The Vietnam War - AP U.S. History

1. Identify the year the Vietnam War officially began.

   1955. First U.S. advisors arrived to support South Vietnam.

2. What was the Domino Theory related to the Vietnam War?

   The belief that communism would spread across Southeast Asia. If one nation fell to communism, neighbors would follow.

3. Name the operation that was the first major U.S. ground assault in Vietnam.

   Operation Starlite. First major U.S. ground offensive in August 1965.

4. Name the treaty that officially ended U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

   Paris Peace Accords. 1973 agreement that ended direct U.S. military involvement.

5. Which country colonized Vietnam before World War II?

   France. Colonial power defeated at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.

6. Which U.S. president significantly escalated military involvement in Vietnam?

   President Lyndon B. Johnson. Committed over 500,000 troops following Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

7. Which amendment lowered the voting age to 18, influenced by the Vietnam War?

   26th Amendment. Young men drafted for war gained voting rights at 18.

8. Which document revealed U.S. government deception in reporting the Vietnam War?

   The Pentagon Papers. Classified study revealed government deception about war progress.

9. Who was the U.S. Secretary of Defense during most of the Vietnam War?

   Robert McNamara. Architect of escalation strategy who later became war critic.

10. What was the significance of the Tet Offensive in 1968?

    It shifted U.S. public opinion against the war. Coordinated attacks showed war was far from over despite government claims.

11. Who was the leader of North Vietnam during the Vietnam War?

    Ho Chi Minh. Communist leader who led independence movement against foreign powers.

12. What was the impact of the My Lai Massacre on public opinion?

    It increased opposition to the war in the U.S. 1968 massacre of civilians by U.S. troops sparked antiwar protests.

13. Who were the primary combatants in the Vietnam War?

    North Vietnam and the Viet Cong vs. South Vietnam and the U.S. Cold War proxy conflict between communist and non-communist forces.

14. What was the primary cause of the Vietnam War?

    The spread of communism in Southeast Asia. U.S. feared communist expansion under Cold War containment doctrine.

15. Identify the major 1968 event that led to decreased U.S. public support for the war.

    The Tet Offensive. Nationwide attacks demonstrated war was far from won.

16. Which U.S. president initiated the Vietnamization policy?

    President Richard Nixon. Strategy to gradually transfer fighting to South Vietnamese forces.

17. What was the primary goal of the policy of Vietnamization?

    To transfer military responsibility to South Vietnam. Nixon's strategy to reduce U.S. troops while training ARVN forces.

18. What was the outcome of the Vietnam War for the U.S.?

    The U.S. withdrew and Vietnam was unified under communism. Defeat led to communist unification and damaged U.S. credibility.

19. What was the role of the National Liberation Front in the Vietnam War?

    It was the political arm of the Viet Cong. Political organization representing South Vietnamese communists.

20. Name the major U.S. military base attacked during the Tet Offensive.

    Khe Sanh. Remote base besieged during major North Vietnamese offensive.

21. What year did U.S. combat troops officially withdraw from Vietnam?

    1973. Paris Peace Accords ended direct U.S. military involvement.

22. Identify the year the Paris Peace Accords were signed.

    1973. Agreement that officially ended U.S. combat involvement.

23. Identify the year South Vietnam fell to communist forces.

    1975. North Vietnamese forces completed conquest of South Vietnam.

24. Which university experienced a deadly protest against the Vietnam War in 1970?

    Kent State University. Site where National Guard killed four student protesters in May 1970.

25. Name the supply route that connected North Vietnam to its allies in the South.

    Ho Chi Minh Trail. Network of paths through Laos and Cambodia for supplies and troops.

26. What was the main purpose of the Pentagon Papers?

    To reveal government secrets about the Vietnam War. Leaked classified documents exposed government lies about war progress.

27. What was the purpose of the Strategic Hamlet Program?

    To isolate rural populations from the Viet Cong. Failed effort to relocate peasants away from communist influence.

28. Name the capital city of South Vietnam during the war.

    Saigon. Capital fell to North Vietnamese forces in April 1975.

29. Which resolution gave President Johnson authority to escalate U.S. involvement?

    Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Passed after alleged attacks on U.S. ships in 1964.

30. Name the journalist who famously reported on the Vietnam War for CBS News.

    Walter Cronkite. Trusted anchor whose war criticism influenced public opinion.

31. What was the main goal of the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War?

    To overthrow the South Vietnamese government. Communist guerrillas fought to unify Vietnam under communism.

32. Identify the year the U.S. entered the Vietnam War with combat troops.

    1965. First major deployment of U.S. ground combat forces.

33. What was the primary tactic used by the Viet Cong against U.S. forces?

    Guerrilla warfare. Hit-and-run tactics effective against conventional U.S. forces.

34. What was the main objective of Operation Rolling Thunder?

    To weaken North Vietnam through heavy bombing. Sustained bombing campaign from 1965-1968 targeting North Vietnam.

35. Identify the chemical used by the U.S. to defoliate jungles in Vietnam.

    Agent Orange. Herbicide that removed jungle cover hiding enemy forces.

36. Which legislative act limited the U.S. president's power to send troops?

    War Powers Act of 1973. Required congressional approval for military deployments over 60 days.

37. Which international agreement temporarily divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel?

    Geneva Accords of 1954. Ended French colonial rule and temporarily split Vietnam.

38. What was the initial purpose of U.S. involvement in Vietnam?

    To contain the spread of communism. Part of Cold War strategy to prevent communist expansion.

39. What was the primary strategy of the U.S. military in Vietnam?

    Search and destroy missions. Tactic to find and eliminate enemy forces and supplies.

40. Which event marked the end of the Vietnam War?

    The Fall of Saigon in 1975. North Vietnamese forces captured the South Vietnamese capital.

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