Vietnam War
Study Guide
People to Know
Ho Chi Minh – Leader of the Vietnamese nationalist and communist movement; organized the Vietcong to reunite North and South Vietnam under communist rule.
Lyndon B. Johnson – U.S. President who escalated American involvement in Vietnam after the Gulf of Tonkin incident; authorized "boots on the ground," bombing campaigns, and use of chemical agents.
Richard Nixon – U.S. President after Johnson; introduced Vietnamization (gradual U.S. troop withdrawal and increased responsibility for South Vietnamese forces) and oversaw final phases of U.S. involvement.
Terms to Know
Domino Theory – The belief that if Vietnam fell to communism, other countries in Southeast Asia would follow.
Credibility Gap – The growing public distrust in the U.S. government due to inconsistencies between official reports and media coverage of the war.
Agent Orange – A chemical defoliant used by the U.S. to destroy jungle cover and Vietcong hiding spots; caused long-term health issues for soldiers and civilians.
Vietnamization – Nixon’s policy of gradually withdrawing U.S. troops while increasing South Vietnam’s role in the war effort.
Main Concepts
Dien Bien Phu – The decisive 1954 battle where French forces were defeated by the Vietminh, leading to French withdrawal.
Geneva Accords – Agreement that temporarily divided Vietnam into communist North and democratic South; elections to reunite the country were never held.
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution – Passed in August 1964, gave President Johnson authority to use military force in Vietnam without an official declaration of war.
“Boots on the Ground” – The deployment of hundreds of thousands of American soldiers into Vietnam following the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.
Search and Destroy – U.S. military tactic involving locating Vietcong forces, destroying their supplies, and withdrawing immediately.
Ho Chi Minh Trail – A supply route used by North Vietnam through Laos and Cambodia to support the Vietcong in the South.
Resistance to the Draft – As the war became more unpopular, protests and refusal to serve in the military increased, especially among young Americans.
Hawks vs. Doves – "Hawks" supported the war effort; "Doves" opposed it and advocated for peace.
Tet Offensive – (Not detailed above, but important) A massive Vietcong attack in 1968 that shocked Americans and decreased support for the war.
Johnson’s Exit from Politics – Due to declining public support and turmoil from the war, LBJ announced he would not seek reelection in 1968.
Operation Rolling Thunder – (Not mentioned but key) Sustained U.S. bombing campaign against North Vietnam beginning in 1965.
Kent State University – (Not mentioned but key) Site of a 1970 anti-war protest where National Guard troops shot and killed four students.
Pentagon Papers – (Not mentioned above) Classified documents leaked in 1971 revealing that the government had misled the public about the war.
U.S. Withdrawal and the Fall of South Vietnam – After years of fighting and growing opposition, the U.S. withdrew in 1973; South Vietnam fell to the North in 1975.
Legacies of Vietnam – The war left deep scars: public mistrust in government, PTSD in veterans, and debates over U.S. foreign policy.
War Powers Act – Passed in 1973 to limit the president’s ability to commit U.S. forces without congressional approval, as a response to executive overreach during the Vietnam War.