Support for the war Flashcards

All 7 cards in this deck

Give one reason some Americans supported the war in Vietnam.

Fear of communism – they believed communism had to be stopped from spreading.

How did Vietcong atrocities, such as at Hue, affect support for the war?

They convinced some people in South Vietnam and America that it was important for US forces to win the war.

Who were the 'hard hats'?

Construction workers who staged pro-war demonstrations, attacking anti-war protesters in New York in 1970.

What did Nixon mean by the 'silent majority'?

The ordinary Americans he claimed supported the war and his policies but did not protest or appear in the media.

True or false? Opposition to the Vietnam War meant almost all Americans wanted an immediate withdrawal.

False. Many Americans – Nixon's 'silent majority' and the 'hard hats' – continued to support the war.

What share of Americans supported the government's policy in Vietnam in 1964?

About 85%.

Which post-1945 events made many Americans fear communism and so back the Vietnam War?

Communist victories such as Mao's in China (1949), the Korean War (1950–53), and the Red Scare stirred up by Senator Joseph McCarthy.