Cold War Conflict - Vietnam

The Vietnam War

After the Second World War, the Viet Minh (funded by the USSR) fought the French (funded by the USA) for independence in Vietnam. The French withdrew in 1954 and the Geneva Conference split Vietnam into North & South Vietnam.

Ngo Dinh Diem

As stated by the Truman Doctrine, the USA wanted to support South Vietnam to stop a communist party from taking over.
Eisenhower provided aid to Diem (South Vietnam's anti-communist leader) despite Diem's unpopular reputation with his own people and track record of corruption.
John F. Kennedy continued to give South Vietnam more money when he came to office.
America also sent 'military advisors' to the country, who may have fought for South Vietnam.

The Gulf of Tonkin incident

The North Vietnamese attacked US ships in the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964.
The USA reacted by escalating their military engagement with the Vietcong and North Vietnam.
The USA was scared that if South Vietnam became communist, so would lots of other countries in South East Asia.
In 1964, there had been roughly 20,000 soldiers in South Vietnam. By 1967, there were 500,000 American soldiers in Vietnam.

Guerilla warfare

The USA could not fight the Vietcong’s tactic, despite their superior resources, starting at the Battle of Ia Drang in November 1965.
Guerilla warfare was a particular challenge for the Americans. The Vietcong would hide amongst undergrowth in territory that they knew well and attack American soldiers on patrol.

American Tactics in the Vietnam War

The USA could not fight the Viet Cong’s tactics, despite their superior resources, leading them to use extreme tactics in response.

Extreme tactics

Extreme tactics were used by the Americans, including targeting civilians, destroying villages, and using chemical weapons.
- E.g. during the My Lai massacre, US forces killed 300-400 civilians.
American forces dropped napalm also known as Agent Orange on Vietnam in an attempt to gain back control of North Vietnam.

US public

Videos and images of US planes dropping napalm on Vietnam, burning forests and civilians turned US public opinion against the war.
After nationwide protests and violent protests on US college campuses, Richard Nixon brought the war to an end in January 1973.
Two years later, South Vietnam fell to communist soldiers.

1Key Topics

1.1Conflict & Cooperation 1918-1939

1.1.1The Treaty of Versailles

1.1.2The Terms of Versailles 1

1.1.3The Terms of Versailles 2

1.1.4Versailles & the League of Nations

1.1.5LoN Successes & Failures

1.1.6LoN Failure - Upper Silesia

1.1.7LoN Failure - Corfu & Washington

1.1.8End of Topic Test - Treaties and Agreements

1.1.9The Great Depression

1.1.10Tension in Europe in the 1930s

1.1.11WWII & Failure of the League of Nations

1.1.12End of Topic Test - Tension in the 1930s

1.1.13Grade 9 - Conflict & Cooperation

1.2The Cold War 1945-c.1989

1.2.1Emerging US-Soviet Rivalry

1.2.2Communism in the 20th Century

1.2.3The Truman Doctrine & Marshall Plan

1.2.4East-West Alliances

1.2.5Berlin Crises

1.2.6The End of the Berlin Wall

1.2.7End of Topic Test - East & West

1.2.8Build-up to the Cuban Missile Crisis

1.2.9The Cuban Missile Crisis

1.2.10Cold War Conflict - Vietnam

1.2.11Cold War Conflict - Afghanistan

1.2.12End of Topic Test - The Cold War 1945-1989

1.2.13Grade 9 - The Cold War

1.3From the End of the Cold War to 9/11

1.3.1Reagan & Gorbachev

1.3.2Consequences of the Soviet War in Afghanistan

1.3.3End of Topic Test - End of the Cold War to 9/11

1.3.4Grade 9 - The End of the Cold War

2Changing Interpretations

2.1Changing Interpretations

2.1.1Appeasement

2.1.2The Responsibility for Cold War Tensions

2.1.3End of Topic Test - Appeasement

2.1.4Grade 9 - Changing Interpretations

Jump to other topics