Vietnam War & New World Order 1968-2000 — Practice Quiz
A US History cheat sheet for Vietnam War & New World Order 1968-2000 — every key formula with its symbols defined — plus a medium-level practice quiz to test recall.
Formulas & key concepts
Congressional resolution that authorized President Johnson to take all necessary measures to repel armed attack in Vietnam
Where: Escalated US involvement in the Vietnam War
Massive surprise attack by the Vietcong on South Vietnamese towns and cities
Where: Turning point in public opinion against the war
Mass killing of unarmed Vietnamese civilians by US troops
Where: Increased anti-war sentiment in the US
President Nixon's strategy for ending US involvement in the Vietnam War
Where: Gradual withdrawal of US troops and replacement with South Vietnamese forces
Killing of four student protesters by the Ohio National Guard
Where: Sparked by the invasion of Cambodia
Secret government documents revealed that the government had misled Americans about the Vietnam War
Where: Leaked by Daniel Ellsberg; upheld by NY Times v. US
Law intended to check the president's power to commit the US to an armed conflict without the consent of Congress
Where: Reaction to the Vietnam War
Capture of the South Vietnamese capital by the North Vietnamese Army
Where: Marked the end of the Vietnam War and the reunification of Vietnam under communism
Political convention in Chicago marred by violent anti-war protests and police riots
Where: Highlighted the deep divisions in the Democratic Party and the nation
Relaxation of tensions between the US and its two major Communist rivals, the Soviet Union and China
Where: Policy pursued by Nixon and Kissinger
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks; treaty between the US and USSR to limit nuclear weapons
Where: Example of détente
Political scandal involving a break-in at the DNC headquarters and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up
Where: Led to Nixon's resignation; eroded public trust in government
Federal agency established in 1970 to protect human health and the environment
Where: Created under Nixon; enforces Clean Air and Water Acts
Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide
Where: Based on the right to privacy
Economic condition characterized by high inflation and high unemployment
Where: Plagued the US economy in the 1970s
Peace treaty between Israel and Egypt brokered by President Carter
Where: First signed peace agreement between Israel and an Arab country
52 American diplomats were held hostage for 444 days in Iran
Where: Damaged Carter's presidency; ended minutes after Reagan was sworn in
Economic policies of President Reagan, associated with supply-side economics (trickle-down theory)
Where: Tax cuts, deregulation, and reduced government spending
Political scandal in which the Reagan administration secretly sold arms to Iran and used the profits to fund Contras in Nicaragua
Where: Violated the Boland Amendment
Symbolic end of the Cold War
Where: Followed by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991
Conflict triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait
Where: Operation Desert Storm; US-led coalition victory
Trade agreement between the US, Canada, and Mexico
Where: Eliminated tariffs and trade barriers; signed by Clinton
Republican legislative agenda led by Newt Gingrich
Where: Led to Republican control of Congress
President Clinton was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice
Where: Acquitted by the Senate; related to Monica Lewinsky scandal
Controversial presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore
Where: Decided by Supreme Court case Bush v. Gore
Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon by Al-Qaeda
Where: Led to the War on Terror and the Patriot Act
Set of domestic programs launched by LBJ to eliminate poverty and racial injustice
Where: Medicare, Medicaid, Head Start
Term used by Nixon to refer to conservative Americans who supported his policies
Where: Opposed the counterculture and anti-war protests
Region of the US (South and Southwest) that saw population growth and economic rise
Where: Shifted political power to the South
Region of the US (Midwest and Northeast) characterized by declining industry and population
Where: Result of deindustrialization
Practice quiz
What was the primary effect of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, passed in 1964?
- It authorized President Johnson to escalate US military involvement in Vietnam.
- It formally declared war on North Vietnam.
- It led to the immediate withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam.
- It established a peace treaty between the US and North Vietnam.
Answer: It authorized President Johnson to escalate US military involvement in Vietnam.
The Tet Offensive in 1968 was a significant turning point in the Vietnam War primarily because it:
- Convinced the American public that victory was not easily achievable, turning public opinion against the war.
- Led to a decisive military victory for the United States and South Vietnam.
- Resulted in the immediate signing of a peace agreement.
- Forced President Johnson to send more ground troops to Vietnam.
Answer: Convinced the American public that victory was not easily achievable, turning public opinion against the war.
President Nixon's policy of "Vietnamization" aimed to:
- Increase the number of US troops in Vietnam to achieve a swift victory.
- Gradually withdraw US troops and transfer responsibility for fighting to South Vietnamese forces.
- Negotiate a direct ceasefire with North Vietnam without involving South Vietnam.
- Expand the war into neighboring countries to cut off supply lines.
Answer: Gradually withdraw US troops and transfer responsibility for fighting to South Vietnamese forces.
The War Powers Act of 1973 was passed as a direct response to which historical event?
- The Korean War
- The Vietnam War
- World War II
- The Persian Gulf War
Answer: The Vietnam War
What was the ultimate consequence of the Watergate Scandal (1972-1974)?
- President Nixon was impeached and removed from office by Congress.
- President Nixon resigned from office.
- The Supreme Court ruled that the break-in was legal.
- It led to a significant increase in public trust in government.
Answer: President Nixon resigned from office.
The landmark Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade (1973) established which of the following?
- The right to free speech in public schools.
- The legality of abortion nationwide based on the right to privacy.
- The principle of "separate but equal" in public facilities.
- The right to bear arms for self-defense.
Answer: The legality of abortion nationwide based on the right to privacy.
The economic condition known as "stagflation," which plagued the US in the 1970s, is characterized by:
- Low inflation and low unemployment.
- High inflation and high unemployment.
- High economic growth and low interest rates.
- Rapid deflation and increased consumer spending.
Answer: High inflation and high unemployment.
The Iran-Contra Affair involved the Reagan administration secretly selling arms to Iran in exchange for what, and using the profits to fund which group?
- Oil; Soviet-backed rebels in Afghanistan.
- Hostage release; Contras in Nicaragua.
- Nuclear technology; Sandinistas in Nicaragua.
- Economic aid; anti-communist forces in El Salvador.
Answer: Hostage release; Contras in Nicaragua.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 is widely considered a symbolic event marking the:
- Beginning of the Vietnam War.
- End of the Cold War.
- Start of the Persian Gulf War.
- Formation of the European Union.
Answer: End of the Cold War.
The 9/11 Attacks in 2001, carried out by Al-Qaeda, directly led to which significant US policy response?
- The signing of NAFTA.
- The end of the Cold War.
- The launch of the War on Terror and the Patriot Act.
- The establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Answer: The launch of the War on Terror and the Patriot Act.
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