Background & Key Events
The belief held by some American presidents (E & J) that if Vietnam fell to Communism, neighbouring countries would also fall like a row of dominoes.
What was the "Domino Theory"?
Guerrilla warfare, including hit-and-run ambushes, booby traps (spike pits), an extensive underground tunnel system, and using the Ho Chi Minh Trail to transport supplies.
What military tactics were used by the Viet Cong?
National Guard troopers shot at anti-war student demonstrators protesting the invasion of Cambodia, killing four students and injuring eleven, leading to nationwide student strikes.
What happened at Kent State University in May 1970?
Leaked government documents published in 1971 showing that previous US administrations had lied to Congress and the public about US intentions and the war's progress.
What were the "Pentagon Papers" and why were they significant?
It gave President Lyndon B. Johnson the authority to take all necessary measures to fight in Vietnam, effectively allowing the USA to escalate from using military "advisers" to engaging in full-scale combat.
What was the significance of the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution?
Operation Rolling Thunder (massive aerial bombing), Search and Destroy missions, chemical weapons (Agent Orange and Napalm), and the Strategic Hamlets Programme.
What were the main tactics used by the USA and South Vietnamese forces?
Why did Civil Rights leaders (like Martin Luther King Jr. and Julian Bond) oppose the war?
President Nixon’s policy of training and building up the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) to take over the fighting so American troops could be gradually withdrawn.
What was "Vietnamisation"?
Even though the Viet Cong suffered heavy military losses, the attack shocked the American public and politicians who believed the war was being won. It shattered morale and convinced US leadership that the war was unwinnable.
Why was the 1968 Tet Offensive considered a major turning point in the war?
Vietnam was the first "living-room war". Raw footage of atrocities (the My Lai Massacre) broadcast into homes fueled anti-war sentiments and mistrust of government reports.
How did television and media coverage affect American public opinion?