The Vietnam War - Class Notes

What significant event took place at the beginning of 1968 in South Vietnam?
a) The signing of a peace treaty b) The Tet Offensive
c) The fall of Saigon d) The withdrawal of American troops
What was the outcome of the Tet Offensive from a military standpoint?
a) A major victory for the Vietcong b) A major defeat for the Vietcong
c) A stalemate between the US & Vietcong forces d) A significant loss for the US & South Vietnamese forces
What was the result of public opinion polls taken at the end of Feb. ’68 regarding Johnson's handling
of the war?
a) 60% of Americans approved b) 60% of Americans disapproved
c) 75% of Americans approved d) 75% of Americans disapproved
What did President Johnson say when he learned of Walter Cronkite's pessimistic analysis of the war?
a) "I will not be deterred from my mission."
b) "If I've lost Walter, then it's over. I've lost Mr. Average Citizen."
c) "We must continue fighting for freedom & democracy."
d) "The American people will soon see the benefits of our efforts in Vietnam."
True or False: Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, leading to violence in more than 100 U.S.
cities.
True or False: Robert Kennedy was assassinated by a young Palestinian immigrant named Sirhan Sirhan,
who was angered by Kennedy's support of Israel.
True or False: Nearly 40,000 students on more than 100 campuses held demonstrations during the first six
months of 1968, with many protests targeting U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
True or False: In a protest at Columbia University, students destroyed several buildings, & police killed nearly
900 protesters.
In August 1968, the Democrats met in _________________ for their presidential convention.

Democratic leaders had already decided on the candidate, Vice-President ___________________.

About _________________ Antiwar protesters came to Chicago during the Democratic convention.

Violence erupted at a downtown park away from the convention hall, where police used _______________ &
nightsticks against the protesters.

The Republicans nominated former vice-president ____________________ for president.

Nixon campaigned on a promise to restore ______________________ & order.

George Wallace, a Democrat running on the American Independent Party ticket, was a longtime champion of
school _____________________ & states' rights.

Alfred S. Bradford served in Vietnam from September 1968 to ________________________ 1969 as a

member of the 25th Infantry Division.

Richard Nixon had promised in 1968 to end the war, but it would take nearly _______________________
more years & over 20,000 more American deaths to end the nation's involvement in Vietnam.

What’s the idea behind “Vietnamization?”

What was the "silent majority" that Nixon referred to, & how did it relate to his war policies?

Describe the My Lai Massacre & its consequences for the U.S. military & public opinion on the Vietnam
War.

How did Nixon's invasion of Cambodia impact the U.S. public & college campuses, specifically at Kent
State University?

Explain the significance of the Pentagon Papers & how they affected the support for the war.

How did the Vietnam War finally come to an end, & what were the consequences for North & South
Vietnam?

What were some of the challenges faced by returning Vietnam veterans in the United States?

Describe the changes in U.S. policy that resulted from the Vietnam War, such as the War Powers Act &
the abolition of the draft.

How did the Vietnam War affect the American public's willingness to become involved in foreign wars
& their trust in the government?

What happened in Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia, after the Vietnam War ended?

Reflect on the overall impact of the Vietnam War on the United States & Southeast Asia. What lessons
can be learned from this conflict?