DSST History of the Vietnam War Exam Practice Test 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What key event marks the end of the Vietnam War?
- Ho Chi Minh campaign
- Vietnamization of War
- Signing of Paris Peace Agreement
- Fall of Saigon (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Fall of Saigon
Explanation: <br> The collapse of South Vietnamese prompted Communist to launch final offense to called “Ho Chi Minh campaign” to conquer the country. This puts an end to Vietnam war following the Fall of Saigon.
Question 2: Originally, the Vietnamese "general" who became known as Ho Chi Minh was motivated by:
- a desire for independence for Vietnam (Correct answer)
- a desire to build a communist confederation with neighbouring Cambodia and Laos
- the desire to expand the cultural and economic influence of Vietnam
- hatred for Western civilization
Correct answer: a desire for independence for Vietnam
Explanation: <br> The Vietnamese leader was driven by nationalistic concerns and wanted his country to be free of domination from foreign governance. Ho Chi Minh had no “hatred for Western civilization.” In fact, he saw himself as emulating George Washington. Any notions of expanding “cultural and economic influence” would have been absurd, given that his country had been dominated by the French colonialists and Japanese imperialists.
Question 3: According to sources, Vietnam's first civilization began in the 3rd century BC in the Red Valley. However, folklore claims that the nation was formed in 2879 B.C. Who is the first President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, if the myth refers to Hung Vhoung as the first ruler of Vietnam?
- Nguyen Sinh Cung (Correct answer)
- Ton Duc Thang
- Ngo Dinh Diem
- Bao Dai
Correct answer: Nguyen Sinh Cung
Explanation: <br> Nguyen Sinh Cung is the original name of Ho Chi Minh. Yes, I knew you are familiar that Ho Chi Minh is the DRV's first President, but do you know his original name? Now you do. Most of the time, the choices will confuse you so know the process of elimination.Assuming you know Bao Dai was an emperor, Ngo Dinh Diem was Prime Minister of South Vietnam and Ton Duc Thang was the successor of Ho Cho Minh, it leaves you with Nguyen Sinh Cung.
Question 4: Ho Chi Minh: When World War II arrived in what was then known as Indochina,
- requested a meeting with the Americans to get support for his cause.
- saw an opportunity to enlist the Japanese in repelling French colonial powers
- traveled to Britain on a French merchant ship to establish a headquarters for his Vietnamese Nationalist Movement. (Correct answer)
- exhorted his growing guerrilla army to follow him to China to fight the Japanese.
Correct answer: traveled to Britain on a French merchant ship to establish a headquarters for his Vietnamese Nationalist Movement.
Explanation: <br> Ho Chi Minh began his leadership of the country as a nationalist with socialist leanings who wanted an independent Vietnam. He wanted to rid the country of its powerful foreign colonialist and/or imperialist governors.
Question 5: Which statement best defines General Westmoreland's attrition policy? <br> I. They aim to kill as many enemy troops as possible <br> II. They try to secure many territories <br> III. The policy involves a search and destroy operations of enemy units <br> IV. The policy involves a quest for resources to maintain forces
- I and III (Correct answer)
- II and IV
- None of the above
- All of the above
Correct answer: I and III
Explanation: <br> The policy of Attrition was a military strategy aimed at killing and destroying as many enemy troops as possible. The side with more remaining military and equipment win. It is opposed to other war strategies which goal is to conquest for resources and territories.
Question 6: The country now known as Vietnam was originally known as "French Indochina" because of the following reasons:
- Ho Chi Minh felt that the term best described the country’s diverse mix of people
- the French had legitimate historical claims on the region and were assisted by the Chinese in governing it
- Prior to the time that Ho Chi Minh assumed power, the country had been colonized by the French for one hundred years and by the Chinese before that (Correct answer)
- one of the provisions of the Paris Peace Accords held that the French and the Chinese were the dominant colonial powers
Correct answer: Prior to the time that Ho Chi Minh assumed power, the country had been colonized by the French for one hundred years and by the Chinese before that
Explanation: <br> Ho Chi Minh began his leadership of the country as a nationalist with socialist leanings who wanted an independent Vietnam. He wanted to rid the country of its powerful foreign colonialist and/or imperialist governors.
Question 7: Which of the following is not included in the Paris Peace Accords' provisions?
- Reunification of North and South Vietnam
- South Vietnam government was to remain in place until next elections
- North Vietnam forces to advance further and be reinforce (Correct answer)
- Withdrawal of U.S. troops
Correct answer: North Vietnam forces to advance further and be reinforce
Explanation: <br> From the name, Paris Peace Accords you can derive that the agreement aims to put an end to Vietnam war. Hence, to advance further forces and to be reinforced will never be a provision under the Peace treaty.
Question 8: The Vietnamese declaration of independence, which was made public on September 2, 1945, was inspired by:
- the Magna Carta
- the law, truth, teaching, and doctrine of the Buddhist religion known as “Dharma”
- revised form of the French Constitution
- the U.S. Declaration of Independence (Correct answer)
Correct answer: the U.S. Declaration of Independence
Explanation: <br> Because most such declarations share values with other international documents of social, political, and religious writings, it's possible that the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence contains aspects from all of the answer options. The Vietnamese statement, on the other hand, opens with certain clear words that establish its lineage with the US Declaration. “All men are created equal,” it begins. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are among the fundamental rights bestowed to them by their Creator.”
Question 9: After the Viet Minh attacked Lai Chu, French Indochina launched ___________ on the large valley of Dien Bien Phu to defend its allies and maintain its forces.
- Cold War
- Operation Castor (Correct answer)
- T'ai Maquis Defense
- World War II
Correct answer: Operation Castor
Explanation: <br> In 1953, Viet Minh forces attacked Lai Chu, capital of T'ai Federation which deliver opium to French. Seeing that its forces are weakening to defend Lai Chu, French Commander General Navarre launched Operation Castor on the broad valley of Dien Bien Phu. This battle in Dien Bien Phu settled the fate of French Indochina as its forces were mauled by Viet Minh.
DSST History of the Vietnam War Exam Practice Test 1
What key event marks the end of the Vietnam War?