Vietnam War

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/vietnam-war

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What started the Vietnam War?After Vietnam became independent in 1945, France fought the Viet Minh. In 1954 the Geneva Accords split Vietnam into a communist North and a non‑communist South, and the U.S. helped the South keep the split.
2. Why did the United States get involved in Vietnam?The U.S. feared that communism would spread to other countries (the domino theory). It supported South Vietnam and sent more soldiers after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident.

Geneva Accords (1954): An agreement that temporarily divided Vietnam and outlined plans for future elections.
Tet Offensive: A major surprise attack by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces in 1968 that shifted public opinion.
Vietnamization: A U.S. policy to gradually withdraw American troops while strengthening South Vietnamese forces.
Agent Orange: A powerful herbicide used by the U.S. military that caused severe health problems and environmental damage.