The Vietnam War
By: Chase Collins and Kenny Nguyen
Terms
Containment- A policy instigated by President which consisted of allowing communism to exist where it had already existed, but the goal was to stop the spread from other countries.
DMZ- "DMZ" stands for Demilitarized Zone. The DMZ is a strip of heavily fortified land located on the 38th Parallel splitting North and South Korea.
Domino Theory- A theory believed by Americans in the 1960's who believed that if one country was to fall subject to communism; other surrounding countries would collapse as well.
Draft-A random drawing by the United States Government that determined who would fight in the Vietnam War.
General William Westmoreland- A four star general in the Vietnam War who commanded the Tet Offensive and adopted an attrition strategy against the Viet Cong.
Ho Chi Minh- Minh was the president and prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. He was also the leader of the Viet Cong.
My Lai Massacre- A massacre committed by the 20th Infantry Regiment where over 400 innocent villagers were killed. Many were gang raped and mutilated. Many of the U.S. soldiers were not charged.
National Liberation Front- Successfully liberated Vietnam from French rule.
Ngo Dinh Diem- First president of South Vietnam during the French withdrawal Indochina. He won the election off a fraud.
Pentagon Papers- The United States Department of Defense's history of our involvement in the Vietnam War from 1945 to 1967.
Tet Offensive- One of the largest campaigns of the Vietnam War. A surprise attack by the Viet Cong which was undertaken on January 30th, 1968 aiming to take out control centers throughout South Vietnam
Viet Cong- Political Orgainiztation and army in South Vietnam that fought against the United States in the Vietnam War.
Vietnamization- Policy issued by Richard Nixon which declared the ending of US involvement in Vietnam; it stated that the US would train South Vietnam's forces to fight communism.
Pathway to War, the Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Vietnamese in the Golf of Tonkin. In response, President Johnson asked Congress to support his military decisions relating to the Vietnam War. Both Johnson and Nixon used this resolution to justify their actions until it was repealed in 1971.
Impact- The impact of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was very negative for the United States. It allowed for America to fight in a war that was not necessary to our safety as a nation. It ended up resulting in the loss of thousands of lives and giving the US the "bully" label. It is a permanent stain on the Johnson Administration and Presidency.
Creating Context- 10 Most Important Events of The Vietnam
-Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: August 4th, 1964
-Operation Rolling Thunder: March 2nd, 1965
-Tet Offensive: January 30th, 1968
-My Lai Massacre: March 16th, 1968
-United States vs. David Paul O'Brien: May 27th,1968
-Vietnamization: June 1969
-Ho Chin Minh dies: September 3, 1969
-Operation Linebacker: March 30th,1972
-Vietnam Cease Fire Signed: January 27th, 1973
Golf of Tonkin Resolution: August 4th, 1964
Tet Offensive: January 30th, 1968
Vietnamization: June 1969
In Their Own Words
In their own words
Forunate Son
Born in The USA
Revolution
Top 10 Vietnam War Songs
2- Born In The USA ( Bruce Springsteen)
3- Revolution (The Beatles)
4- Imagine (John Lennon)
5- Masters of War (Bob Dylan)
6- Turn, Turn, Turn (The Byrds)
7- Give Peace a Chance (John Lennon)
8- Get Together (The Youngbloods)
9- It Gets Better Soon (Chicago)
10- Blowin' In The Wind (Peter, Paul and Mary)