Causes of the War
This Cold War policy aimed to prevent the spread of communism.
What is containment?
Guerrilla fighters in South Vietnam who opposed the government.
Who are the Viet Cong?
Many young men avoided the draft through this system.
What is the draft lottery?
The 1964 event used by Congress to justify military escalation.
What is the Gulf of Tonkin Incident?
Many Americans became more skeptical of government after the war—this is known as what?
What is distrust in government? (credibility gap)
The theory that if one country fell to communism, neighboring countries would follow.
What is the domino theory?
The network of supply routes used by North Vietnam through Laos and Cambodia.
What is the Ho Chi Minh Trail?
This U.S. president announced in 1968 that he would not seek reelection.
Who is Lyndon B. Johnson?
This 1968 surprise attack shocked Americans and changed public opinion.
What is the Tet Offensive?
This war powers shift limited presidential authority by requiring troop withdrawal after 60 days without Congressional approval.
What is the War Powers Act?
This 1954 agreement temporarily divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel.
What is the Geneva Accords?
This tactic involved destroying villages suspected of helping the enemy.
What is search and destroy?
This 1970 protest at an Ohio university ended in tragedy when National Guard troops opened fire.
What is the Kent State shooting?
This policy aimed to reduce U.S. troops while increasing South Vietnam’s role.
What is Vietnamization?
The fall of this city in 1975 marked the end of the war.
What is Saigon?
The communist leader of North Vietnam.
Who is Ho Chi Minh?
Chemical used by the U.S. military to remove jungle foliage.
What is Agent Orange?
This news anchor famously expressed doubts about the war after visiting Vietnam, influencing public opinion.
Who is Walter Cronkite?
The expansion of war into this neighboring country sparked protests.
What is Cambodia?
This amendment lowered the voting age to 18, partly in response to arguments about the draft.
What is the 26th Amendment?
This colonial power controlled Vietnam before being defeated in 1954.
Who is France?
This bombing campaign targeted North Vietnam in an attempt to weaken its ability to fight.
What is Operation Rolling Thunder?
This group often supported the war and criticized anti-war protesters.
Who are the “silent majority”?
This agreement led to U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973.
What are the Paris Peace Accords?
This term describes the U.S. hesitation to become involved in future foreign wars after Vietnam.
What is the Vietnam Syndrome?