PREPARATION FOR A TEST ON THE VIETNAM WAR (DATE: August 11th.)
TASK I: Read "Case study 3: the Vietnam War" in Walsh pp. 353-365 and the additional info. on the Vietnam War in the booklet. Use the following questions as a reading guide. The words/phrases in italics are a reminder of points you should consider when answering the questions. Make a note of issues you think need classroom discussion because the sources are not explicit enough. We have already answered some of the questions either orally or in writing. PRINT THIS LIST OF QUESTIONS AND BRING IT TO CLASS.
1- Discuss Vietnamese resistance to Japanese rule during WW II (1941-45)
2- Discuss the Vietnamese War of independence from France (1946-54) Consider the reasons for French defeat and the division of French Indochina by the Geneva Accords in 1954 (the ACTIVITY in Walsh p.353 will be useful)
3- Why did the USA become increasingly involved in Vietnam?
A- Bear CHRONOLOGY in mind and try to establish whether there was CONTINUITY or CHANGE between the policies of TRUMAN, EISENHOWER, KENNEDY, JOHNSON. You will find my outline on the Vietnam War in the booklet useful.
B- Discuss the SPECIFIC REASONS why SEATO was organised in 1954 and why JFK, LBJ and Nixon intervened in a civil war South Vietnam to "contain" Communism including the Domino Theory,monolithic Communism, American evaluation of the strength/weakness of South Vietnam.
C- Describe in detail different responses and their consequences: war by proxy- flexible response- Americanisation- escalation- Vietnamisation- negotiations. TIME REFERENCES ARE INDISPENSABLE AND SHOULD BE CLEAR.
4- Analyse WHEN and WHY the American consensus in favour of the war broke down. Provide specific info. on: hawks and doves- political and military effects of the 1968 Tet Offensive- reasons for the election of the Republican candidate Richard Nixon- disagreements between the military and politicians- the role played by the media and the war atrocities issue- PROVIDE DATES.
5- Discuss the end of American intervention in Vietnam during Richard Nixon´s Administration (1969-74) Explain clearly establishing cause-effect relations: Vietnamisation- the failure of early negotiations- the 1969 saturation bombing of North Vietnamese "sanctuaries" in Cambodia- the 1970 invasion of Cambodia and the hostile reaction in the USA- the 1972 presidential election and a new negotiating position- the 1972 American withdrawal of troops- the role of foreign policy adviser Henry Kissinger (1969-73; Secretary of State since 1973)- the 1973 Paris Accords- the 1975 fall of South Vietnam and repercussions in neighbouring countries. You can use the internet.
6- Why was the US army unable to defeat the Communists in Vietnam? (you have written a paper on this topic following the guidelines suggested by Walsh FOCUS TASK B, STAGE 3, p.355.)
7- Explain the consequences of the Vietnam War and its impact on the Cold War.
Look up: 1- Effects in South East Asia where there was a "domino effect" but where the dominoes crashed into one another contrary to what the Americans expected.
2- Effects on American foreign policy including the reassessment of the methods used to contain Communism.
3- The connection between the Vietnam War and DETENTE or the relaxation of Cold War tension and improvements in Amercan relations with the People´s Republic of China (PRC) and the USSR in the 1970´s. SOURCES you can consult: Walsh p. 410 for a summary of Détente and additional info. in the booklet under the heading 8.5-Détente- (a) reasons for détente (b) The USSR and the USA (ONLY SALT1 and 2 and Helsinki Agreements) (c) China and the USA (d) Relations between the USSR and China.
4- Consider the reasons for the difference in the outlook underlying the following presidential statements on American foreign policy:
We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe (enemy) to assure the survival and success of liberty- JFK, Inaugural Address, 1961-
America cannot, and will not conceive all the plans, design all the programmes, execute all the decisions and undertake all the defence of the free nations of the world. R. Nixon, 1972.
8- Why did the USA lose the Vietnam War? You will find Walsh, FOCUS TASK A, p. 364 helpful. Make sure you can provide detailed and logically connected info. on: superior weapons versus Vc (Vietcong) tactics- the nature of different S.V. governments- the effects of American tactics on the SV population- NV commitment and continued USSR and Chinese help- the combined effect of media coverage of American tactics+a long war+casualties+no victory+the collapse of the domestic consensus on the war. Your challenge is to provide more than generalizations on the topic by referring to specific American administrations, specific policies and dates.
9- Compare and contrast the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Look for similarities and differences ( duration of the war- causes- course of the war- American aims- tactics- weapons-
involvement of UN, USSR, China- Cold War repercussions- relative American success/failure and any other topic you consider relevant)
LIST OF LEADERS OF THE USSR during the COLD WAR
Stalin to 1953
Khrushchev to 1964
Brezhnev to 1982
Andropov 1982-4
Chernenko 1984-5
Gorbachev 1986-91
