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Vietnam KR
Term | Definition |
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Vietminh | An organization of Vietnamese Communists and other nationalist groups that between 1946 and 1954 fought for Vietnamese independence from the French. |
ARVN | Army of the Republic of Vietnam- the southern Vietnamese soldiers with whom U.S. troops fought against communism and forces in the North during the Vietnam War. |
NVA | North Vietnamese Army, as opposed to the Vietcong. |
Domino Theory | The idea that if a nation falls under communist control, nearby nations will also fall under communist control. |
Geneva Records | Peace agreement that divided Vietnam into Communist controlled North Vietnam and non-Communist South Vietnam until unification elections could be held in 1956. |
Guerilla Warfare | Fighting by stealth and with small bands that make surprise raids against stronger forces. |
Tonkin Gulf Resolution | A resolution adopted by Congress in 1964 giving the president broad powers to wage war in Vietnam. |
Vietcong | The South Vietnamese Communists who, with North Vietnamese support, fought against the government of South Vietnam in the Vietnam War. |
Agent Orange | A toxic leaf killing chemical sprayed by U.S. planes in Vietnam to expose Vietcong hideouts |
Escalation | Increasing the scope and intensity of fighting, as with more bombing. |
Napalm | A gasolinebased substance used in bombs that U.S. planes dropped in Vietnam in order to burn away jungle and expose Vietcong hideouts. |
Tet (Offensive) | A massive surprise attack by the Vietcong on South Vietnamese towns and cities early in 1968. |
Ho Chi Minh Trail | A network of paths used by North Vietnam to transport supplies to the Vietcong in South Vietnam. |
My Lai (Massacre) | A village in northern South Vietnam where more than 200 unarmed civilians, including women and children, were massacred by U.S. troops in May 1968. |
Vietnamization | President Nixon’s strategy for ending U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, involving the gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops and their replacement with South Vietnamese forces. |
Draft Dodgers | Term for young Americans who evaded military service during the war. |
Credibility Gap | A public distrust of statements made by the government. |
Amnesty | A pardon, given by President Jimmy Carter in 1977, to most of the 10,000 Vietnam-era draft evaders. |
Silent Majority | A name given by President Richard Nixon to the moderate, mainstream Americans who quietly supported his Vietnam War policies |
Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSS) | Emotional stress suffered by many Vietnam veterans after their return home. |
War Powers Act | A law enacted in 1973, limiting a president’s right to send troops into battle without considering Congress. |