Vietnam War
Definition
The Vietnam War was a long, costly armed conflict that pitted the communist regime of North Vietnam and its southern allies, known as the Viet Cong, against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. It occurred from 1955 to 1975.
Analogy
Think of the Vietnam War like a high-stakes game of tug-of-war. On one side you have North Vietnam with their friends (the Viet Cong), pulling for communism. On the other side is South Vietnam and their buddy (the U.S.), tugging for democracy. The rope is stretched over a pit of societal and economic consequences, making it a dangerous game where both sides suffered losses.
Related terms
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: This was an agreement in the U.S Congress in response to two naval incidents in Southeast Asia. It gave President Lyndon B. Johnson authorization, without a formal declaration of war by Congress, for the use of conventional military force in Southeast Asia.
Tet Offensive: A major campaign of attacks launched throughout South Vietnam by North Vietnamese forces and Viet Cong in 1968; although it resulted in heavy losses for North Vietnamese forces, it significantly undermined U.S public support for American involvement in the war.
Vietnamization: This was President Richard Nixon's policy aimed at ending U.S involvement in the Vietnam War by transferring all military responsibilities to South Vietnam.
"Vietnam War" appears in:
Study guides (3)
Practice Questions (20+)
- Which of the following statements best explains the impact of the Vietnam War on American society in the 1960s and 1970s?
- Which of the following best explains why the United States became involved in the Vietnam War in the 1960s?
- In what year did the Vietnam war begin?
- Who was President when the Vietnam War ended?
- Who was President when the U.S. officially entered the Vietnam War?
- What was the name of the U.S. policy of providing military and economic aid to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War?
- How does Manifest Destiny relate to America’s involvement in Vietnam War?
- What was the purpose of President Johnson's Operation Rolling Thunder during the Vietnam War?
- What was Richard Nixon's "Vietnamization" strategy in relation to U.S involvement in the Vietnam war?
- Which event had a significant influence on American attitudes toward Vietnam War?
- Which phenomenon happening during both World War I (1914-1918) and Vietnam War (1955-1975) suggests an ongoing trend in American foreign policy?
- What was one impact of the Vietnam War on American society?
- What was a significant consequence of the Vietnam War for U.S?
- How is the selective service system implemented during World War I similar to that of the Vietnam War?
- What was the constant principle behind U.S.'s involvement in both Korean and Vietnam Wars?
- Who engineered the strategy of Vietnamization during the Vietnam War?
- What television event most significantly contributed to public opinion about the Vietnam War in the Cold War era?
- Which policy was President Nixon referring to when he talked about "Vietnamization" during the Vietnam War?
- What was a significant difference between the Korean War and Vietnam War in terms of American public sentiment?
- What legislation, passed in 1964, escalated U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War?
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