Vietnam's army overran neighboring Cambodia in 1978, driving the genocidal Khmer Rouge out of power. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. More than 3 million people died during the Vietnam war. Vietnam has a communist government. President Kennedy increases military aid to South Vietnam, but does not 33. While the Vietnam War was a resounding defeat for America, it doesn’t mean that the negative facts on the war are true. restricts U.S. bombing operations and announces he will not seek re-election. Learn about Vietnam War protests, the Tet Offensive, the My Lai Massacre, the Pentagon Papers and more. More than 3/4 of U.S. soldiers volunteered for the war. U.S. student protests 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. At its narrowest point, the country is just 25 miles wide. France had colonized Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, a group of nations which had become known as French Indochina. Vietnam. The city of Saigon was later renamed to Ho Chi Minh City in his honor. The guerrilla warfare that characterized the Vietnam War often resulted in civilian massacres, as it was difficult to distinguish friendly South Vietnamese from the Communist Viet Cong spread throughout the South. © 2021 Fact Retriever LLC. Veteran Successes. In fact, over 80% of draftees were white, and 10-15% were African American, which was reflective of the relative population levels at the time. It was part of a larger regional conflict as well as a manifestation of the Cold War. One of the world’s longest conflicts, and still today it’s quite controversial. The United States grew interested in the political situation in Vietnam because of the perceived growing threat of global communism. When the United Nations set the 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals, they included an extra goal for Laos – to rid the country of dangerous unexploded items. There are many stories of anti-war protesters spitting on soldiers upon their return. Heroin use reached epidemic proportions among American troops. The bitter controversy surrounding the Vietnam War led many soldiers to feel unwelcome upon their return home. Vietnam Veterans represented 9.7% of their generation. Gulf of Tonkin Incident occurs August 2-4. The final American ground troops withdraw. History.com, August 1, 2014. By the year's end, U.S. military strength in Vietnam is at 23,000. Notable books include, The Pentagon Papers were a series of documents containing classified information on the progress and status of the war in Vietnam. It was fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. A controversial tool used during the Vietnam War was "Agent Orange," a defoliant designed to strip away forest cover used by enemy guerrilla troops. North Vietnam takes Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, and take control of the country. The Vietnam War, was a Cold War-era proxy war that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. The Viet Cong were Vietnamese rebels in the South who fought against the Southern Vietnam government and the United States. Ken Burns and Lynn Novick: the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War was primarily between the North and South of Vietnam, but it didn’t end there. Congress repeals the Tonkin Gulf Resolution. CNN Library, Updated March 27, 2018. An estimated 1.3 million military combatants died in the Vietnam War, from all countries involved, as well as 1 million civilians. Laos is the most heavily bombed country in the world, with an estimated 30% of cluster bombs remaining unexploded. Accessed: March 30, 2018. The Vietnamese Communist Party controlled the North. The Vietnam War was instrumental in raising consciousness about Post-Traumatic. Television broadcasts of battles and general conditions in Vietnam played a large role in souring U.S. public opinion on the conflict. at year's end stands at 536,100. Interesting Facts. The New York Times releases the "Pentagon Papers.". The Paris Peace Accord is signed on January 27, and the war officially ends. First Indonchina War rages for eight years between French and NPR: All Things Considered, July 24, 2015. Although international law has many measures and regulations in place to prevent injuries and deaths to civilians, the sad reality is that it is often innocent civilians who pay the price for war. Buddhist monks commit suicide by setting themselves on fire in opposition to Diem's The famous story of the photo “Napalm Girl” and how the… War. © 2021 The Fact Site | All Rights Reserved | Sitemap, The Fact Site requires you to enable Javascript to browse our website, 5 Impressive Accomplishments of Elon Musk, 20 Fascinating Facts About Rhinos That You Should Know, 100 History Facts They Didn’t Teach You At School, 1000 Random & Interesting Facts About Literally Everything, How Pepsi Became The Sixth Largest Military In The World, April 11: Facts & Historical Events On This Day. 1. The Vietnam War was, in fact, an indirect war between the Soviet Union and the United States of America. About 2 million civilians and 1.3 million soldiers were killed or died during the war. Since the Northern Vietnamese government wanted to make the country united and a communist state, the West grew worried at the prospect of yet another communist country, following in the footsteps of the Soviet Union and China. Vietnam war facts: The Vietnam war last for 19 years and all three countries become communist. Vietnam Forums; Vietnam War Facts. 1. Fact: The Vietnam War unleashed thousands of addicts upon the US healthcare and legal systems. The North Vietnamese eventually won the war in 1975 and reunited Vietnam as a communist country. This caused anger and frustration among many of the enemy troops in the South, who became unaware of who their enemies were and lost trust in their neighbors. The United States military command ordered U.S. soldiers to attack a village believed to be filled with Viet Cong. The B-52 heavy bomber, F4 Phantom, and Bell UH-1 guaranteed American superiority in the air. WWII ends. South Vietnam requests U.S. military instructors, which are provided. Ho Chi Minh had many names and nearly as many political identities, Scenes such as this flashed across American television screens, prompting social backlash, The trail ran from North Vietnam through Laos and Cambodia into South Vietnam, The Vietnamese are still feeling the horrific effects of Agent Orange, The Soviet-made AK-47 had a reputation for being nearly indestructible, In addition to punji stakes, trip wires and crude explosive traps were constant dangers. Vietnam has been subject to many foreign powers. This was partly due to the United States troops withdrawing two years previously, leaving the South too weak to continue on its own with any great strength or power to overcome the enemy. The Vietnam War Facts: 6 Things You Need to Know about the War The Vietnam War was steep deep in the Domino Theory. Richard Nixon is elected and promises gradual troop withdrawal. 12Zwerdling, Daniel. Its unpopularity helped to shape the turbulent social movements of the 1960s and led to deep divisions within the nation. World War I destroyed empires and killed millions of people. War. The United States officially entered the war in 1965 when the North Vietnamese attacked the USS Maddox, backing South Vietnam. He is replaced by Duong Van Minh. The USA dropped almost 2 … The principle of yin and yang is also applied in composing a meal, to provide contrasts in spiciness and temperature of the food.29. Myths about Vietnam War were mostly invented to assure the nation that the war was an American success story. Since the war ended in 1975 the country bloomed with tourists willing to see all of its magical rivers and beaches and the magical old cities. "The Orphans of Agent Orange: Fifty Years On, Children Suffer from the Horrific Effects of America’s Use of Chemical Weapons during the Vietnam War." All rights reserved. 1Evans, Sophie Jane. Conference splits Vietnam along the 17th parallel, into the Northern The Vietnam War was a conflict between the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong, and the South Vietnamese and the United States of America. A long war which began in 1955 and didn’t end until 1979, the Vietnam War is one of the most well-known conflicts of recent years. History.com, 2011. Not only was the cost of the war astronomical, the fact that 3 million people died in the war, including 58,000 Americans, is staggering. There are many interesting facts about the Vietnam War which many people don’t know – let’s explore some of the lesser-known facts about this period of history. Many soldiers returning from the war felt they had been betrayed at home by liberals, hippies, and feminists who had undermined U.S. morale and the will to keep fighting, and the government, which had caved to social pressure. The attack The Vietnamese believe in Three Kitchen Gods or Tao Quan, who live with and observe each family’s actions. Leaders from both the U.S. and South Vietnam died during the war. There are a number of little known, interesting facts about the Vietnam War. 11"Weapons of the Vietnam War." The number of Americans who died in the Vietnam War is 58,220. Vietnam had been divided into two, with a communist regime in the north under Ho Chi Minh and a democratic government in the south under Ngo Dinh Diem. "17 Wild Facts about the Vietnam War." As a result, the United States during the late 1960’s didn’t invade the North or seek to cause further damage through attacks, but rather they focused on South Vietnam and how they could multiply the efforts of the Southern troops. Here are 15 interesting facts on the Vietnam War: The Vietnam War began on 1 November 1955 and ended with the fall of Saigon 30 April 1975, lasting 19 and 1/2 years. The conflict has deep historical roots, most recently the First Indochina War between the communist North and the French-backed South, and the subsequent splitting of Vietnam into North and South. Vietnam War Facts, Stats and Myths Totals. "How Jane Fonda’s 1972 Trip to North Vietnam Earned Her the Nickname ‘Hanoi Jane.’" Washington Post, September 18, 2017. shocks the American public, and support for the war drops. Sadly, the Vietnam War caused devastation and harm for thousands of civilians and soldiers, and continues to be remembered as one of the world’s longest and most deadly wars. communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh, and the At the end of the Vietnam War, the USS Midway crew pushed $10 million worth of helicopters into the sea so that a Cessna full of evacuees could land on the deck. In 1976, Vietnam was united as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Of Those Lost. Educated in, Leaders of the free world feared a "domino effect" regarding the spread of communism. The leader of North Vietnam, Nguyễn Sinh Cung, better known by the pseudonym Ho Chi Minh, was the president of communist North Vietnam from 1954 to 1965. North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces began a coordinated series of attacks against key South Vietnamese targets on the Vietnamese new year. Over 500,000 anti-war protestors march in Washington D.C. The U.S. suffered over 47,000 killed in action plus another 11,000 noncombat deaths; over 150,000 were wounded and 10,000 missing.Casualties for the Republic of South Vietnam will never be adequately resolved. President Kennedy wanted to get the US Army out of Vietnam Source favored by the U.S. The USA fabricated the reason for the attack on a naval ship in Gulf of Tonkin. Saigon is renamed Ho Chi Minh City. Since the Northern government wanted to unite the country, the Vietnam War started out as a civil war, seeking to bring the North and South together and create a united Vietnam. The village was actually occupied mainly by, The Vietnam War left deeps marks on the American psyche, especially the soldiers, leading to the creation of a number of books and films exploring the war's social and emotional ramifications. The war was estimated to cost about $200 billion. 12 Vietnam War Facts for Kids The Vietnam war was fought between November 1st, 1955 and April 30th, 1975. The Vietnam War was the most unpopular war in United States history. Since its beginning in the American frontier, the U.S. military has evolved in tandem with the United States itself. After peace talks in Paris, the fighting in Vietnam continued, until the South surrendered to the communist North in 1975. It is difficult, however, to separate fact from hyperbole in the midst of such social and emotional tumult. In August of 1964, the U.S. Destroyers Maddox and Turner Joy engaged in a firefight with North Vietnamese submarines. The Tet Offensive, which began January 30, 1968, was the largest offensive of the Vietnam War. 31. By 1995, Vietnam had realized the full scale of civilian harm during the war. "Vietnam War Study Raises Concerns about Veterans' Mental Health." President Nixon suspends military operations on January 15. Accessed: March 30, 2018. States including France and Japan were concerned that if one country became a communist nation, other neighboring and nearby countries would follow closely behind. 10 Sobering Facts about the Vietnam War The Vietnam War was a military conflict between North Vietnam and U.S.-aided South Vietnam from 1955–1975. The conflict has deep historical roots, most recently the First Indochina War between the communist North and the French-backed South, and the subsequent splitting of Vietnam into North and South. History.com, 2009. The Vietnam war has a long and bloody history. 9Summers, Harry G. Vietnam War Almanac. In 1954, countries came together at the United Nations in Geneva to explore how the French could withdraw from the country peacefully. Accessed: March 30, 2018. Vietnam protesters often falsely claimed that the draft unfairly targeted minorities. When Richard Nixon became President of the United States in 1969, he wanted to bring the US troops out of Vietnam and leave the fighting to the Vietnamese soldiers. Over 2 million civilians from both the North and South had been killed, with over a million soldiers killed between all armies involved. They agreed to hold a general election two years later in 1956, which would seek to unite the country in a democratic manner rather than through warfare. 6Nalty, Bernard C., ed. continue on college campuses around the country. establishes the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the North. Southern State of Vietnam, under Bao Dai. The Vietnam War was a military conflict between North Vietnam and U.S.-aided South Vietnam from 1955–1975. The M-16 was less durable and generally inferior to the AK-47, which U.S. soldiers would take from fallen foes. Total U.S. military strength in Vietnam rises to 385,000. President Johnson Vietnam was a French colony from the mid-19th century until its expulsion in 1954. The Vietnam War cost a lot of money AND human lives. While many people know about the Vietnam War, not everybody knows how it ended. You will learn something about everything! South Vietnamese positions by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. Only 1.8 million out of the total 8.7 million who served were drafted. He was with the 509th Radio Research Station. Lizzie enjoys writing about current issues & business. Bao Dai is deposed and replaced by nationalist leader Ngô Đình Diệm, who is Explore how the Civil War powerfully changed the American landscape, the mechanics of warfare, politics, & much more with our interesting Civil War facts. According to historians, the United States did not want to take over Vietnam, but rather give enough support so that the South Vietnamese army could take on the North Vietnamese communists, and defeat them. She studied English Literature at university and enjoys sailing & playing the piano in her free time. The Viet Cong, a party from the South which supported the North, was not established until 1960, and plagued the South with guerrilla warfare. Accessed: March 30, 2018. Battle of Ấp Bắc is fought on Jan. 2. Thich Quang Duc (The fiery monk) Interesting Facts. U.S. strength is at 486,000 by year's end. commit US combat troops. President Eisenhower’s Domino Theory cemented U.S. involvement in Vietnam over the years. However, a lot of facts and tidbits of information regarding this war never came to the light of the day owing to the extensive loss of life. A CIA-backed military coup ends in Diem's assassination. In fact, Vietnam is nearly the size of. Fallacy of the Domino Theory President Dwight … French troops return. The "Tet Offensive" begins on January 30th, a coordinated attack on key North and South Vietnam were divided at the 17th parallel. 2Greenspan, Jesse. Nowadays, Vietnam attracts plenty of tourists, many of whom come to pay tribute to those who lost their lives or visit the memorials, but also to see the beauty of the country despite the historic conflict and tragedies. However, Vietnamese civilians on both sides of the conflicts were killed, both combatants and civilians. 9. Prior to the Vietnam War, the North of the country was governed by a communist government, while the South was governed separately by a government which sought to align itself further with the West. From the end of the 19 th Century up until the 1940s Vietnam had been a French colony and formed part of French Indochina. Here are 25 Interesting Facts About Vietnam War. The war cost about $200 billion, and over a million soldiers and two million civilians died because of it. Here it is, our top 10 interesting facts about Vietnam war that you may not know: Vietnam was under Chinese rule for roughly a thousand years until 938 AD. 32. Accessed: March 30, 2018. Accessed: March 30, 2018. The Viet Nimh defeat the French in the battle of Dien Bien Phu. Vietnam was a colonial possession of France from 1883 until the Vietnamese victory at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu on May 7, 1954. oppressive rule. The Vietnam war … Ho Chi Minh's communist Viet Minh The standard rifle used by U.S. ground troops was the M-16 rifle, while the communist forces used Russian-made AK-47s. "The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, 50 Years Ago." However, many US citizens did not approve of the move to invade Laos and Cambodia, promoting protests up and down the country. Accessed: March 30, 2018. The country was a part of Imperial. They were released to, The release of the Pentagon Papers to the public caused massive outrage, particularly over the news that the Kennedy administration had helped coordinate the military coup of 1963 and the assassination of Ngô Đình Diệm, as well as the reports that U.S. bombing of the North had done little to negatively impact. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, 50 Years Ago, How Jane Fonda’s 1972 Trip to North Vietnam Earned Her the Nickname ‘Hanoi Jane.’, The Myth of the Spitting Anti-War Protestor, Vietnam War Study Raises Concerns about Veterans' Mental Health. Here are 10 facts that you probably did not know about the Vietnam War: 1. Low estimates calculate 110,000 combat KIA and a half-million wounded. Interesting Facts. Since the 1970s, Vietnam has slowly liberalized its economic system and recovered from decades of war. Total U.S strength by year's end is 181,000. The Geneva The fall of Saigon in 1975 was an important milestone, and the North was able to bring together the country at last with Ha Noi as the capital. In May 1971, reports in American newspapers and periodicals addressed a growing and tragic crisis among American troops deployed in and returning from Vietnam.