Starter quiz
- Why did Ngo Dinh Diem refuse to allow elections in 1956 that would have unified the country?
- he didn't have enough time to organise the election process
- he suspected the North of cheating
- the North and South could not agree on how to organise the elections
- he feared he would lose ✓
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- How did the Buddhist monk, Thich Quang Duc, protest against Diem's regime on 11th June 1963?
- he led an angry mob to the Presidential Palace
- he led an armed rebellion against the South Vietnamese Army
- he went on hunger strike
- he set himself on fire ✓
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- Which neighbouring countries to Vietnam did the Ho Chi Minh Trail pass through? Choose two options.
- Cambodia ✓
- China
- Laos ✓
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Thailand
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- Complete the following sentence: John F. ______ became president of the United States in 1961.
- 'Kennedy' ✓
- Match the keywords to their correct definition.
- napalm⇔fire bombs ✓
- Agent Orange⇔defoliant used to destroy the jungle canopy ✓
- Vietcong⇔communist guerrilla force ✓
- Sort the following events into the order in which they occurred.
- 1⇔formation of the Vietcong
- 2⇔self-immolation of Thich Quang Duc
- 3⇔assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem
- 4⇔assassination of President Kennedy
Exit quiz
- What happened in South Vietnam after the assassination of Diem?
- an increase in anti-government protests
- a period of stability in government
- a quick succession of different governments, creating instability ✓
- a decrease in Vietcong and North Vietnamese activity
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- What was the purpose of the OPLAN 34A missions conducted by the US Navy?
- to create accurate maps of the coastline of Vietnam
- to provide information to assist South Vietnamese surprise raids ✓
- to find out North Vietnamese demands for a peace treaty
- to test out new technology and weaponry
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- How many North Vietnamese patrol torpedo boats chased down and fired upon the USS Maddox on 2nd August 1964?
- 'Three' ✓
- Match the vessel to the damage it received on 2nd August 1964.
- USS Maddox⇔a single bullet hole ✓
- North Vietnamese patrol boats⇔four sailors dead, six injured ✓
- How many North Vietnamese patrol torpedo boats attacked the USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy on the night of 4th August 1964?
- 'Zero' ✓
- How did Johnson respond to the report of an attack on the USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy?
- he launched a bombing raid on North Vietnam ✓
- he called Ho Chi Minh directly to discuss the matter with him
- he launched an enquiry to find out exactly what had happened
- he called the South Vietnamese government for advice on what to do next
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- US President Lyndon B. Johnson continued US involvement in Vietnam.
- An American ship was attacked by North Vietnamese patrol boats in the Gulf of Tonkin.
- American ships thought they were attacked a second time, but they were mistaken.
- America launched air strikes on North Vietnam in response.
- America did not officially declare war on North Vietnam, but Congress authorised aggressive action to be taken.
Common misconception
Highly-trained members of the military and government tend not to make mistakes.
Everyone is capable of making errors, sometimes big and far-reaching ones, especially if they are under a great deal of stress.
Keywords
Gulf - a gulf is a deep inlet of a sea almost surrounded by land, with a narrow mouth
Patrol - a patrol is a repetitive journey aimed at keeping watch over a particular area
Congress - Congress is the group of elected representatives that decide laws in the United States, made up of the Senate and House of Representatives
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