Chapter 20 Vocab (1955-1975) Vietnam – 16 words

Ho Chi Minh/ Vietminh Leader of the Vietnamese independence movement who also embraced communism. Founded the Vietminh…the League for the Independence of Vietnam.

Domino Theory The belief that if one country (Vietnam) fell to communism, the rest of the region (southeast asia) would soon follow.

S.E.A.T.O Southeast Asian Treaty Organization Alliance among the U.S., Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the Philippines, and Pakistan who pledged to fight communism in Southeast Asia together. Similar to NATO

Dien Bien Phu French military base in northwest Vietnam where French forces surrendered to Vietminh forces in 1954.

Geneva Accords France granted independence to Indo-China (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia), and Vietnam was divided at the 17th parallell into two countries.

Vietcong National Liberation Front. Slang for Vietnamese Commies Used to refer to all Vietnamese communists from the South.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Authorized the US president to “take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the US and to prevent further aggression.” Congress essentially handed their war powers over to the president.

Ho Chi Minh Trail Network of jungle paths that North Vietnam used to supply the Vietcong.

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) Student activist group originally committed to fight against racism and poverty, which also campaigns against the war in Vietnam.

Credibility Gap Gap between what the Johnson administration said and what journalists reported. Made it hard for the American public to believe what the government told them.

Tet Offensive Coordinated assault by the North Vietnamese army on many important targets in South Vietnam (including the US embassy in Saigon) Turned American public opinion against the war. Named after the lunar New Year.

Vietnamization (Nixon) gradual withdrawal of American troops, as South Vietnam slowly assumed more of the fighting.

My Lai Massacre Village in S. Vietnam where in 1968 US forces opened fire on unarmed civilians killing between 400-500 Vietnamese.

Pentagon Papers Government papers leaked to the New York Times, that revealed that the US government had not been honest about the conflict.

Paris Peace Accords 1973 Peace Agreement between the US, S. Vietnam, N. Vietnam, and the Vietcong that effectivly ended the Vietnam War.

War Powers Act Passed by Congress in 1973, this act required the President to inform Congress of any commitment of troops abroad within 48 hours and to withdraw them in 60-90 days unless Congress approves the troop commitment. This was a way to reestablish some limits on executive power.