The Vietnam War

The Domino Theory

• The belief that if one nation in Asia fell to the Communists, neighboring countries would follow.

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

• The joint resolution of the U.S. Congress passed on August 7, 1964 in direct response to a minor naval engagement known as the Gulf of Tonkin incident. It gave President Johnson authorization for the use of military force in Southeast Asia.

Ho Chi Minh Trail

• A trail wound through Cambodia and Laos by passing the border between North Vietnam and South Vietnam, that was used by North Vietnam to send arms and supplies south by way of a network of jungle paths.

Hawks and Doves

• Hawks were someone who believed the United States should continue its military effort in Vietnam. Doves were a person in favor of the United States withdrawing from the Vietnam War.

Tet Offensive

• An offensive by Vietcong and North Vietnamese forces against South Vietnamese and U.S. positions in South Vietnam.

Vietnamization

• The process of making South Vietnam assume more of the war effort by slowly withdrawing American troops from Vietnam.

Kent State Shootings

• President Nixon appeared on national television to announce the invasion of Cambodia by the United States and needed to draft 150,000 more soldiers, which aggravated people on campuses causing massive protests such as the Kent State shootings.

Legacy of the Vietnam War

• The war shook the nation’s confidence and made some begin to question American foreign policies.

Guerrillas

• A member of an armed band that carries out surprise attacks and sabotage rather than open warfare.

Napalm

• A jellied gasoline used for bombs. This bomb was often used during the Vietnam War.