Vietnam and Korean Wars — Flashcards
Grade 10 · Social Studies · Flashcards
Key terms, people, and events from the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Flashcards
- Korean War (1950–1953)
- War fought between communist North Korea (backed by USSR and China) and South Korea (backed by UN/US); ended with armistice, no peace treaty.
- Vietnam War (1955–1975)
- Cold War conflict pitting communist North Vietnam against U.S.-backed South Vietnam; ended with communist reunification.
- 38th Parallel
- The line of latitude dividing North and South Korea; serves as the border today.
- 17th Parallel
- The line dividing North and South Vietnam under the 1954 Geneva Accords.
- Domino Theory
- Cold War belief that if one nation fell to communism, neighboring nations would follow like dominoes.
- Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964)
- Congressional authorization giving the president power to escalate military action in Vietnam without a formal war declaration.
- Armistice
- A ceasefire agreement to stop fighting; the Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.
- DMZ
- Demilitarized Zone — buffer zone between North and South Korea created by the 1953 armistice.
- Viet Cong
- Communist guerrilla fighters in South Vietnam who fought against U.S. and South Vietnamese forces.
- My Lai Massacre (1968)
- Killing of hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers; major turning point in domestic opposition to the war.
- Paris Peace Accords (1973)
- Agreement ending direct U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, signed by U.S., North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and Viet Cong.
- General Douglas MacArthur
- U.S. commander in the Korean War who advocated attacking China; fired by President Truman for insubordination.
- Ho Chi Minh
- Communist leader of North Vietnam who led the fight for Vietnamese reunification and independence.
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