflation” Need to build consensus, internationally and domestically Vietnam Veterans Memorial as a source of national healing
Vietnam Essay Exam (100 pts) This must be a full five paragraph essay. In addition to the usual written grading criteria you must use AT LEAST the appropriate percentage of key terms for the question. Please feel free to use other key terms, people and events which may not be indicated on the list. Essay A “If I’ve lost Cronkite (CBS News Anchor), I’ve lost middle America.” -President Lyndon B. Johnson Assess the validity of this statement in regard to the growing opposition to the war in Vietnam.
Essay B For presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon part of their historical legacy will involve their foreign policy in regard to Vietnam. Explain and evaluate the success of each president’s key policies for Vietnam. Your essay must use the appropriate amount of key terms from the unit from the list below. Explain how each administration escalated or deescalated the U.S. role in Vietnam.