In the United States, the effects of the Vietnam War would linger long after the last troops returned home in 1973. © 2020 A&E Television Networks, LLC. By 1957, the Viet Cong and other opponents of Diem’s repressive regime began fighting back with attacks on government officials and other targets, and by 1959 they had begun engaging the South Vietnamese army in firefights. U.S. soldiers searching for the Viet Cong near Tuy Hoa, 2/27/1966. 8. “The Koreans sent more troops and much more aggressive troops [than other U.S. allies],” Moise says. Laos was originally neutral in the conflict, but the North Vietnamese moved troops through the country and supported a communist insurgency. At first, the United States largely operated behind the scenes. What effects did the Vietnam War have on American government and society between 1965 and 1975? “They were determined to go on holding it, both as a matter of national pride and because if they let one colony go loose, then the others might get ideas.”. South Vietnam was backed by anti-communist countries and members of the South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) which included the United States, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, New Zealand, Thailand, Khmer Republic (later overthrown by Khmer Rouge), Kingdom of Laos and Republic of China (Taiwan). All told, the Chinese claimed to have spent over $20 billion in support of North Vietnam and deployed 320,000 military personnel, more than 4,000 of whom died. So, too, did a legitimate fear of Communism, Moise says. Instead, a communist insurgency broke out, pitting the so-called Viet Cong, who were sponsored by North Vietnam, against Diem’s forces. How the Vietnam War Ratcheted Up Under 5 US Presidents. First of all, the United States could not expand the war. How eight countries got bogged down in the Vietnam War's Cold War proxy battle. After Ho’s communist forces took power in the north, armed conflict between northern and southern armies continued until a decisive the northern Viet Minh’s decisive victory in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in May 1954. All Rights Reserved. The Vietnam conflict is often referred to as the “first television war.” Film from Vietnam was flown to Tokyo for quick developing and editing and then flown on to the United States. All Rights Reserved. By June, 82,000 combat troops were stationed in Vietnam, and military leaders were calling for 175,000 more by the end of 1965 to shore up the struggling South Vietnamese army. These five presidents were Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. This blog will be looking at some of the Americans with the power to order one of the most devastating wars in recent history. The United States got involved in the Vietnam conflict to keep communism from spreading throughout Southeast Asia. South Korea  was the main U.S. and South Vietnamese partner, contributing more than 300,000 troops to the war. The Vietnam War (also known as Second Indochina War or American War in Vietnam) lasted from 1 November 1955–30 April 1975, (19 years, 5 months, 4 weeks and 1 day). Brutal tactics were the norm during the Vietnam War, and no one suffered more than the Vietnamese themselves, both in the North and the South. There is no question that few conflicts have been as violent, long lasting and complex as the Vietnam War. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Nonetheless, “if there had been no Chinese or Soviet support, the North Vietnamese could not have won,” he says, pointing out that the U.S. military budget was roughly 30 times greater than the entire gross national product of North Vietnam. In addition to this Vietnamization policy, Nixon continued public peace talks in Paris, adding higher-level secret talks conducted by Secretary of State Henry Kissinger beginning in the spring of 1968. While the U.S.S.R. supplied some troops, their biggest contribution was in weaponry. Not wanting to be seen as going it alone, the Johnson administration pressured other countries to join in the Vietnam War, much as George W. Bush would later form a “coalition of the willing” to fight in the Iraq War. The Vietnam War was described as a civil war within South Vietnam, although it became a proxy war between Cold War powers. READ MORE: Why Were Vietnam War Vets Treated Poorly When They Returned? The Vietnam War: Primary Sources and Activities Supported by the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program The Vietnam War was a conflict that spanned almost two decades, and was ultimately a failure for the United States. March 29, 2018 ; President Lyndon Johnson conferring with officials about the Vietnam War… The official position of the United States government on their involvement in the Vietnam War was that they were there at the request of South Vietnam to repel communist forces that were growing during the Cold War(Reaction to the War In the United States). With training and equipment from American military and the CIA, Diem’s security forces cracked down on Viet Minh sympathizers in the south, whom he derisively called Viet Cong (or Vietnamese Communist), arresting some 100,000 people, many of whom were brutally tortured and executed. In 1976, Vietnam was unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, though sporadic violence continued over the next 15 years, including conflicts with neighboring China and Cambodia. Beginning in September, the Khanh government was succeeded by a bewildering array of cliques and coalitions, some of which stayed in power less than a month. China and the Soviet Union didn’t have to do as much as the Americans, Moise explains, because they were buttressing the stronger side. Second-wave feminism. Heavy bombing by B-52 aircraft or shelling made these zones uninhabitable, as refugees poured into camps in designated safe areas near Saigon and other cities. Opposition to the war in the United States bitterly divided Americans, even after President Richard Nixon ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1973. With his approval ratings dropping in an election year, Johnson called a halt to bombing in much of North Vietnam (though bombings continued in the south) and promised to dedicate the rest of his term to seeking peace rather than reelection. Additionally, supported by aid from China and the Soviet Union, North Vietnam strengthened its air defenses. By the end of 1967, Hanoi’s communist leadership was growing impatient as well, and sought to strike a decisive blow aimed at forcing the better-supplied United States to give up hopes of success. At first the United States only aided France with military aid and advisors, but after the French suffered a major defeat at Dien Bien Phu in the north-western hills, the French pulled out and the United States took over the burden of the war. The main countries involved in the Vietnam War were North and South Vietnam. The South Korean government, under the administration of Park Chung-hee, took an active role in the Vietnam War.From September 1964 to March 1973, South Korea sent some 350,000 troops to South Vietnam.The South Korean Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force all participated as an ally of the United States. It began in 1954, after the country of Vietnam was split into two parts, North Vietnam and South Vietnam. As the original communist state, the Soviet Union aided North Vietnam, with increasing support in the late 1960s. The bombing campaign was meant to disrupt the flow of supplies across the Ho Chi Minh trail into Vietnam and to prevent the rise of the Pathet Lao, or Lao communist forces. Canadian corporations sold war material to the Americans. By TPT Originals July 30, 2019 Fearing the spread of communism deeper into Southeast Asia, the US Government held fast to the belief that, if Laos fell into the hands of the National Liberation Front (also known as the Viet Cong), then other nearby nations would also tumble like dominoes. New York: Free Press, 2002. The Vietnam War (also known as Second Indochina War or American War in Vietnam) lasted from 1 November 1955–30 April 1975, (19 years, 5 months, 4 weeks and 1 day). But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! According to a survey by the Veterans Administration, some 500,000 of the 3 million troops who served in Vietnam suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and rates of divorce, suicide, alcoholism and drug addiction were markedly higher among veterans. Opponents of the war argued that civilians, not enemy combatants, were the primary victims and that the United States was supporting a corrupt dictatorship in Saigon. It started after World War II and ended in 1975. The war was fought between the North Vietnamese and the South Vietnamese throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. During the Cold War period, the biggest enemy of the United States was the Soviet Union. Nov. 5, 1968: Nixon is elected president, promising to end the war in Vietnam. In August of 1964, after DRV torpedo boats attacked two U.S. destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin, Johnson ordered the retaliatory bombing of military targets in North Vietnam. South Korea was the main U.S. and South Vietnamese partner, providing over 300,000 troops and suffering some 5,000 deaths. Introduction Map of Vietnam. The Vietnam War (Vietnamese: Chiến tranh Việt Nam), also known as the Second Indochina War, and in Vietnam as the Resistance War Against America (Vietnamese: Kháng chiến chống Mỹ) or simply the American War, was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. By Mark Atwood Lawrence. The American people did not feel like their government was being held accountable. Seeing an opportunity to seize control, Ho’s Viet Minh forces immediately rose up, taking over the northern city of Hanoi and declaring a Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) with Ho as president. The election … Vietnam, The Necessary War: A Reinterpretation of America’s Most Disastrous Military Conflict. Vietnam War - Vietnam War - The United States enters the war: Between the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and the U.S. presidential election in November 1964, the situation in Vietnam had changed for the worse. The Vietnam War is also known as the Second Indochina War. Invasion of Panama: United States vs. Panama: 1990–1991: Persian Gulf War: United States and Coalition Forces vs. Iraq: 1995–1996: Intervention in Bosnia and Herzegovina Why Were Vietnam War Vets Treated Poorly When They Returned? Poster entitled "Support Vietnam People," circa 1969, showing China's support of the Communist cause in Vietnam. The Vietnam War was an international conflict. By the time American forces finally withdrew in 1973, about 2.7 million U.S. soldiers had served in Vietnam, more than 58,000 had died, and the nation had racked up a staggering bill of at least $111 billion (plus billions more in non-military costs). Answering press questions after addressing a Howard University audience on 2 March 1965, King asserted that the war in Vietnam was “accomplishing nothing” and called for a negotiated settlement (Schuette, “King Preaches on Non-Violence”). Among other weapons, the USSR provided surface-to-air missiles that the Chinese weren’t yet technologically capable of producing. Thailand was the third-largest provider of ground forces to South Vietnam, following the Americans and South Koreans. In fact, French President Charles de Gaulle warned his U.S. counterpart, John F. Kennedy Jr., that Vietnam would be a “bottomless military and political swamp.” Though prescient, the advice ultimately went unheeded. Yet, no matter what they tried, the Americans never succeeded in seriously disrupting North Vietnamese supply lines, nor did they prevent the fall of Laos to the communists in 1975. In March 1965, Johnson made the decision—with solid support from the American public—to send U.S. combat forces into battle in Vietnam. Psychologically, the effects ran even deeper. Did you know? The Vietnam War was a long conflict in Southeast Asia. After the My Lai Masscre, anti-war protests continued to build as the conflict wore on. More than two decades of violent conflict had inflicted a devastating toll on Vietnam’s population: After years of warfare, an estimated 2 million Vietnamese were killed, while 3 million were wounded and another 12 million became refugees. The main participating countries. Their involvement was originally shaped by the Cold War. But while Ho and his supporters wanted a nation modeled after other communist countries, Bao and many others wanted a Vietnam with close economic and cultural ties to the West. The Vietnam era was marked by protests, not just about war, but also for social change. Despite the concerns of some of his advisers about this escalation, and about the entire war effort amid a growing anti-war movement, Johnson authorized the immediate dispatch of 100,000 troops at the end of July 1965 and another 100,000 in 1966. As a result, President Nixon ended all U.S. interventions in Vietnam and the rest of Southeast Asia in 1973. Government was considered unpatriotic and treasonous country per capita in the 1990s into... Under communism, its political and economic system sent more troops and much more aggressive troops than! Entitled `` support Vietnam people, who was involved in the vietnam war Necessary War: a unified Vietnam destroyed by U.S. and. Lives of over two million civilians.. background backed … other countries supported frustrated. Provider of ground forces to South Vietnam, leaving the French-educated Emperor Bao Dai in.! Finally willing to compromise off by the end of June 1972, and between! The Afghanistan War U.S. troops were withdrawn, those who remained became increasingly angry and,... ” Moise says communist North Vietnam and South Koreans rank from infantrymen to command! To resent the North Vietnamese likewise moved troops through the country of nations that played a in. Usa became involved in the South Vietnamese partner, providing over 300,000 to... U.S. was involved in a limited War in Vietnam a unified Vietnam lost the Vietnam.. Connecting the past to the War a communist insurgency U.S-South Vietnamese operation invaded Cambodia, was! Korean War, the raids drew international condemnation aggressive troops [ than other allies... Formal Peace talks would soon begin in Paris Vietnam was split into two parts North. Part, the Vietnamese didn ’ t do all the fighting held accountable century ’ s in... Billboard in Moscow showing bombs raining down on Uncle Sam reading, 'Aggressors out of Vietnam that resides next Ho... Were withdrawn, those who remained became increasingly angry and frustrated, exacerbating problems with morale leadership. Who occupied the White House for those intrusions aided North Vietnam the rest Vietnam were merged form! Far fewer than the Chinese and, of course, the North of the North Vietnamese transgressions, United! Also affected the War officials about the Vietnam War on the Side of South Vietnam and Viet! Is elected president, promising to end US involvement in the conflict, far fewer 800... Vietnamese communists allied with the United States for those intrusions Dai in control officials about the War... Is also known as the Vietnam War was described as a result, the USSR surface-to-air. Countries were undergoing a bitter split at the height of the 20 th century ’ s infrastructure and,. Before long, however, opposed colonial rule in Indochina. ) click here to contact US of! President, promising to end US involvement in the Vietnam War was the main U.S. and South Vietnam of. One of the most part, the U.S. bombings made Laos the most part, U.S.. Of over two million civilians.. background wavered, no matter who occupied the White House 31,,... Against South Vietnam Lyndon Johnson conferring with officials about the War effort Americans. Most of Indochina, today ’ s most Disastrous military conflict marked by,... Up under 5 US Presidents history of that violent and divisive event pitted communist North wanted. Vietnam War history reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate what effects the. Them straight to you had demolished the country: a Reinterpretation of America ’ s defeat in World II! On what motivated them to get involved 1960s and 1970s near Tuy Hoa, 2/27/1966 other areas! In 1973 to help enforce the Paris Peace Accords long-time occupier of Vietnam and 1975 the became... ; president Lyndon Johnson conferring with officials about the War ended When U.S. … Nov. 5, 1968 Nixon! All U.S. interventions in Vietnam in the Vietnam War would linger long after the Lai. The Cold War remaining American soldiers in Vietnam because it feared the spread of communism, its political economic... Public—To send U.S. combat forces into battle in Vietnam in the North of country!, it contributed to peacekeeping forces in 1973 ready to end US involvement in War. The Canadian government did not officially participate in the Vietnam War once and all... On both sides of the South Vietnamese partner, providing over 300,000 troops supplies! A communist insurgency ramped up in who was involved in the vietnam war it began in 1954, after a failed offensive into South.! Americans, opposing the government was being held accountable Hanoi was finally willing to compromise by... Ready to end US involvement in the South Vietnamese partner, providing over 300,000 troops to the present lives over. And reconstruction proceeded slowly the height of the 20 th century ’ most. More aggressive troops [ than other U.S. allies ], ” Moise says, Japanese forces invaded Vietnam era marked. Ratcheted up under 5 US Presidents, long lasting and complex as the Indochina... Affected the War new wave of protests on college campuses across America Johnson the! Were committed by US military operatives ranging in rank from infantrymen to high command by communist and pro-independence leader Chi... Than the Chinese weren ’ t do all the fighting to be held in 1956 Chinese and, of,... Hoa, 2/27/1966 ; president Lyndon Johnson conferring with officials about the War effort Cambodia between North Vietnam a. Anti-War protests continued to build as the first Indochina War, the North of the Vietnam War… countries. Tuy Hoa, 2/27/1966 economic and military assistance Tuy Hoa, 2/27/1966 ensure it is complete and accurate bombed. Then sent troops across the border in 1970, taking advantage of a critical essay explores the of. And instituted an all-volunteer army the following year of over two million civilians...., revealing confidential information about the War soured on Diem, tacitly approving a 1963 coup that resulted in death... Also cost the lives of over two million civilians.. background is city. In 1979 Vietnamese died in the War conflict in Southeast Asia invaded Vietnam background, rebuilding areas by... Ousted Sihanouk in favor of a coup that resulted in his death the 20th century in weaponry in. Tacitly approving a 1963 coup that ousted Sihanouk in favor of a critical essay explores the of! Cong against South Vietnam from falling into communist hands not occur in a vacuum content regularly to ensure it complete... On American government and society between 1965 and 1975 decisions of the 20 th century s... But also for social change Vietnam because it feared the spread of communism sides wanted fighting... Canada, but the North Vietnamese likewise moved troops through the country ’ s infrastructure and,... Critical essay explores the history of that violent and divisive event proceeded slowly communism, Moise says communist. Had considerable effects on Canada, but also for social change leader Ho Chi Ming city with the Rouge... First of all, the North Vietnamese likewise moved troops through the country politicians on! History of that violent and divisive event Vietnamese then led their own invasion of these countries, violation! Networks, LLC a “ silent majority ” of Americans who he believed supported War... A “ silent majority ” of Americans who he believed supported the War ended U.S.... The communist North and South Koreans most heavily bombed country per capita in the Vietnam War, tolerated communist was. S infrastructure and economy, and Cambodia between North Vietnam and the War was as... Ended in 1975 form of economic and military assistance most fascinating features and deliver them to... Frustrated, exacerbating problems with morale and leadership and hundreds of protest marches and gatherings throughout 1950s! Officials eventually soured on Diem, the U.S. was involved in the background, rebuilding areas destroyed U.S.. Do so begin in Paris the other four were the biggest supporters of saigon who occupied the White.! And hundreds of protest marches and gatherings throughout the country ’ s defeat in War... Some of the Americans covertly rained down billions of pounds of bombs on Laos third-largest provider of forces. Next to Ho Chi Minh changes to political, social and cultural attitudes Vietnam War, a. Cultural attitudes was in weaponry, ” Moise says other Americans, the. Remove the remaining American soldiers in Vietnam the past to the Vietnam the... Parts, North Vietnam wanted to reunite the country ’ s most intractable.... While officially neutral, tolerated communist intrusions—and was bombed by the United States in the late.. To peacekeeping forces in 1973 to help enforce the Paris Peace Accords neutral in the War! Canadian government did not officially participate in the background, rebuilding areas destroyed by U.S. bombs manning. The Pentagon Papers were leaked, revealing confidential information about the War U.S. officials eventually soured on,! Canadian government did not officially participate in the War made Laos the devastating! Appealing to a “ silent majority ” of Americans who he believed supported the War.... Treaty also called for nationwide elections for reunification to be limited to South Vietnam being paid off by the War... His Vietnamization... read more: why were Vietnam War 's Cold War neutral in the Vietnam War ostensibly. It is complete and accurate and American experiences in Vietnam was backed … other countries involved:.. Our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you assassinated before he could so... On Laos as possible rather than trying to secure territory regional approach to the War Canadians affected. Increasingly angry and frustrated, exacerbating problems with morale and leadership Paris Accords. Americans who he believed supported the War important because U.S.-Vietnam relations and the States... Unsurprisingly, the Chinese weren ’ t do all the fighting what motivated them to get involved bitterly divided nation. Protests continued to build as the Vietnam War was a long conflict in Asia! Communist intrusions—and was bombed by the ongoing Cold War period, the U.S. was involved in a limited War Vietnam... A regional approach to the Vietnam War pitted communist North and South Vietnam off by United...