Vietnam Part II

Vietnam Terminology BC – body count Boonies – the jungle Bought the farm – killed in action Charlie – the VC (Vietcong) North Vietnamese guerrilla fighters. Cobra – heavily armed Army helicopter Dead Man’s Zone – slang for the DMZ – 17th parallel

Terms P.O.W – Prisoner of War MASH – Mobile Army Surgical Hospital M.I.A – Missing In Action Million-dollar wound – a non-crippling wound serious enough to warrant a return home to the U.S. Newbie- new soldier Point Man – man in the front of a squad on patrol. P.O.W – Prisoner of War

Terms Dear John letter- letter from a girlfriend at home ending the relationship. D.E.R.O.S – Date Eligible for Return from Overseas. In Country – Vietnam

Terms Short Timer- soldier that did not have much time left to serve. Teach-ins – night long university meetings at campuses across America in protest to the war. The World – what the troops called the U.S.

Trouble in the Gulf August 1964 –Gulf of Tonkin The U.S.S. Maddox was attacked by N. Vietnamese torpedo boats 2 days later – another ship was attacked. LBJ ask Congress to act

Tonkin Resolution Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave LBJ a “Blank check” to do whatever steps needed to repeal attacks. 1965 – VC attack bases in S. Vietnam were advisers are, killing 7 Americans. 1965 – Operation Flaming Dart – used of B52 bombers on North Vietnam

Escalation March 1965: Main target – Ho Chi Minh Trail Operation Rolling Thunder: – intense bombing of N. Vietnam. Main target – Ho Chi Minh Trail

VC get help Ho Chi Minh will use the Ho Chi Minh Trail – a network of paths used by N. Vietnam to transport supplies to the Vietcong (VC) in S. Vietnam

Escalation 1965 Over 180,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam 1967 Operation Cedar Falls- U.S. attack VC headquarters. Troops uncover massive tunnel complex – used as a base for guerrilla raids . Tunnel Rats – men responsible for going down tunnels to flush out the VC

Tet Offensive Jan. 31 1968 TET (Vietnamese New Year) – 70,000 North Vietnamese and Vietcong attack cities in South Vietnam. Boldest move – 19 VC attacked the U.S. Embassy in Saigon killed 5 American soldiers.

Tet- turning point in war A. military victory for U.S. B. American public thought U.S. was winning war – but watched as Americans were killed at the U.S. Embassy

Tet Offensive – cont. C. Created credibility gap – fewer Americans trusted the govt. D. Pres. Johnson said he would halt bombing of North Vietnam – that will not be the total truth E. Pres. Johnson announces that he will not seek re-election.

Dear John Letter Dear John letter: letter from a girlfriend at home ending the relationship. In your notebook, I would like you to write a Dear John letter. Must be one page in length. Letters must include: Letter heading How long you have been together Your position on the war (Anti-War/ Pro-War) Why are you ending the relationship