Name__________
Paper2
HISTORYREVISION
GUIDE
THEUSAANDVIETNAM:FAILURE
ABROADANDATHOME1964-1975
NOTE:ThisguideonlypreparesyouforthePaper2SectionBquestionsonVietnam.You
mustuseyourotherguidetoprepareforquestionsontheRoaringTwentiesandAmerica
inthe1930’s.Ifyounolongerhavethisguideitcanbedownloadedfromtheschoolwebsite
Learning/Humanities/History/year11.
YouhavetwoquestionstoansweronVietnam
• one8markExplainquestion
• one12markAnalysisandExplanationquestion
TheUSAandVietnam:FailureAbroadandatHome,1964–1975.
1.HoweffectivewereguerrillatacticsduringtheVietnamWar?
Topic
Revised
Thetheoryofguerrillawarfare
Guerrillatactics,1964–1968
TheUSresponsetoguerrillatactics:operationrollingThunder;
‘HeartsandMinds’;AgentorangeandNapalm;Searchand
Destroy
TheMyLaiMassacre,1968.
2.HowdidthecoverageoftheVietnamWarintheUSAleadtodemandsfor
peace?
Topic
Revised
TVandmediacoverageofthewar,fromthegulfofTonkintothe evacuationofSaigon
ProtestmovementsintheUSA,1968–1973
ThepublicreactiontotheMyLaiMassacre,thetrialofLieutenant Calley
TheKentStateUniversityprotest,1970
TheFulbrightHearings,1971.
3.WhyweretheUSactionstoendtheVietnamWarunsuccessful?
Topic
Revised
TheTetoffensiveanditsimpactonthewar,1968
AttacksonLaosandCambodia,1970
USbombingoftheNorthandattacksonLaosandCambodia,1970 –1972
TheParisPeaceConferenceandUSwithdrawal
ThefallofSaigon,1975.
Year11Revisionactivities
HoweffectivewereguerillatacticsduringtheVietnamWar?
Vietnam1964-1975
Task1:Knowledgecheckquestions.Completeanswerstothequestionsbelowonpaper.
Thequestionsarebaseduponpages236-241ofAQAGCSEAQAModernWorldHistoryby
JohnDClare.
Thetheoryofguerrillawarfare
1. WhatwerethethreephasesofguerrillawarfareidentifiedbyMaoZedong?
2. WhatwasthenameoftheVietnamesegeneralwhofollowedMaoZedong’s
methods?
3. WhowasHoChiMinh?
4. In1954whereweretheFrenchdefeatedandbywhom?
5. WhatwasagreedattheGenevaAccords?
6. WhobecameleaderofSouthVietnam?
7. WhydidtheAmericanssupportDiem’sgovernment?
8. HowdidtheAmericanssupportDiem’sgovernment?(atleast2ways)
9. WhywasDiemassassinatedinNovember1963?
GulfofTonkinIncident
1. WhatwasthedominotheoryandhowdoesitapplytoVietnam?
2. OnAugust2nd1964whatincidentsupposedlyhappenedintheGulfofTonkin?
3. WhatdidJohnsontellCongress?
4. WhatdidCongressdecidetodo?
5. WhyistheGulfofTonkinresolutionamajorturningpointinthehistoryofVietnam
War?
MilitaryactionsinVietnam
1. WhydidtheNVAknowtheycouldnotdefeattheAmericansinadirectfight?
2. WhatwerethekeyVCtactics?
3. WhywasitdifficultfortheAmericanstospottheVC?
4. WhatwastheHoChiMinhtrail?
5. DescribeOperationRollingThunder
6. HowmanybombsdidtheAmericansdrop?
7. WhydoyouthinktheAmericansdidnotbombHanoiorHaiphong?
8. HowdidtheUSAtrytowinthe‘heartsandminds’oftheVietnamesepeople?
9. Whatwas‘searchanddestroy’?
10. Whatwasthe‘bodycount’?
11. Whatwere‘cherries’?
12. WhatevidenceistherethatUSmoralehadcollapsedby1971?
13. Describewhathappened16March1968atMyLai.
Completethistimelineofkeyevents
1954BattleofDienBienPhuthe_____________aredrivenoutofVietnam
1954Julythe______________AgreementdividedVietnamintoa___________
northand_______________south
1954HoChiMinhsetsupthe________________
1963November_________isassassinated
2ndAugust1964_____________________________
7thAugust1964____________________________
February1965_______________________________
Explainquestions(8marksplus2spg)
a. ExplainwhytheUSbecameinvolvedinVietnam
b. ExplaintheVietcongguerrillatacticsinVietnam
c. ExplaintheUSArmytacticsinVietnam
d. Explainwhythe1stplatoonmassacredthevillagersofMyLai.
Essayquestions(12marksplus3spg)
a. TheAmericansenteredthewarinVietnambecauseoftheGulfofTonkinincident.
Howfardoyouagree?Explainyouranswer
b. TheAmericansfoughtahightechconventionalwar:theVietcongfoughtalowtech
guerrillawar.Howfardoyouagree?Explainyouranswer
c. VietcongguerrillatacticswerethemainreasonwhytheUSlostthewar.Howfardo
youagree?Explainyouranswer
d. The bombing of North Vietnam in the late 1960’s was the USA’s main response to the
Vietcong’s use of guerrilla tactics. How far do you agree? Explain your answer.
e. The My Lai massacre was the main reason why the American public turned against US
involvement in Vietnam. How far do you agree? Explain your answer
Year11RevisionActivities
HowdidthecoverageoftheVietnamWarintheUSAleadtodemandsforpeace?
Vietnam1964-1975
Task1:Knowledgecheckquestions.Completeanswerstothequestionsbelowonpaper.
Thequestionsarebaseduponpgs242-5ofAQAGCSEAQAModernWorldHistorybyJohnD
Clare.
TVandmediacoverage
1. Whatdoyouunderstandbytheterm‘livingroom’war?
2. HowdidtheAmericanmediaviewthewarinitially?Givetwoexamples.
3. Whatyearmarksaturningpointinattitudes?
4. WhatwasWalterCronkite’scontributiontochangingattitudes?
5. WhendidthestoryontheMaiLiamassacrefirstbreak?
6. WhatsentencewasLieutenantCalleygivenathiscourtmartial?
7. WhydidCalleyendupservinglittlemorethanthreeyearsofhislifesentence?
8. Whatpercentageofthepopulationdisapprovedofhiscourtmartialandwhat
percentrefusedtoacceptthatwhathehaddonewaswrong?
9. Whatdoyouunderstandbytheterm‘moralright’andhowitcanbeappliedtothe
VietnamWar?
10. Howwerereturningsoldiersstigmatised?
11. Howsignificantwasmediacoverage?
Protestmovements
1. Whendidthefirstprotestsagainstthewaroccur?
2. Describewhathappenedatthe1965teach-in.
3. WhyisNormanMorrisonsignificantintheprotestmovement?
4. Whatsortofpeoplejoinedtheprotestmovementinthelate1960s?
5. WhydidtheVietnamWarthreatenJohnsonsGreatSociety?
6. WhatviewdidtheNationofIslamtakeoftheVietnamWar?
7. WhydidMartinLutherKingcriticisetheVietnamWar?
8. Whatotherpeopledodgedthedraft?
9. WhowasEugeneMcCarthyandwhydidheopposetheVietnamWar?
10. WhatweretheFulbrighthearings?
11. WhatclaimsdidJohnKerry,awarveteranmake?
12. Whathappenedin1971atthewarveteransmarch?
13. WritedowntwostatisticsaboutthepercentageofAmericanswhothoughtthewar
wasamistakee.g.1965and1969
14. WhathappenedatKentStateuniversityinMay1970
15. HowdidPresidentNixontrytoreducetheoppositiontothewar?
16. NotallAmericansdisapprovedofthewar.Giveoneexampleofaprowarmarch
Completethistimelineofkeyevents
1968JohnWaynestarsinthe_______________
1967MartinLutherKingspeaksoutagainstthe_____________
January1968The_______offensivebegins
1968EugeneMcCarthy____________________________
November1969Newsofthe_________________________breaks
March1971lieutenant_________iscourtmartialled
April-May1971The________________hearings
May1970_______________________university____________________
May1970_______________marchinsupportofthewar
Explainquestions(8marksplus2spg)
a. ExplainwhysomeAmericansbegantoopposethewarinVietnam
b. ExplainhowTVandmediacoverageofthewarchanged
c. ExplainwhyLieutenantCalley’scourtmartialdividedpublicopinion.
d. ExplaintheargumentsusedbycivilrightsprotestersagainsttheVietnamwar
Essayquestions(12marksplus3spg)
a. TheUSlostthewarinVietnambecauseitlostthesupportoftheAmericanpublic.
Howfardoyouagree?Explainyouranswer.
b. TheVietnamesedidnotwintheVietnamWartheAmericanslostit.Howfardoyou
agree?Explainyouranswer.
c. Theanti-warmovementjustconsistedofstudentsandhippies.Howfardoyou
agree?Explainyouranswer
d. Televisionimagesshowingthetruehorrorsofwarhadadecisiveimpactuponthe
Americanpublicturningthemagainstthewar.Howfardoyouagree?
Explainyouranswer
Year11RevisionActivities
WhydidtheUSAlosetheVietnamWar?
Vietnam1968-1975
Task1:Knowledgecheckquestions.Completeanswerstothequestionsbelowonpaper.
Thequestionsarebaseduponpages246-9ofAQAGCSEAQAModernWorldHistorybyJohn
DClare.
TetOffensiveanditsresults
1. WhydidtheNorthdecidetomountadirectmilitaryattackonSouthVietnam?
2. HowhadGeneralWestmorelandrespondedtointelligenceofapossibleattack?
3. Whatwasthesignificanceofthetimingoftheoffensive?
4. WhatwasthedateofthestartoftheTetoffensive?
5. WhatsuccessesdidtheVietconghaveearlyonintheoffensive?
6. Whatdothesewordsreferto‘Wehadtodestroythetowntosaveit’
7. WhatwastheresultoftheTetoffensivefortheNorthVietnamese?
8. WhatweretheresultsfortheSouthVietnamese?
9. WhatwastheresultfortheAmericans?
10. Whatdoyouunderstandbythetermcredibilitygap?
PresidentNixonandanewpolicy
11. WhobecamePresidentoftheUSAin1969?
12. WhywouldendingthewarbedifficultforNixon?
13. Whowerethe‘silentmajority’towhomNixonrefers?
14. WhatwasthenameforNixon’snewpolicyinVietnam?
15. Howwasthispolicysupposedtowork?
16. WhatwastheMadmanTheory?
17. WhatwasOperationMenu?
18. WhatdidNixonorderin1970‘togoforbroke’?
19. WhatwasoperationLamSonandhowdidtheUSsupportthisARVNinitiative?
20. WheredidNixonbombin1972?
21. WhydidpeacenegotiationsbetweenSouthandNorthVietnambreakdownin
October1972?
22. HowdidNixontrytogetthetalksopenedagain?
23. WhenweretheParisPeaceAccordssigned?
24. Whatweretheterms?
25. WhendidthelastAmericantroopsleave?
26. WhatweretheconsequencesforSaigonofthewithdrawalofAmericantroops
27. WhathappenedinMarch1975?
28. WhatweretheconsequencesofthefallofSaigon
Completethistimelineofkeyevents
31stJanuary1968StartoftheT____________________
January1969President______________takesoffice
November1969Nixonoutlineshisplantoendthewarcalled___________________
1970Bombingof______________
1971Attackon________________byARVNsupportedby_________________
1972Bombingof__________________
27thJanuary1973P______________________
29thMarch1973Americantroops___________________________
March1975NorthVietnameseinvade____________________
Explainquestions(8marksplus2spg)
a. ExplainwhytheTetoffensivewasafailurefortheVietcong
a. ExplainwhytheTetoffensivewasafailurefortheUSAandtheSouthVietnamese
b. ExplainwhySaigonfellin1975
c. ExplainNixon’spolicytowardsVietnam
d. ExplainthestepsthatledtothedefeatoftheUSAinVietnam
e. Explainhowpeacecame1969-1973
Essayquestions(12marksplus3spg)
a. TheTetoffensivewastheonlymilitaryactionthatbothsideslost.Howfardoyou
agree?Explainyouranswer.
b. TheUSlostthewarinVietnambecauseitlostthesupportoftheAmericanpublic.
Howfardoyouagree?Explainyouranswer.
c. TheVietnamesedidnotwintheVietnamWartheAmericanslostit.Howfardoyou
agree?Explainyouranswer.
8markquestions
Onthefollowingpagesthereareexamplesof8markquestionsandthecontentyoumight
includeinyouranswers.Therearealsotwocompletedexamplestostudy.
ExplainwhytheUSAgotinvolvedinVietnam(8marks)
• BecausetheFrenchhadbeendrivenoutin1954
• USsupportedDiemashewasanti-communist
• Tostopthecommunists
• Tostopfurthercommunistsuccesses(dominotheory)
• GulfofTonkinincidentAugust1964
• AttacksonUShelicopterbases
• OncetheyhadgotinvolvedtheAmericanshadtokeepescalatingthewartotryto
defeattheVietcong
Explainwhythe1stPlatoonmassacredthevillagersofMyLai(8marks)
• Unclearorderswhichemphasisedkillingthebodycountwasthewaysuccesswas
measured
• TheyweretoldtheVCwouldbethereandeveryoneelsewouldbeatthemarket
• RacistattitudestowardstheVietnamesepeople
• DesireforrevengeforfallenfriendsCharliecompanyhadlostmanyduetomines
andboobytraps
• Frustrationbecausetheycouldnotfindanenemytofight
• Poorofficers(Calleywasahighschooldropout)
• Poorleadershipwhoturnedablindeyeandcoveredupthestorypresentingitasa
successatfirst
• Emphasisonbodycounttoshowsuccess
• OfficersprogrammedtokillVietnamwasabrutalandbrutalisingwarofmasskilling
anddestruction
ExplainwhycoverageoftheVietnamWarbytheAmericannewsmediachanged(8marks)
• Earlystagesofwarfavourablecoveragee.g.USresponsetoGulfofTonkinincident.
TheGreenBeretfilmstarringJohnWaynemadewithfullsupportofJohnsons
government
• Moodchangedaround1968asdetailsofhorrorsemerged–napalmattacks;shooting
ofVietnamesesuspects;MyLai;risingnumberofdeaths.
• ChangesofattitudesbykeynewspersonalitiessuchasWalterCronkite–
encouragingamoodofdefeatism.
• NewssuggestingthatUSwaslosing–egafterTetOffensive,1968
• Viewsoffamousfilmandpopstars(JaneFonda);effectofKentStateUniversity
deaths,1970
• Fulbrighthearings
ExplainwhytheprotestmovementsagainsttheVietnamWarintheUSAdevelopedinthe
late1960sandearly1970s.(8marks)
• DuringwartherewerehugedemonstrationscallingforthewithdrawalofUSforces.
ProtestmovementincludedVVAW(VietnameseVeteransagainstWar)civilrights
movement,studentsandhippies
• Televisedpicturesshowedhorrorofwar-storiesofbrutalityandpointlesssuffering
• Protestsagainsttheunfairnessofthedraft.MLKagainstthewarasmostrecruits
wereyoungblacks.Seenaspoorandblackman’swar.
• Prominentindividualsrefusedtogoe.g.MuhamadAli‘Theynevercalledmea……..’
OtherwarveteransalsospokeoutJohnKerry
• WhencostofwarbecameapparentitwasviewedasawasteofmoneyJohnsons
GreatSocietyprogrammejeopardised
• Whenmarchersattackedbypoliceitgavethemovementmoredeterminatione.g.
Universityviolence–especiallyKentStateUniversity(1970)withfourdeaths.
• ImpactofprotestmovementdebatablebutundoubtedlyitsplitUSpublicopinion
HowwaspeacefinallyachievedinVietnam?(AwardedfullmarksbytheBoard)
Throughoutthelasthalfofthewar,USopinionofthewarhadgreatlychanged.By1973
thepublicwereveryagainstthewarandNixonwasunderhugepressuretopullout.He
hadpromised‘PeacewithHonour’inhiselectioncampaignandtheUSpeoplewere
desperateforanendtothewar.
TheParisPeaceConferencefinallybroughtanendtothewarfortheUS,theyagreedto
removeallUStroopsinreturnforUSPOWs,aceasefire,andpromisesoffreeelections.
ItisdebatablewhetherNixonachievedpeacewithhonour,andmanyarguethathesold
outtheSouthVietnamese(S.V).
After1973UStroopsbegantopulloutofVietnam,andtheirdutieswerehandedoverto
theSouthVietnameseArmy(SVA).IneffecttheUSpolicyofVietnamisationwasputto
thetest,astheSVAtookcontrol.USofficialsstayedinVietnamtomakesureitwouldbe
abletosupportitselfandsurvivewithoutUSmilitaryhelp.
Forawhileitseemedasthoughpeacehadbeenachieved,astheNorthVietnamese
(N.V)remainedpeacefulanddidnotbreaktheceasefire.Howeverin1975HoChiMinh
launchedahugeoffensivetotryandtakethecityofSaigonandcapturetheSouth.
WithoutUSsupporttheNorthVietnamesearmy(NVA)wereabletomaketheirway
downsouthtoSaigon,effectivelyshowingthattheSVAwerenotabletodefeattheNVA
displayingthatVietnamisationhadfailed.
TheNVAwereeasilyabletodefeattheSVAatSaigonandtheiconicimageatthefallof
SaigonshownbysourceL,istheUSofficialsabandoningtheS.Vpeople.
ThesourceshowsUSofficialsgoingtothetopoftheEmbassybuildinginorderto
evacuatefromVietnam,leavingS.VatthehandsoftheNVA.Ithinkthisshowsthatthey
wereunabletoachievepeacewithhonour,asdespitebeinginthewarfor10years,they
werestillunabletostopthecommunistNorthfromtakingover.ThefallofSaigon
symbolisesandshowshowtheUSgaveuponVietnamandintheendabandonedit.
ExplaintheconsequencesofFrenchdefeatinVietnamin1954forbothVietnamandthe
USA.[8marks]
TheFrenchdefeatatDienBienPhumeantthattheVietMinhhadsucceededindrivingthe
FrenchoutofVietnamaftereightyearsofstruggle.About8000VietMinhdiedinthebattle.
TheimmediateconsequencewasthebeginningoftheGenevaConferencetodecideon
Vietnam'sfuture.ThisledtotheGenevaAccords,dividingVietnaminhalfatthe17th
parallel.TheNorthwouldbecommunist,ruledbyHoChiMinhwhenhereturnedfrom
hiding,andNgoDinhDiemwouldbePrimeMinisteroftheSouth.Electionsweretobeheld
intwoyearstoreunifythecountry.However,thedeadlinepassedwithouttheelections
beingheld.
Asaresult,HoChiMinhwasdeterminedtofightforunification,buildingtheHoChiMinh
trailin1959togettroopsandsuppliesintoSouthVietnam.4000guerrillasweresentinthat
year.Diem,Presidentinthesouthsince1955,putdownasmanyguerrillasashecould.The
USsentaidtoDiem.
Commentary
ThisisarelativelyshortanswerbutitisspecificaboutwhatresultedfromtheFrenchdefeat
of1954.ThereisdetailonimmediateresultsleadingtotheGenevaAccordsandthenthe
follow-onfromthose,i.e.developmentonconsequencesforVietnam.However,apartfrom
apassingcomment,consequencesfortheUSAareignored.Onewelldevelopedarea,
therefore,wouldbringLevel2,6marks.
12markquestions
Onthefollowingpagesareexamplesof12markquestions.Thequestionsallhavepartially
completedanswers-bulletpointssoyoucanarguebothforandagainsttheopinioninthe
question.Thereisalsoapossibleconclusion.Haveagoatwritingoutsomeoftheanswers
infull.Useyourtoolkittohelpyoutoo.Rememberasthereare3spgmarksavailableyou
willneedtoincorporatekeywords,datesandphrases.
Therearealso2examplesofanswersawardedfullmarksbytheBoard
Question1
TheGulfofTonkinincidentwasthemainreasonwhytheUSbecameinvolvedinthe
VietnamWar.
Howfardoyouagreewiththisinterpretation?Explainyouranswer(12marksplus3spg)
Yes
• GulfofTonkinincidentgaveUSanopportunitytobecomedirectlyinvolvedinthe
war.
• ItallowedJohnsontoescalateUSinvolvement.TheGulfofTonkinresolutiongave
Johnsonveryspecialpowers-thepowertowagewarwithoutadeclarationofwar
byCongress.Hedidthison8March1965when3,500marinescameashoreatDa
NangandAmericawasthenatwarwithVietnam.
NO
• AmericawantedtostopcommunismspreadinginSouthEastAsia
Hadgiven$3billioninaidtoFrance
SupportedDiemforleadershipin1954
SetupSaigonMilitaryMissionin1954-militaryadvisorssenttotrainthe
ARVN
ColludedintheassassinationofDiemin1963
• Dominotheorybeliefthatonceonecountryturnscommunistotherswouldturnas
well
Conclusion
• Johnsonwasmostprobablylookingforanexcusetogotowarby1964.Tension
betweenNorthandSouthVietnamhadbeenincreasingandJohnsonwasmore
preparedthanKennedytocommittheUSAtoafullscaleconflictinVietnamto
preventthespreadofcommunism.GulfofTonkinincidentprovidedthepretext
Johnsonwaslookingfor…sosupporttheinterpretation.
Question2
GuerrillawarfarewasthemainreasonwhytheUSAfailedtowintheVietnamWar.”
Howfardoyouagreewiththisinterpretation?Explainyouranswer(12marksplus3spg)
Yes
• GuerrillawarfarehelpedtodefeattheUS–noopenbattles
• Tunnelnetworks
• Hitandruntactics
No
•
Americansnotequippedforguerrillawarfare
•
•
•
•
•
USAfailedtowinheartsandminds
USAlostlocalsupportwithSearchandDestroymissions
USbombingraidsfocussedonHoChiMinhtrailandonlyhadlimitedsuccess
USdidnotfocusonbombingmajorcitiesinNorthVietnamsuchasHaiphong
ChangingpublicopinioninUSAlinkedtomediaandescalatingcosts.
Conclusion
• Onlypartlysupporttheinterpretation-certainlytacticsusedbyAmericatofighta
guerrillawarwerelargelyineffectiveandunpopularamongstthelocals.Equally
importantwastheUSfailuretowintheheartsandmindsoftheVietnamese.The
combinationofthesetwofactorsmeantthatsupportforthewarathomedeclined
andultimatelytheUSlostthewarinVietnam
NOTE
ThereisanargumentwhichsaystheAmericansdidnotlosethewarinVietnam.
•
TheAmericanmilitarywasnotdefeatedinanybattle.Fromamilitarystandpointitwasanunprecedentedperformance.
•
TheUSdidnotlosetheSouthVietnamesedid.ThefallofSaigonhappenedinApril1975twoyearsafterthelastAmericans
departed.
•
TherewerealmostasmanycasualtiesinSEAsiainthefirsttwoyearsafterthefallofSaigonin75thantherewereinthe10
yearstheUSwereinvolved
Question3
‘ThebombingofNorthVietnaminthe1960swastheUSA’smainresponsetothe
Vietcong’suseofguerrillatactics.’
Howfardoyouagreewiththisinterpretation?Explainyouranswer(12marksplus3spg)
Yes
• MainresponsewasheavybombingofNorthVietnam-OperationRollingThunder
launchedbyPresidentJohnsonin,February1965.Inadditiontoconventional
bombsUSdroppednapalmandclusterbombs.8milliontonsdroppedbetween1965
and1973.Anestimated300tonsforeverymanwomanandchildinVietnam.
No
• AttemptstowinheartsandmindsinSouthVietnam;investment.
• Searchanddestroypolicies,especiallyMyLaiMassacre.
• UseofAgentOrange.
• InvasionsofCambodiaandLaosinearly70s
Conclusion
• Agreewiththeinterpretation-BombingwascertainlyUSAsmostcostlyoperation.
Costoftheseraidswasestimatedat$900millionUnfortunatelyIthadlittleimpact
onboththeeconomyofNorthVietnamandmoraleofthepeople.Moneycould
havebeenspentmorewiselyonwinningheartsandminds…..
Question4
‘MediacoverageoftheVietnamWarwasthemostimportantreasonforgrowingdemands
forpeacefromtheAmericanpublic.’
Howfardoyouagreewiththisinterpretation?Explainyouranswer(12marksplus3spg)
Yes
• Televisioncouldnowbeseenincolourandreportersatthescenedescribedbloody
eventsingraphicdetail;
MyLaimassacre–detailsgraphicallyportrayed18monthsaftertheevent;
Victimsofchemicalwarfaresuchasuseofnapalm;childrunningnakedaftertearing
herburningclothesfromherbody
FilmoffightinginSaigonduringTetOffensive;USembassy
AlsofilmshowingexecutioninthestreetofaVietcongsuspectbyaSouthVietnamese
policeman
• Alsodomesticviolenceportrayedinmedia,suchasKentStateUniversitydeaths.
No
• Thecostofthewarintermsofcasualtiesandmoney;
• Protestmarches,demonstrationsandspeechesintheUSA;
• FulbrightHearings,1971.
Conclusion
• Partlysupporttheinterpretation.Onlyaquarterofreportscontainedimagesofdead
bodies and before 1968 most news reports were pro American. TV reporting only
becamehostileafterpublicopinionbegantoturnagainstthewar.Soitmaybethat
TVreportingfollowedratherthanledpublicopinion?
Question5
TheUSmediadidmoredamagetotheUSarmythandidtheVietcong.
Howfardoyouagreewiththisinterpretation?Explainyouranswer(12marksplus3spg)
Yes
• Warheavilyreported–firsttelevisedwar
• Televisionproducedimageswhichshowedthetruehorrorofwar
Innocentvillagersfleeingfromanapalmattack
ExecutionofaVietcongcaptiveinSaigonbyanARVNcolonel
VCinthestreetsofSaigonandUSembassygroundsduringtheTetoffensive
•
•
•
MediashowedUSsoldierscommittingactsofbrutalityagainstprisonersandcivilians
MyLaimassacrephotographs
Peopleturnedoffbytheseimageschallengedtheideathat‘wearethegoodguysin
thewar’.
WalterCronkite‘Wearemiredinastalemate’broadcast-amoderateandrespected
journalisthadlostconfidenceinthewar.Hisopinionwasveryinfluential
•
No
•
•
•
Mediagaveanti-warmovementthemomentum.
Peoplebecamedesensitisedbytheimageryandimmunetoit.
Peoplestilleattheirdinnerwatchingthenews!
Evenattheheightofanti-warsentimentonly58%ofpublicopposedthewarand50%
agreedwithinvasionofCambodia
Conclusion
• Partly support the interpretation as impact of media coverage is very difficult to
calculate. However you can’t win a war when you lose support of the people and
mediasplitUSpublicopinion.ThiscontributedtotheeventualUSwithdrawalfrom
VietnamratherthantheVietcongastheUSneverlostamajorbattleagainstthem.
Question6
“TheMyLaiMassacre(1968)wasthemainreasonwhyAmericanpublicopinionturned
againstUSinvolvementinVietnam.”
Howfardoyouagreewiththisinterpretation?Explainyouranswer(12marksplus3spg)
YES
• GraphicphotographsshockedpublicinAmericaandthroughouttheworld
• CalleyputontrialformassmurderinSeptember1969
• InNovember1969700,000anti-warprotestersdemonstratedinWashingtonDCthe
largestpoliticalprotestinAmericanhistory
• BehaviouroftroopsatMyLaidestroyedtheideaof‘themoralright’thatAmericans
mighthavefelttheyhadaboutthewar.Bravesoldiersnowseenasbabykillers
NO
• 79%ofpublicdisapprovedofLieutenantCalley’scourtmartial20%refusedtoaccept
thatwhathehaddonewaswrong
• OthereventshadsimilareffecttoMyLaiMassacreChemicalbombingnapalmand
AgentOrangeallmadeAmericansquestionwhothegoodguyswere.
• Warcosts-approximatelyhalfamilliondollarstokilloneVietcongsoldier-war
wastedmoneywhichcouldbespentoncombatingpovertyathome.
• CivilRightsissueyoungblackmenfoughtanddieddisproportionately
• Fulbrighthearings
Conclusion
• Supporttheinterpretation-RevelationsofMyLaishockedAmericanpublic-clearest
evidencethatthewarhadgonewrong.MyLaiwasaturningpointinsupportforthe
war.ForthefirsttimepublicquestionedwhetherAmericawasrighttoimposeits
democracyonothers.Thecredibilitygaphadbeenopened.
Question7
The Tet offensive was a disaster for the communists. How far do you agree with this
interpretation?Explainyouranswer(12marksplus3spg)
YES
• PeopleofSouthVietnamdidnotriseupandjointheCommunistsintheirfight
againsttheAmericans
• TheARVN(ArmyofRepublicofSouthVietnam)didnotcrumble
• 47%ofthepeoplekilledduringtheTetOffensivewereVietcong,24%wereNVAand
22%werecivilians.Just5%wereARVNand2%wereUStroops.Thisseemstoshowit
wasamassivesuccessfortheAmericans
• Asaresultofwhattheysawasafailure,theNorthVietnameseagreedtopeacetalks
soonaftertheTetOffensiveended.
• Fromnowon,theNVAdidmostofthefighting,astheVietcongneverrecoveredfrom
thesetbackofTet.
NO
• BeforetheTetOffensive,theAmericanshadbeenquiteconfident-maybe
complacent-aboutthewaythewarwasgoing.TheUSmediahadgiventhe
Americansbackhometheimpressionthatthewarwouldsoonend.
• But,whenthenewsofTetappeared,manyAmericansfeltthattheyhadbeen
deceivedbythearmy.VietcongtroopswereshowninsidetheUSembassyinSaigon,
whichseemedtoshowthatthewarcouldnotbewon,oratleastnotforalongtime.
• USquicklytooktownscapturedintheoffensivebutintheprocesstheyused
tremendousamountsofartilleryandairpower.Manycivilianswerekilledthe
ancientcityofHuewasdestroyed
•
•
MostAmericansbecameconvincedthatthewarhadtobeendedassoonaspossible.
Tetalsoplayedalargepartin Johnson'sdecisiontogiveuphopesofstandingasPresident
again.RichardNixon,theRepublicancandidate, promisedtoendthewarandwas
electedasPresident.
Conclusion
• Onlypartlyagreewiththeinterpretation.TetmayhavebeenadisasterfortheVCbutGeneral
Westmorelandwasunabletocapitaliseonthevictoryandwasdeniedmoretroops.Sothe
warwasadisasterfortheUStoo.MoreimportantlyTetwasaturningpointforUSbecause
themediaturnedagainstthegovernment.Acredibilitygapopenedbetweenwhatthegovernment
wastellingpeopleandwhattheybelievedtobetrue.Anattitudegrewupthatthewarwasunwinnable.
Question8
NixonspolicyofVietnamisationfinallyledtopeace
Howfardoyouagreewiththisinterpretation?Explainyouranswer(12marksplus3spg)
Yes
•
Process of Vietnamisation - building up South Vietnamese forces and withdrawing troops
beganinApril1969andendedin1971.Almost400.0000troopsleftVietnam
No
•
NixonincreasedbombingcampaignsagainstNorthVietnamtoshowhewasnotweak.Healso
invadedVietcongbasesinCambodiacausingoutrageacrosstheworldevenintheUSA.
• NixonbeganpeacenegotiationswithNorthVietnam.Fromearly1969Kissingerhadregular
meetingswithchiefVietnamesenegotiatorLeDucTho
• NixonputpressureontheUSSRandChina.In1969USSRandChinafellout.Asaresultboth
USSRandChinatriedtoimproverelationswiththeUS.In1970NixonbeganStrategicArms
Limitations Talks (SALT) with the USSR to limit nuclear weapons. He asked Moscow to
encourageNorthVietnamtoendthewar.NixonalsostartedtoimproverelationswithChina.
InFeb1972NixonwasinvitedtoChina.AswiththeUSSRheaskedChinatopressureNorth
Vietnamtoendthewar.
Conclusion
• SupporttheinterpretationVietnamisationdidfinallyleadtopeacebutittook4yearsatthe
cost of thousands of lives before the peace agreement was signed in January 1973. Nixon
describedthepeaceagreementsignedwiththeNorthVietnameseas‘peacewithhonour’but
itwasameaninglesspeaceandwithintwoyearsSouthVietnamhadfallentothecommunists
Question9
TheUSAlostthewarandtheVietcongwon?
Howfardoyouagreewiththisinterpretation?Explainyouranswer(12marksplus3spg)
UnitedStateslost
• FailureoftheUSarmytodefeatVietcongguerrillas
• Searchanddestroybodycounttactics
• Younginexperiencedtroopslowmorale
• SouthVietnamgovernmentcorruptandweak
• Oppositionathome
Vietcongwon
• ThepeasantssupportedandhidtheVietcongwhoworeordinaryblackpeasantspyjamas
• Vietcongguerrillaambushtactics‘tothebelt’usingknowledgeofareatunnels
• SuppliedfromChinaandRussia
• BraveryofNorthVietnamesefighters
Conclusion
• SupporttheinterpretationVietnamrepresentsafailureofUSpolicy. TheAmericanmilitary
may not have been defeated but the American policy of containment was….. The war had
shown that even the USAs vast military strength could not stop the spread of communism.
Americahadfailedpolitically.TheUSfailedtostopSouthVietnamgoingcommunistandthe
heavybombingofVietnam’sneighboursLaosandCambodiaactuallyhelpedthecommunist
forcesinthosecountriestowinsupport.By1975bothLaosandCambodiahadcommunist
governments.InsteadofslowingitdownAmericanpoliticsactuallyspeededupthedomino
effectintheregion.
Pupil Responses
Below is a complete example of 12 mark answer that was awarded 12 marks plus 3 spg by the Board.
This is pre 2015 so note the slightly simpler wording of the question. It says do you agree rather than
How far do you agree.
“TheMyLaiMassacre(1968)wasthemainreasonwhyAmericanpublicopinionturned
againstUSinvolvementinVietnam.”
Doyouagree?Explainyouranswer.12marks(plus3spg)
TheMyLaimassacrewasaveryimportanteventinthewarintermsofmediacoverage
andpublicsupportforthewar.
WhenthemediafirstreportedonMyLai,over18monthsafterithadhappened,many
Americanssimplydidn’tbelievewhattheysaw,butthosewhodidwereappalledand
horrified.WhentheysawthehorrorsthattheUStroopshadcommittedtotheciviliansat
MyLai,peoplebegantoquestionthevalidityofthewar.Italsocameintopeople’sminds
thattheUShadbecomenobetterthanthepeoplethattheywerefightingagainst.There
werecomparisonsbetweenwhatthetroopsdidatMyLaiandtheactionsoftheNazis.
SoldierswhofoughtinVietnamwerereferredtoas‘babykillers’.Thisshowshowthis
oneeventhadchangedtheUSpublic’sopinionofthewarandthosewhofoughtinit.
Howevertherewerealsootherreasonsforthischangeinpublicopinion,suchasthe
responseoftheUSgovernmenttoprotests,andtheFulbrightHearings.Anexampleof
thisistheKentStateprotests,in1972,wherestudentswereprotestingabout
theinvasionofLaosandCambodia.TheNationalGuardwerecalledouttostopthe
protestsandfourstudents,whohadn’tevenbeeninvolved,werekilledbythesoldiers.
ThiswashugelyshockingfortheUSpeople,asoneoftheprinciplestheUSAwasbuilt
onwastherighttoprotest,anditseemedasthoughVietnamhaddriventhegovernment
tosuchapointthattheywouldnotevenallowprotests.
TheFulbrightHearingswereaformalenquiryintothevalidityoftheinvasionofVietnam,
whereevidencewastakenfrom22peopleincludingsenatorsandotherofficials.This
wasgreatlyinfluentialtothechangeofpublicopinionasitwasnolongerjust‘hippies’
protestingthewar,butofficials.Onefamousstatementfromthehearingswas‘howcan
youaskamantobethelastmantodieinVietnam…todieforamistake.’Thiswasvery
powerfulasofficialswereopenlycallingVietnamamistakeandthisshowedthepublic
thattherehadbeennorealneedtoinvadeVietnamandthereforechangedpublicopinion.
Howeverdespitetheseotherreasons,IdothinkMyLaiwasthemostimportant,asit
camein1968,beforetheothersandwhentherewasstillgeneralpublicsupportforthe
war.ItshowedthepeopleoftheUSAthehorrorsthatwerecommittedinthewarand
alsodisplayedthe‘bodycountmethod’thatallowedtheUStoclaimtheywerewinning
thewar.ItshowedpeoplethattheUSviewedadeadVietnameseasadeadVC
(Vietcong).Itdisgustedpeoplethatthegovernmentallowedthesoldierstocommitsuch
atrocitiestocitizensandhideit,astheyhadattemptedtocoveritupbeforeoneofthe
soldiersinvolvedhadtalkedtothemediaaboutit.Ifeelthatthefactithorrifiedand
appalledthepublicinthewayitdidshowshowitwasthemainreasonforachangein
American public opinion.
MediacoverageoftheVietnamWarwasthemostimportantreasonforgrowingdemands
forpeacefromtheAmericanpublic.’Howfardoyouagreewiththisinterpretation?
Explainyouranswer.[12marks][SPaG3marks]
Thisinterpretationlooksasifitwaswrittenbysomeonewhowantedtoputtheblamefor
AmericandefeatonthemediaratherthanontheUSgovernmentorAmericancitizens.
Thereareargumentsforandagainstthisinterpretation.
Firstly,increasedmediacoverageofthewarmeantthatanymistakebytheAmericanforces
wasscrutinisedbythepublic.Forexample,theTetOffensivein1968whenVCfighterstook
theAmericanembassy,theAmericanpublicwereoutragedthatsuchathingcouldhappen
andblameditontheincompetenceofthemilitary.Thisleadtodemandsforpeace.
Secondly,TVcoveragemeantthatpeoplecouldseethehorrorsofmoderndaywar,which
madethemwonderiftheywerefightingfortherightcause.Thefamousimagesincludea
girlfleeingfromanapalmattack(clothesblownawaybytheforce)andtheexecutionofa
VCfighterintheTetOffensiveatpoint-blankrange.Bothoftheseimagesmadethe
Americanpublicquestionwhetherthearmywasdoingtherightthingandconducting
themselvesproperly–whichledtodemandsforwithdrawal.
ThereforetheeffectsofTVandmediacoveragewereveryimportant.Forinstance,anti-war
protestswereoftentelevisedandwerewidespreadthroughouttheUS.Itisestimatedthat
700,000peoplemarchedinWashingtonoverallandthetelevisingoftheseprotestsmade
Americaseemonthebrinkofarevolution.Theprotestsbecamemoreandmorepopular
thankstomediacoveragewhichonlyledtomoreandmoredemandsforpeace.
However,ontheotherhand,youcouldarguethatthisinterpretationisnotwatertight.
TherewouldnothavebeenaproblemwithTVandmediacoverageiftheUSarmyhad
conductedthemselvesproperlyinVietnam.Forexample,Zipporaidswerevergingon
inhumane,andsearchanddestroytacticswerescrutinisedcritically.Youcouldarguethat
thesepeacecallsonlycamebecausetheUSarmydidnotfightwithdignityordecency–
whichiswhycoverageofthewarappearedsobad.When,overayearaftertheevent,
detailsoftheMyLaimassacrewerepublished,thewholeofAmericawashorrified.How
couldover300innocentwomenandchildrenbemassacredlikethis?Howmanyother
similarincidentswerebeingcoveredupbythemilitary?
AnotherreasonyoucouldargueforsuchhugecallsforpeaceisthedemoralisationoftheUS
troopsduetoguerrillatactics.Whentroopsreturnedhomethepubliccouldseehow
mentallyscarredthesetroopswerebytheirexperiences(egevidentintheFullbright
hearingsof1971).IncreasinglytheUSpublicwantedawithdrawalbecausetheydidn’twant
anymoreyounglivestoberuinedbytheeffectsofacruelwar.Therewereeveninstances
wheretheUStroopsfraggedtheirownofficers–moreevidencethattheUSmilitarywas
disintegratingandthewarneededtobestopped.
Finally,youcouldarguethatcallsforpeacecamesimplybecausetheAmericanpublicsawa
lackofprogressinawarinwhichtheydidn’tunderstandwhytheywereinvolved.Thearmy
hadnowbeeninVietnamfornearlyadecadeandtheUSpublicalreadyexpectedavictory.
Whenthearmyhadfailedtostopthe‘evil’Communistsafternearly10years,some
Americanssawthatthebestpolicywastogetoutofanunwinnablewar.
Sooverall,althoughTVandmediacoverageplayedahugepartinexposingthehorrorof
Vietnamtothepublic,IbelievethatcallsforpeaceinVietnamwouldhavecomeaboutno
matterwhatUScivilianswereabletosee.Ifanything,TVandmediacoveragespedupthe
callsforpeace,particularlyintheearly1970s,butIcannotsaythatoverallmediacoverage
wasthemostimportantcauseofthecallsforpeace.
Commentary
Thisisanexcellentanswer,notbecauseofthelevelofdetail(itissufficientbutnotoverwhelming)butbecauseofthelevelofargumentandunderstandingshown.Theanswer
providesseveralreasonsforandagainsttheinterpretation,andthentriestoassessthe
validityoftheinterpretationitselfbylinkingmediacoveragewithotherfactors.Itis
interestingthattheopeningparagraphattemptedtoinvestigatetheprovenancestrandin
themarkscheme,butitisonlyatLevel2standard.Overall,theessayisworthLevel4,12
marks.Plus3spgmarks
June2015Questions(withnewwording)
• WhydidtheUSAbecomeinvolvedinVietnamintheyears1954-1966?(8marks)
• TheTetoffensivewasthemainreasontheUSAlosttheVietnamWar.Howfardoyou
agreewiththisinterpretation?Explainyouranswer(12marksplus3spg)