A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase Vietnam syndrome—(U.S.) an attitude that diplomacy
may be more effective in solving political problems than the use
of military force (stemming from the American experience in Viet-
nam): Lee characterized the new war as an attempt to over-
come the Vietnam syndrome to prove we can fight and win.
Chinese restaurant syndrome —a group of symptoms varying
from sweating and dizziness to heart palpitation observed in
some people eating Chinese food (associated with the food ad-
ditive “monosodium glutamate” used in Chinese cooking ): Chi-
nese restaurant syndrome is best diagnosed by the symptoms
that a person describes.
Chinese auction • Dutch auction
Chinese auction —an auction, commonly in a charity type
setting, in which bidders buy tickets which are essentially their
chances to win items: We will have our usual Chinese auction,
which has been so popular in the past.
Dutch auction —an auction in which the auctioneer pro-
gressively lowers the price until a bidder agrees to buy: Sarah
de Clercq began her career as a picture specialist at a Dutch
auction house.
chocolate soldier • toy soldier
chocolate soldier —(derog.) 
1
. a soldier unwilling to fight:
They are chocolate soldiers who merely go to see battles and
coolly urge others to fight them. 2. a militiaman or conscripted
soldier: Conscripts, known as “chocos” (chocolate soldiers)
were not required to serve outside prescribed areas.
toy soldier —(also: tin soldier) 
1
. a miniature figure of a soldier
made of metal, etc.: There are thousands of different hobbies:
toy soldiers, model airplanes, cigarette cards. 2. (derog.) a sol-
dier in a peacetime army; a ceremonial soldier only: Poor
Hugo has gone clucking back for to be a toy soldier at Alder-
shot.