| A | B |
| Geneva Accords | agreements regarding Vietnam's future |
| domino theory | the spread of communism |
| Vietminh | a communist group under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh |
| Vietcong | a communist group under the leadership of Ngo Dinh Diem |
| escalation | rapid increase |
| war of attrition | each side tries to wear down the other |
| hawks | supporters of the war |
| doves | Americans who opposed the war |
| hippies | young people who rejected the usual social customs and living styles |
| counterculture | a way of life different from the generally accepted culture |