HIS 219: The Vietnam War

The Army of the Republic of Vietnam.

The pivotal battle between French colonial forces and the Viet Minh.

"The term “body count” refers to the calculation of the number of enemy troops killed in battle."

The formal policy detailing United States initiatives in containing the spread of communism.

"An insurgency is defined as an armed or unarmed rebellion against an established authority with the ultimate goal of undermining and/or overthrowing the ruling party or government."

"In Vietnam defoliation became a recognized tactic with two primary objectives: to reduce the dense jungle foliage so that Communist forces might not use it for cover and to deny them use of crops needed for subsistence."

A 'temporary" division of Vietnam along the 17th parallel intended to separate French colonial forces from the Viet Minh, at least until 1956.

The leading reason behind U.S. entry into Vietnam.

"Organization formed to channel U.S. military assistance against Communist forces in Indochina."

"U.S. joint service headquarters that coordinated all American military activities in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, South Vietnam)."

The most notorious atrocity committed by U.S. forces in the war.

"The establishment of the NLF was a standard Communist tactic designed to broaden the base of the revolutionary struggle by providing a vehicle that could attract non-Communist elements opposed to the pro-American Republic of Vietnam (RVN, South Vietnam)."

"officially Viet Nam Cong San [Vietnamese Communists], People's Liberation Armed Forces in South Vietnam."

"Communist front organization created to help the Indochinese Communist Party (ICP) achieve its overall objectives."

"U.S. process of selecting men for service in the armed forces, also known as conscription and most popularly known as the draft. "

"The term “fragging” is the euphemism introduced during the Vietnam War to describe the intentional causing of friendly casualties from weapons in American hands."