Term Definition

HarryTruman U.S.Presidentuntil1953,hadnorealissueswithVietnam

DwightEisenhower U.S.Presidentuntil1961,referredtothedominotheoryinsupportof
containmentinIndochina

JohnKennedy U.S.PresidentuntilNovember1963,thesituationunderhimbeganto
unravelandmoretroopsweresenttoSouthVietnam

LyndonJohnson U.S.Presidentuntil1969,hadtheworstexperienceofallpresidentswith
Vietnam

RichardNixon U.S.Presidentuntil1975,creditedwithgettingtheU.S.outofVietnam
andendingthewarthere

VietCong ProCommunistforceslocatedinSouthVietnam

Vietminh ArmyofHoChiMinh

NgoDinhDiem SouthVietnameseleader,educatedinFrance

HoChiMinh NorthVietnameseleader,procommunist,eventualwinnerofthewarin
Vietnam

TonkinGulfResolution AftertheU.S.hadshipsattackedinthisbodyofwater,Congresspasses
thislawtoprovidethepresidentwithextendedpowerstosendtroopsto
Vietnam

OperationRollingThunder HeavyandconstantbombingcampaignagainstNorthVietnameseand
Vietcongtargets

DominoTheory TheideathatifonecountryinSoutheastAsiabecameCommunist,other
SEAsiancountrieswouldfalllikedominoestoCommunism

HoChiMinhTrail AnetworkofroadsthatusedthedensejungleofVietnam,Laos,and
CambodiatosupplytheVietCongwithtroopsandsupplies

Stalemate Whenneithersideinaconflictisabletowinthebattle

MilitaryDraft Randomselectionofcitizensforcedtojointhearmyinatimeofwar

DraftDodger Someonethatchoosesnottohonortheirselectioninthedraft

WarHawk ApersonthatisProWar

Dove APersonthatisagainstwar

TetOffensiveof1968 SimultaneousattacksbytheVietcongandNorthVietnameseArmyduring
theVietnameseNewYearonlocationsthroughouttheSouth

Saigon CapitalofSouthVietnam,laterrenamedHoChiMinhCity
 Hanoi CapitalofNorthVietnam,currentcapitalofallofVietnam

Vietnamization PolicyofNixonstoturnoverfightofthewartoSouthVietnamese

Cambodia,Laos SiteofthesecretwarwheretheU.S.foughtVietCongandKhmer
RougeinthetwocountriesborderingVietnam

KhmerRouge Khmer=membersofCommunistPartyofKampucheainCambodia
Rouge=FrenchforRed(colorofCommunistFlags)
ThisgroupassistedinfightingtheU.S.inCambodiaandLaos

RiotsatDemocratic WarprotestsleadinguptothePresidentialelectionof1968
NationalConvention

ChristmasBombings BeganduringDecemberof1972,heavybombingofNorthVietnamese
targetscameaftertheU.S.saidpeaceisathand

GuerillaWarfare Styleoffightingthatusesunconventionaltacticslikehitandrun,hidingby
usingtheadvantageofhometurf

AgentOrange Achemicalweaponsthatmeltsawaythevegetationitimpactsdevastated
thecountrysideinVietnam,Laos,andCambodia

Napalm Flammable,stickyjellythatisusedinbombsandflamethrowers
devastatingweaponthatinjuredthousandsofcivilians

CredibilityGap IssuethattheAmericanPublichadwiththegovernment,notbelieving
whatitwasbeingtoldbyUncleSam

MilitaryAdvisors MilitarypersonnelsentintotraintheSouthVietnameseinfightingthe
waragainsttheNorthandVietcongengagedinfightingalso

CoupDEtat Quick,decisiveactionthatoverthrowsthegovernment,usuallyinvolving
militaryleaders

VietnamWar UnitedStates Vietcong

MilitaryAdvantages

MilitaryStrategies

Date Event Notes/QuestionaboutEvent

FranklinD.RooseveltPresident

1941 Vietminhisformed WhatwasthegoaloftheVietminh?

1945 Japanisforcedout WhatdidHoChiMinhdeclareafterJapanleft?

ofVietnam

HarryTrumanPresident

1946 Frenchtroopsreturn HowdidHoChiMinhrespondtotheFrenchreturn?

toSouthernVietnam

1950 U.S.beginsits WhydidtheU.S.getinvolvedinVietnam?WhatdidtheU.S.provide?

involvementin
Vietnam

DwightEisenhowerPresident

1954 Eisenhower WhatdidEisenhowercomparetoarowofdominoes?

introducesthe
DominoTheory

1954 Vietminhoverruns WhatdidthisVietminhvictorycausetheFrenchtodo?

DienBienPhu

1954 GenevaAccordsare HowdidtheGenevaAccordschangeVietnam?

reached

1956 Vietnameseelections WhocancelledtheelectionsinVietnam?Whydidthey?

arecancelled

1957 Vietcongbegins WhywastheDiemgovernmentunpopular?

attacksontheDiem
government

JohnF.KennedyPresident

1962 SelectiveService Whywasitnecessarytodraftmenintothemilitaryforthisconflict?

draftbeginsfor
Vietnam

1963 Diemisoverthrown WhathappenedintheGulfofTonkin?

 LyndonBainesJohnsonPresident

1964 U.S.Congress WhatauthoritydidthisgranttheU.S.President?

adoptsGulfof
TonkinResolution

1965 OperationRolling WhatdidOperationRollingThunderdoinNorthVietnam?

Thunderislaunched

1968 TetOffensive DescribehowtheTetOffensivechangedthecourseofthewar.

RichardM.NixonPresident

1970 SenaterepealsGulf Whatimpactonthewardidtherepealhave?

ofTonkinResolution

1970 KentStateShootings HowisthisasymbolofthepublicopinionoftheVietnamWar?

1972 Christmas Wasthisaneffectivestrategy?

Bombingsa.k.a.
OperationL inebacker

1973 U.S.declares WhathappenedaftertheU.S.withdrewfromVietnam?

Vietnamization
complete

1973 Congresspassesthe HowwasthisaresultofthetragicwarinVietnam?

WarPowersAct

1975 SouthVietnam WhatdoesthistellyouabouttheoverallsuccessoftheU.S.inthe

surrenderstoNorth war?
Vietnam

TheTetOffensive
CommunistGains UnitedStatesGains

TheresultoftheTetOffensivewas...

Protests KentState(Ohio) JacksonState(Mississippi)

Date

#killed

#wounded

TheNationalGuardfiredintotheprotesterscrowdto


TheAmericanPublicreactedtothisby