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Vietnam War Terms (and some background information)

Vietnam War Terms (and some background information). Ho Chi Minh. Leader of Communist North Vietnam. Bad guy that the US is fighting. Trying to spread communism. A revolutionary leader who united three Communist groups to form the Indochinese Communist Party (ICP). Vietminh.

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Vietnam War Terms (and some background information)

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  1. Vietnam War Terms (and some background information)

  2. Ho Chi Minh • Leader of Communist North Vietnam. Bad guy that the US is fighting. Trying to spread communism. • A revolutionary leader who united three Communist groups to form the Indochinese Communist Party (ICP)

  3. Vietminh • Organization formed by Ho Chi Minh. Their goal was to win Vietnam’s independence from foreign rule. • Military group that represents the communist North Vietnam.

  4. Domino Theory • Theory stating that if a country fell to communism, nearby countries would fall to communism. • Dominated US foreign policy and caused them to get involved in areas where they were afraid that communism could spread. Why they entered Vietnam War.

  5. Dien Bien Phu • Former French airbase where Vietnamese forces seized and defeated the French. France withdrawals completely. • After the fall of Dien Bien Phu the country divides into 2 parts on the 17th parallel.

  6. Geneva Accords • Agreement which divided North and South Vietnam along the 17th parallel. • Also said that elections would be held within 2 years to unify the country. United States opposed these elections and reunification because they are afraid that Ho Chi Minh will gain control (communist).

  7. Ngo Dinh Diem • Became the leader of the GVN or Government of the Republic of Vietnam (Democratic South). • Was suppose to provide stable, democratic reform in South Vietnam. Instead he was oppressive (arrest anyone if they were a suspected communist or Buddhist) • Kennedy (US) was unsure of how much money and support to give him.

  8. Vietcong • Group of South Vietnamese communists who wanted to overthrow Diem. • Later will form NLF or National Liberation Front • Called the Viet Cong by Washington (Vietnam Communists) • Supported by Ho Chi Minh and he gave them supplies.

  9. Ho Chi Minh Trail • Network of paths that winded through Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia) as a way to provide supplies to Vietcong.

  10. Protests in Saigon • Protests in Saigon take place when Buddhist pagodas were raided looking for communists. As part of the protests, monks begin to burn themselves in the streets of Saigon. Don’t like the invasions by S. Vietnamese govt. • Headlines reach US and Kennedy administration supports a coup or overthrow of Diem. Nov. 1 1963 he and brother are captured and killed.

  11. Photo of a Buddhist monk who set himself on fire in protest of the treatment of Buddhist’s under the Diem Regime. • Leads to the US supporting the overthrow of Diem.

  12. Gulf of Tonkin Resolution • Resolution approved by Congress in August of 1964 that gave the President (LBJ) the power to use “any means necessary” to repel an attack and prevent aggression. • Basically meant that we could go to war with Vietnam without having to formally declare war!

  13. Napalm • Sticky, flammable substance used by US troops in Vietnam. They dropped it on trees and forests to burn away the jungle so that they could see the Vietcong troops. • Caused damaging effects for the people who were in the area.

  14. Agent Orange • Leaf killing chemical that was sprayed on the jungle in Vietnam in order to expose Vietcong hide-outs. • Caused birth defects, blindness and other negative side effects in Vietnamese civilians who were exposed or ate/drank infected foods and groundwater.

  15. Major Players in the War • Secretary of Defense: Robert McNamara • Secretary of State: Dean Rusk • Commander in S. Vietnam: General William Westmorland • Presidents during the Vietnam War: Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon

  16. Escalation • To increase a country’s involvement in a war by adding troops, participating in more battles, and committing to aid other countries. • The U.S.’s involvement in the Vietnam War was continuously escalating during the 60’s and 70’s which made many citizens mad and led to a variety protests.

  17. Anti-War Sentiments • To be unsupportive of a war due to death toll, or other moral reasons. • At the start of the war most US citizens supported US involvement in Vietnam. • In the late 1960’s people begin to change their views. • Questioning US’s role in the war and whether it is successful. • As more and more troops die people ask….is it worth it?

  18. Pentagon Papers • Secret documents that had been hidden by the government which revealed secret information about the Vietnam War under the presidency of Lyndon Johnson (LBJ) • Revealed that Johnson had lied about his involvement in Vietnam and was purposely expanding US involvement after he had promised not to.

  19. Vietnamization • The policy of Richard Nixon to turn the control of the Vietnam War over to the South Vietnamese in order to lessen US involvement in the war. • This was our first major attempt to get OUT of the war! Americans no longer support the war.

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