The Vietnam War
Educational Articles© by William M Wright BBA, MBA
The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, the Vietnam Conflict, ( like Iraq war was never official declaired ) and, in Vietnam, the American War, occurred from 1959 to April 30, 1975 in Vietnam, Loas and Cambodia.
The Vietnam war was fought between the communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and its communist allies and the US-supported Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). It concluded with the defeat and dissolution of South Vietnam after North Vietnam violated the 1973 cease-fire agreement and invaded the South in 1975 after US forces had largely withdrawn. For the United States, the war effectively ended in the withdrawal of American troops. On April 30, 1975, the capital of South Vietnam, Saigon, fell to the communist forces of North Vietnam, effectively ending the Vietnam War
Few people can recall the complexities of the Vietnam war
The Vietcong, the lightly armed South Vietnamese communist insurgency, largely fought a guerrilla war against anti-communist forces in the region. The North Vietnamese Army engaged in a more conventional war, at times committing large-sized units into battle. U.S. and South Vietnamese forces relied on air superiority and overwhelming firepower to conduct search-and-destroy operations, involving ground forces, artillery and air strikes.
The United States entered the war to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam as part of their wider strategy of containment. Military advisors arrived beginning in 1950. U.S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s and combat units were deployed beginning in 1965. Involvement peaked in 1968 at the time of the Tet Offensive.
Under a policy called Vietnamization, U.S. forces withdrew as South Vietnamese troops were trained and armed. Despite a peace treaty signed by all parties in January 1973, fighting continued. In response to the anti-war movement, the U.S. Congress passed the Case-Church Amendment in June 1973 prohibiting further U.S. military intervention. In April 1975, North Vietnam In April 1975, North Vietnam captured Saigon. North and South Vietnam were reunified the following year.
The war had a major impact on U.S. politics, culture and foreign relations. Americans were deeply divided over the U.S. government’s justification for, and means of fighting, the war. Opposition to the war contributed to the counterculture youth movement of the 1960s and the war contributed towards youth cynicism towards actions of the government.
The war exacted a huge human cost in terms of fatalities, including 3 to 4 million Vietnamese from both sides, 1.5 to 2 million Laotians and Cambodians, and 58,159 U.S. soldiers.
Vietnam was about stopping the spread of communism
By the early 1970's many American's were questioning the wisdom of our envolvement into Vietnam. But in the begining (early 60's) their was a clear and present danger to America and the world ( Communism ) which motivated American's of both political parties to want envolvement in Vietnam.
By the 50's the spread of communisum had taken control in China, Cuba, Eastern Europe, N.Korea, and N. Vietnam. The communist treat to capitalist was real and growing rapidly.
In January 1950, the communist nations, led by the People's Republic of China, recognized the Vietminh's Democratic Republic of Vietnam as the government of Vietnam. Non-Communist nations recognized the French-backed State of Vietnam in Saigon led by former Emperor Bao Dai the following month.[15] The outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950 convinced many Washington policymakers that the war in Indochina was an example of communist expansionism directed by the Kremlin.[16]
The communist takeover of China in 1949 revived the fortunes of the Vietminh. P. R. Chinese military advisors began assisting the Vietminh in July 1950.[18] P. R. Chinese weapons, expertise, and laborers transformed the Vietminh from a guerrilla force into a regular army.[17] In September, the U.S. created a Military Assistance and Advisory Group (MAAG) to screen French requests for aid, advise on strategy, and train Vietnamese soldiers.[19] By 1954, the U.S. had supplied 300,000 small arms and spent US$1 billion in support of the French military effort and was shouldering 80 percent of the cost of the war. The Vietminh received crucial support from the Soviet Union and P. R. China. P. R. Chinese support in the Border Campaign of 1950 allowed supplies to come from P. R. China into Vietnam. Throughout the conflict, U.S. intelligence estimates remained skeptical of French chances of success.[21]
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu marked the end of French involvement in Indochina. The Viet Minh and their mercurial commander Vo Nguyen Giap handed the French a stunning military defeat. France had earlier declined the American offer of nuclear weapons to break the Vietnamese siege[22] and on May 7, 1954, the French Union garrison surrendered. At the Geneva Conference the French negotiated a ceasefire agreement with the Viet Minh. Independence was granted to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
Learn more about Vietnam at www.vietnamwar.com and Wickipedia
You can download the full one hour version here
The Tet Offensive -Enemy advances on multipy fronts
Rolling Thunder Offensive -stopping the supply line
Vietnam Air War