CramPuppy - Free Revision Notes » Igcse » History » Cold-war » Vietnam War
by: Admin
Total views: 1504
Word Count: 1164
Date: Sat, 20 May 2006 Time: 12:00 AM
0 comments
Rating: Not yet rated
Login to vote
Comments
No comments posted.
Vietnam War
Share View PDF | Print View | Views: 1504 |
Vietnam War:
Prelude to full US involvement
- 1946-1954 - Vietnamese fighting for indipendance against Japanese and French. Vietminh (Communist leader Ho Chi Minh)
- Eventually lead to total U.S. intervention. Before U.S. only supplied arms
1955-1973 (Vietnam War [USA])
What caused the War/Why did USA get involved?
President of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem
- no elections
- not buddhist
- corrupt
- unpopular, but supported by US
1960 - National Luberation Front (NLF)
- Demanded democratic coalition
- used guerilla tactics
- Diem overthrown in army coup
- still the same <- Guerilla tactics continued
Since 1954 US gave military and economic aid .
- Kennedy and Johnson both resolved to fight (lost in Cuba and Korea)
- Willing to give more than economic aid.
North Vietnam providing aid to Vietcong, strengthen US resolve.
Why USA got involved
- Fighting another menace of communist monolith
- Domino Theory
- Fear of looking weak against communism
- should not have applied policy
- Result of U.S. imperialism [left wing view]
- Protect markets
Phases of the War
- Kennedy (1961-3)
- Only anti guerilla campaign
- Safe Village (contained US controlled villages)
- Failed Vietcong inside village
- Johnson (1963-9)
- Bomb North Vietnam, Vietcong and NLF
- US lost from 60% control to 20% control of villages
- Bombing suspended 1968
- Nixon (1969-74)
- Vietnamisation
- withdrawl of US troops
- Bombed North Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh trail
- Vietnamisation
Ceasfire Janurary 1973 along the 17th parallel
- Vietcong continued fighting
- 1975 North Vietnamese and Vietcong occupied South Vietnam. A communist government was set up.
Reasons why people had feelings of revulsion against the war?
- Terrible bombing
- use of defoliating agensts (also killed people). Napalm
- Deaths of thousands of innocents
- March 1968 - Mai Lai incident - village burnt to ground. Hundreds of innocent dead.
Why did the Americans loose?
- NLF and Vietcong had support of people
- Vietcong expert guerilla fighters
- Vietcong had support of North Vietnam, China and Russia
- North Vietnam were dedicated to uniting their country
- US soldiers inexperienced, unused to guerilla warfare, not dedicated
- US leaders no good vs. guerilla's
- Airpower use was pointless/innapropriate technology
- U.S. public oppinion
- body count method of guaging success. Callous
- Too obsessed with domino theory
Effects of the War
On US
- Cost
- medical effects on soldiers from chemical weapons
- social effects <- returning soldiers were second class citizens
- disrespect for governmental authority
- blow to pride/weak
- racism - more blacks fought
- war crimes (US forces)
- US acknowledges China as major power
On Vietnam
- refugees
- concentration camps
- unemployement/starvation
- corruption
- millions dead/orphans/wounded
On Vietnamese Environment
- scarred countryside
- residue of chemical weapons
- 1/5 of forest destroyed
On Vietnamese Economy
- Collapsed
- US imposed trade embargoe
- Land redistributed
Boat people-
- Fled to to other countries on rafts due to war (Cambodia and China)
- attacked and murdered by pirates
- drowned
About the Author
by: Admin
Total views: 1504
Word Count: 1164
Date: Sat, 20 May 2006 Time: 12:00 AM
0 comments
Rating: Not yet rated
Login to vote
CramPuppy - Free Revision Notes on Facebook
