SPECIFICATION INFORMATION:

•   AQA

  These webpages will address the second and third sections: 'Escalation of conflict in Vietnam' and 'Ending of conflict in Vietnam' of the Conflict and tension in Asia, 1950-1975 specification and the recommended Scheme of Work.

•   Pearson iGCSE

  These webpages will cover the content of the Historical Investigation A4: 'The Vietnam Conflict, 1945-75'.

•   Edexcel

  These webpages will cover the content of Key Topics 2 & 3 – 'US involvement in the Vietnam War, 1954-75' – of the Option 33: The USA, 1954-75: conflict at home and abroad specification.

  

Contents:

1.  The End of French Colonial Rule

2.  South Vietnam under Ngo Dinh Diem

3.  The U.S. Goes to War in Vietnam

4.  Life in North Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh

5.  The Resistance War against America

6.  The US response to Vietcong tactics

7.  Tet Offensive – Khe Sanh, Hue, My Lai

8.  Opposition and Support in America

9.  Nixon's War

10.  The End of the War

11.  Why the US lost / the NVA-VC won

11.  Historiography

13.  Vietnam Cascade

14.  Self-test

  

Click the yellow arrow for advice on:

• How to STUDY this topic:
  • 1.   Start by reading some easy sources – perhaps the Vietnam 1945-75 'starter' narrative in the ‘Going Deeper’ panel on this page.  Get a grasp of the basic story.

    Make a list of key dates – leave space to add other dates you may discover during your studies. 

    It might be an idea to do this before you study this unit in class.

  • 2.   Work through the study sections above.  You can do this over time as you study the topics in lessons.

    Take advantage of some of the links to explore, more deeply, aspects of the topics which attract your interest.  Try to become ‘an expert’ on some issues.

  • 3.   Study the historiography page to learn how historians have interpreted the War, and to consider what YOU think about the debates.
  • 4.   Plunder the Cascade webpage to help you write any essays you are given.

•  How to REVISE this topic:
  • 1.   Pre-revision:
    Skim-read the study pages in this unit to refresh your memory of what you have learned in the lessons.
  • 2.   Four weeks to go:
    Go through the topics on the Cascade webpage; for each, use the yellow arrows to think FIRST how you would answer, before checking against my suggestions.
  • 3.   Three weeks to go:
    Choose the revision factsheet which suits you best from the ‘Going Deeper’ panel, and learn it off by heart; get someone to test you on it. 

    Then, using the yellow arrows to check your answers, do and re-do the Self-test until you can get every question ‘right enough’. 

  • 4.   Two weeks to go:
    Invite a friend and revise together.  Share problems, test each other on content, and do the Revision Activies, using them as an opportunity to share all you know (and rehearse your 'explaining' skills).
  • 5.   Last week:
    Go through the blue Exam-style Questions for your specification to rehearse how you will tackle the kind of questions you will meet in the exam.  Spend the last evening re-revising your chosen revision aid.