1.
What effect did the geography of Vietnam have on the war?
Viet Cong forces preferred to limit most fighting to cities where they fought most effectively.
Document 3: The Viet Cong could almost never match American firepower, so they relied on a combination of stealth and surprise, as well as their knowledge of the countryside. The Viet Cong dug elaborate tunnel complexes to use as safe bases, conducted hit-and-run attacks on Americans, and tried to avoid large-scale battles. The GIs usually moved slowly, calling in preliminary strikes before committing any troops, and so the Viet Cong often knew when they were coming. To negate the advantage of U.S. air and artillery power, the Viet Cong were advised to "grab the enemy by the belt and hang on" -- in other words, engage the Americans at such close quarters that the GIs could not call in fire support. But the Viet Cong suffered their own hardships -- from 1961 through 1975, they never slept in a bed once, and the men often went days without food.
Document 3: The Viet Cong could almost never match American firepower, so they relied on a combination of stealth and surprise, as well as their knowledge of the countryside. The Viet Cong dug elaborate tunnel complexes to use as safe bases, conducted hit-and-run attacks on Americans, and tried to avoid large-scale battles. The GIs usually moved slowly, calling in preliminary strikes before committing any troops, and so the Viet Cong often knew when they were coming. To negate the advantage of U.S. air and artillery power, the Viet Cong were advised to "grab the enemy by the belt and hang on" -- in other words, engage the Americans at such close quarters that the GIs could not call in fire support. But the Viet Cong suffered their own hardships -- from 1961 through 1975, they never slept in a bed once, and the men often went days without food.
The Viet Cong could almost never match American firepower, so they relied on a combination of stealth and surprise, as well as their knowledge of the countryside. The Viet Cong dug elaborate tunnel complexes to use as safe bases, conducted hit-and-run attacks on Americans, and tried to avoid large-scale battles. The GIs usually moved slowly, calling in preliminary strikes before committing any troops, and so the Viet Cong often knew when they were coming. To negate the advantage of U.S. air and artillery power, the Viet Cong were advised to "grab the enemy by the belt and hang on" -- in other words, engage the Americans at such close quarters that the GIs could not call in fire support. But the Viet Cong suffered their own hardships -- from 1961 through 1975, they never slept in a bed once, and the men often went days without food.
VC took the fight to the jungles since they knew the terrain better.
American forces learned to keep the fighting away from the jungles.
Dug tunnels to confuse the Americans and hide themselves better.
Guerlla Warfare
American forces committed to fighting the war only from the air.
2. Label the Map
North Vietnam
South Vietnam
17th Parallel - DMZ
Siagon
Hanoi
Gulf of Tonkin
China
Cambodia
Laos
Thailand
3. Tet Offensive
Military Viewpoint
News Viewpoint
"We won the offensive. We decimated the Viet Cong. And our wonderful press made us losers. It was right at that point in time, I think, that the press fully turned on the war in Vietnam and started not necessarily generating news but generating opinions. Because we decimated the Viet Cong during Tet. We decimated the North Vietnamese Army during Tet. Had we pressed the advantage the turnout would have been different. But when you are fighting a war based on politics, stuff happens." - Allen Lynch, Sergeant 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, Vietnam 1967-1968
Who won and who lost in the great Tet Offensive against the cities? I'm not sure... The Viet Cong did not win by a knockout, but neither did we. The referees of history may make it a draw.... "It seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate...It is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out then will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy, and did the best we could. - Walter Cronkite, CBS News February 27, 1968
Gulf of Tonkin VS. War Powers
4.
allowed President Johnson to escalate U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War
shared war powers to the legislative & executive branches
strengthened the principle of checks and balances by limited the President's power to conduct war.
decreased the power of the Executive branch
allowed President to go to war withoutCongressional approval
Required the President to gain Congressional approval within 90 days of sending troops into conflicts.
Involved the attack by North Vietnam on the USS Maddox
increased the power of the Executive branch
US Planes retaliate by attacking coastal cities in North Vietnam
5. Effects of the war
Kent State
Media broadcasting the war - increased credibility gap.
26th Amendment
New York Times reported the real reason we were in vietnam - to avoid a defeat
Presented by Pres Reagan in 1981
Tinker vs. Des Moines
Antiwar Protest - disregard for veterans & increased credibility gap
Freedom of the Press
weakend public support for war
Pentagon Papers
Students wearing armbands to school to protest war
allowed young people to vote since they could be drafted at 18.
Happened because Nixon bombed Cambodia & Laos
Living Room War
Roy Benavidez - Medal of Honor
Freedom of Expression
6. Why are we in Vietnam & How did it end?
Prevent Communism!
“The nations of Asia can and must increasingly shoulder the responsibility for achieving peace and progress in the area with whatever cooperation we can provide. Asian countries must seek their own destiny, for if domination by the aggressor can destroy the freedom of a nation, too much dependence on a protector can eventually erode its dignity. But it is not just a matter of dignity, for dependence on foreign aid destroys the incentive to mobilize domestic resources – human, financial, material. In the absence of this, no government is capable of dealing effectively with its problems and adversaries.” - President Richard Nixon, July 1969
... you have the possibility that many human beings pass under a dictatorship that is inimical to the free world. Finally, you have broader considerations that might follow what you would call the ‘falling domino’ principle. You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly. ...Then with respect to more people passing under this domination, Asia, after all, has already lost some 450 million of its peoples to the Communist dictatorship, and we simply can’t afford greater losses…. President Eisenhower, news conference, April 7, 1954.
7. Review Eras
Unalienable Rights - can't be taken away without due process
Assilimation - Kill the Indian, Save the Man
Life Liberty Pursuit of Happiness
American Foundations
Out of Many, one
Many different people, one nation
Homestead Act - 160 acres of FREE land - live on it 5 years = yours free and clear!
E Pluribus Unun
Westward Expansion
Vietnam War Test Review
Angela M. Brenner
Created on February 24, 2026
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Transcript
1.
What effect did the geography of Vietnam have on the war?
Viet Cong forces preferred to limit most fighting to cities where they fought most effectively.
Document 3: The Viet Cong could almost never match American firepower, so they relied on a combination of stealth and surprise, as well as their knowledge of the countryside. The Viet Cong dug elaborate tunnel complexes to use as safe bases, conducted hit-and-run attacks on Americans, and tried to avoid large-scale battles. The GIs usually moved slowly, calling in preliminary strikes before committing any troops, and so the Viet Cong often knew when they were coming. To negate the advantage of U.S. air and artillery power, the Viet Cong were advised to "grab the enemy by the belt and hang on" -- in other words, engage the Americans at such close quarters that the GIs could not call in fire support. But the Viet Cong suffered their own hardships -- from 1961 through 1975, they never slept in a bed once, and the men often went days without food.
Document 3: The Viet Cong could almost never match American firepower, so they relied on a combination of stealth and surprise, as well as their knowledge of the countryside. The Viet Cong dug elaborate tunnel complexes to use as safe bases, conducted hit-and-run attacks on Americans, and tried to avoid large-scale battles. The GIs usually moved slowly, calling in preliminary strikes before committing any troops, and so the Viet Cong often knew when they were coming. To negate the advantage of U.S. air and artillery power, the Viet Cong were advised to "grab the enemy by the belt and hang on" -- in other words, engage the Americans at such close quarters that the GIs could not call in fire support. But the Viet Cong suffered their own hardships -- from 1961 through 1975, they never slept in a bed once, and the men often went days without food.
The Viet Cong could almost never match American firepower, so they relied on a combination of stealth and surprise, as well as their knowledge of the countryside. The Viet Cong dug elaborate tunnel complexes to use as safe bases, conducted hit-and-run attacks on Americans, and tried to avoid large-scale battles. The GIs usually moved slowly, calling in preliminary strikes before committing any troops, and so the Viet Cong often knew when they were coming. To negate the advantage of U.S. air and artillery power, the Viet Cong were advised to "grab the enemy by the belt and hang on" -- in other words, engage the Americans at such close quarters that the GIs could not call in fire support. But the Viet Cong suffered their own hardships -- from 1961 through 1975, they never slept in a bed once, and the men often went days without food.
VC took the fight to the jungles since they knew the terrain better.
American forces learned to keep the fighting away from the jungles.
Dug tunnels to confuse the Americans and hide themselves better.
Guerlla Warfare
American forces committed to fighting the war only from the air.
2. Label the Map
North Vietnam
South Vietnam
17th Parallel - DMZ
Siagon
Hanoi
Gulf of Tonkin
China
Cambodia
Laos
Thailand
3. Tet Offensive
Military Viewpoint
News Viewpoint
"We won the offensive. We decimated the Viet Cong. And our wonderful press made us losers. It was right at that point in time, I think, that the press fully turned on the war in Vietnam and started not necessarily generating news but generating opinions. Because we decimated the Viet Cong during Tet. We decimated the North Vietnamese Army during Tet. Had we pressed the advantage the turnout would have been different. But when you are fighting a war based on politics, stuff happens." - Allen Lynch, Sergeant 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, Vietnam 1967-1968
Who won and who lost in the great Tet Offensive against the cities? I'm not sure... The Viet Cong did not win by a knockout, but neither did we. The referees of history may make it a draw.... "It seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate...It is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out then will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy, and did the best we could. - Walter Cronkite, CBS News February 27, 1968
Gulf of Tonkin VS. War Powers
4.
allowed President Johnson to escalate U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War
shared war powers to the legislative & executive branches
strengthened the principle of checks and balances by limited the President's power to conduct war.
decreased the power of the Executive branch
allowed President to go to war withoutCongressional approval
Required the President to gain Congressional approval within 90 days of sending troops into conflicts.
Involved the attack by North Vietnam on the USS Maddox
increased the power of the Executive branch
US Planes retaliate by attacking coastal cities in North Vietnam
5. Effects of the war
Kent State
Media broadcasting the war - increased credibility gap.
26th Amendment
New York Times reported the real reason we were in vietnam - to avoid a defeat
Presented by Pres Reagan in 1981
Tinker vs. Des Moines
Antiwar Protest - disregard for veterans & increased credibility gap
Freedom of the Press
weakend public support for war
Pentagon Papers
Students wearing armbands to school to protest war
allowed young people to vote since they could be drafted at 18.
Happened because Nixon bombed Cambodia & Laos
Living Room War
Roy Benavidez - Medal of Honor
Freedom of Expression
6. Why are we in Vietnam & How did it end?
Prevent Communism!
“The nations of Asia can and must increasingly shoulder the responsibility for achieving peace and progress in the area with whatever cooperation we can provide. Asian countries must seek their own destiny, for if domination by the aggressor can destroy the freedom of a nation, too much dependence on a protector can eventually erode its dignity. But it is not just a matter of dignity, for dependence on foreign aid destroys the incentive to mobilize domestic resources – human, financial, material. In the absence of this, no government is capable of dealing effectively with its problems and adversaries.” - President Richard Nixon, July 1969
... you have the possibility that many human beings pass under a dictatorship that is inimical to the free world. Finally, you have broader considerations that might follow what you would call the ‘falling domino’ principle. You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly. ...Then with respect to more people passing under this domination, Asia, after all, has already lost some 450 million of its peoples to the Communist dictatorship, and we simply can’t afford greater losses…. President Eisenhower, news conference, April 7, 1954.
7. Review Eras
Unalienable Rights - can't be taken away without due process
Assilimation - Kill the Indian, Save the Man
Life Liberty Pursuit of Happiness
American Foundations
Out of Many, one
Many different people, one nation
Homestead Act - 160 acres of FREE land - live on it 5 years = yours free and clear!
E Pluribus Unun
Westward Expansion