Important People in the War
Ho Chi Minh- led Vietnamese Communist part in struggle for liberation from French and U.S. dominance and to unify north and south Vietnam.
Ngo Dinh Diem- Leader of South Vietnam, 1954-1963; supported by United States, but not by Vietnamese Buddhist majority; assassinated in 1963.
Lyndon Johnson- He became president after Kennedy’s assassination. He was a major leader of the Democratic Party and as president was responsible for designing the Great Society, comprising liver legislation including civil rights laws, Medicare, Medicaid, aid to education and a “War on Poverty.”
Robert Macnamara- The US Secretary of Defense during the battles in Vietnam. He was the architect for the Vietnam war and promptly resigned after the US lost badly.
John F. Kennedy- president during part of the cold war and especially during the superpower rivalry and the Cuban missile crisis. He went on TV and told the public about the crisis and allowed the leader of the soviet union to withdraw their missiles.
Ngo Dinh Diem- Leader of South Vietnam, 1954-1963; supported by United States, but not by Vietnamese Buddhist majority; assassinated in 1963.
Lyndon Johnson- He became president after Kennedy’s assassination. He was a major leader of the Democratic Party and as president was responsible for designing the Great Society, comprising liver legislation including civil rights laws, Medicare, Medicaid, aid to education and a “War on Poverty.”
Robert Macnamara- The US Secretary of Defense during the battles in Vietnam. He was the architect for the Vietnam war and promptly resigned after the US lost badly.
John F. Kennedy- president during part of the cold war and especially during the superpower rivalry and the Cuban missile crisis. He went on TV and told the public about the crisis and allowed the leader of the soviet union to withdraw their missiles.
Continued...
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon- First president to resign, invented ‘Vietnamization’; ended the war in Vietnam.
Henry Kissinger- The main negotiator of the peace treaty with the North Vietnamese; secretary of state during Nixon’s presidency.
William Calley- a lieutenant who’s unit began shooting and killing unarmed civilians at My Lai. He later maintained that he was following orders, but many of the soldiers present did not participate in the massacre.
General Westmoreland- general based in Vietnam that helped cause credibility gab by telling the American people the war was almost over when thousands of Americans were being killed.
Viet Cong- a communist-led army and guerrilla force in South Vietnam that fought its government and was supported by North Vietnam.
Clark Gifford- Secretary of Defense after the firing of Macnamara- shared the same views as Macnamara but was careful to hide these views, as he wanted to keep his job. He served under Johnson.
Henry Kissinger- The main negotiator of the peace treaty with the North Vietnamese; secretary of state during Nixon’s presidency.
William Calley- a lieutenant who’s unit began shooting and killing unarmed civilians at My Lai. He later maintained that he was following orders, but many of the soldiers present did not participate in the massacre.
General Westmoreland- general based in Vietnam that helped cause credibility gab by telling the American people the war was almost over when thousands of Americans were being killed.
Viet Cong- a communist-led army and guerrilla force in South Vietnam that fought its government and was supported by North Vietnam.
Clark Gifford- Secretary of Defense after the firing of Macnamara- shared the same views as Macnamara but was careful to hide these views, as he wanted to keep his job. He served under Johnson.
By: Hannah S.