The Vietnam War began in December in 1956 and ended in April 1975. Initially the war was between North Vietnam and South Vietnam but they both formed allies. North Vietnam’s allies were the Soviet Union, China, and other communist allies, while South Vietnam’s allies were anti-communist countries like the United States. The United States entered the war and sought the help of the South Vietnamese army (ARVN). Despite the US collaborating with the ARVNs, the ARVNs were constantly belittled and were not recognized for their contributions. Therefore, because the U.S. failed to work effectively with the ARVNs, it may have cost the Americans the war. In other words, if the U.S. collaborated appropriately with the ARVNs and learned to trust them with weapons and helped them economically, the war may have ended differently.
Prior to 1945, Vietnam had already been through years of dynastic ruling, monarchies, was taken over and governed by the French, and occupied by the Japanese. Slowly the French invaded Vietnam and were able to take control of the provinces in Vietnam. Following the August Revolution and the end of the First Indochina War in 1954, the Geneva Accords summarily divides the country along the 17th Parallel, with Ho Chi Minh and his group occupying the north and a French puppet government in the south (which is then later ousted when America-backed Ngo Dinh Diem establishes his regime, the Republic of Vietnam). The National Liberation Front, led by Southern dissidents, was established in 1959 to oppose Diem’s government. Diem’s actions regarding negotiations with North Vietnam on the withdrawal of American influence and possible reunification led to a US-backed coup in 1963. This resulted in a series of military dictator...
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Appy’s book is valuable to its readers in showing how Vietnam became the template for every American war since, from novelties like the invasion of Grenada to the seemingly never-ending conflicts post-9/11. But before all that, there was Vietnam, and, larger lessons aside, Appy’s book is a fascinating, insightful, infuriating and thought-provoking study of that conflict, from its earliest days
The Vietnam War: A Concise International History is a strong book that portrays a vivid picture of both sides of the war. By getting access to new information and using valid sources, Lawrence’s study deserves credibility. After reading this book, a new light and understanding of the Vietnam war exists.
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The Vietnam War took place in between 1947- 1975. It consisted of North Vietnam trying to make South Vietnam a communism government. The United States later joined this conflict because of the stress North Vietnam was putting to South Vietnam to become a government that America did not want. The main reason why America joined was because of a theory called the Domino Effect. America and Russia were going through what has been dubbed the Cold War. The Domino Effect is the theory that communism will spread form one country to another. United states does not want this because our government is a democracy and communism opposes everything we stand for. America fearing communism was growing, stepped into Vietnam with America’s interest in mind, instead of Vietnam’s. There are several reason why American should have not gotten involved with this war. The most important reason was that America government officials made to much of a big deal about communism. This might sound cynical, but America to a certain degree did over react. Let it be said that it is much easier to say this after the fact. By looking back at McCarthyism, we can see the silliness of this fear. There is a serious side though. Thousands of people dies for a government that has no impact of their daily life. What regime Vietnam was going to change over to had no effect on the every day cycle of the United States. So truly, one can say, this can not one thing to do with America, its government and people.
The Vietnam War was the longest war in America's history of involvement. Twenty years of hell, land mines, cross-fire, and death. Vietnam was divided by the Geneva Accord. The north being communist run by Ho Chi Minh. The south being anti-Communist run by Ngo Dinh Diem. Before Vietnam was separated, it was run by France. France had ruled most of Indochina since the late 1800s. The Vietnamese were unhappy with the way the French were controlling, therefore, many of them took refuge in China. When in China, they began to follow the lead of Ho Chi Minh, who wanted to model the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence as that of the U.S. version. In the 1940s, Japan had taken over Vietnam which upset Ho Chi Minh and his revolutionaries when they had returned a year later.
“Here’s a little riddle for you. What's the difference between the army and the Cub Scouts? Cub Scouts don't have heavy artillery!” Adrian Cronauer tried to bring a kind of relief to the people of the war through his radio show. Cronauer was a United States Air Force sergeant and radio broadcaster who inspired the movie Good Morning, Vietnam. The Vietnam War, which was by far the longest war the United States has participated in, went on from 1945 until 1975. Even though the United States was involved with the war since the 50’s, by aiding France, they did not send troops until 1965. The Vietnam War began because North Vietnam wanted to combine both parts of Vietnam into one big country, but South Vietnam did not want this. The United States helped South Vietnam from keeping the countries separate and keeping communism out of their country. The war seemed like it would never end so a cease-fire was arranged in January 1973; although the war did not officially end until April 30, 1975. In this war, almost 60,000 Americans died and about 2 million Vietnamese died. The United States only got involved because they wanted to prevent communism from spreading throughout the rest of the world. Good Morning, Vietnam is not historically accurate because it did not portray Adrian Cronauer or the Vietnam War in the correct way.
The Vietnam War began as a skirmish between North Vietnam—supported by China and the Soviet Union—and South Vietnam—supported by the United States. North Vietnam was brutally suppressing South Vietnam, trying to impose Communism upon unwilling citizens. The United States—who after World War II made it their duty to protect free peoples against dictatorships—made it a priority to protect South Vietnam from invasion, and supplied them with food and weapons. President Eisenhower hypothesized the Domino Theory, declaring that one Communist state would begin attacking adjacent countries and continue in a domino effect until world domination. Used as justification, the Domino Theory was irrational, because North Vietnam only intended to reunite the country under Communism. Full-scale fighting by the US began in 1964 based on the Anti-Communist hysteria that existed at the time. Disillusioned after two years, the majority of Americans participated in the anti-war movement.
The war in Vietnam ranged from 1956 to 1975, within these years many unconventional methods of warfare were used, such as “Agent Orange”, guerilla warfare and even events such as the “My Lai Massacre” occurred. The Vietnam War was a proxy war in which the United States fought the North Vietnamese who were backed by the USSR, we did not win the Vietnam war due to a lack of clear goals, and the impossibility to combat the North Vietnamese soldiers who by day were regular civilians but by night were using guerilla attacks on U.S. soldiers. Throughout the Vietnam War our troops and bombs caused large amounts of damage to the land of North and South Vietnam but the most damage was in our own home. Throughout the United States involvement in Vietnam, there were many adverse effects on our own lives, including the large increase of political, social and economic tension. The Vietnam War heightened social, political and economic tensions by causing inflation and a growing budget deficit of the United States. For the social tensions, it caused for the first time people protesting against a war and a lack of faith in the government due to being lied to. And as for political tensions the first lottery draft in history stressed many politicians due to an outraged population.
Anderson, D. (2002). The Columbia guide to the Vietnam War. New York: Columbia University Press.
The conflict in Vietnam for the United States started when President Dwight D. Eisenhower went along with the domino theory and sent in military advisors in South Vietnam to stop the communist movement from taking place in South Vietnam. The Vietnam conflict was between the communist’s and the United States. North Vietnam was led by Ho Chi Minh, and Ho Chi Minh led the Viet Cong, a guerilla group to help spread communism. The United States were supporters of the South Vietnam because they wanted them to maintain their government rather than falling to the domino theory of communism. After Eisenhower’s term ended, John F. Kennedy became president and took control of the situation in Vietnam.
Costello, Mary. "Vietnam Aftermath." Editional Research Reports 1974 1 (1974): 1. CQ Researcher Online. Web. 5 Mar. 2014.
The Vietnam War has gone down in United Sates history as one of the longest conflicts the country has faced. This prolonged war was not only costly in economic standards but also in American lives. In a time when the cold war turned hot disputes erupted in the various areas in Vietnam. Along with its southern allies, otherwise known as the Viet Cong, Northern Vietnam raged war against South Vietnam. With its main ally, the United States continued to fight to “save” South Vietnam from turning into an entirely communist country. While the war continued it became increasingly unpopular in the United States. With media advancing and increasing, the people of the United States could comprehend the war in ways never seen before.
Vietnam was a struggle which, in all honesty, the United States should never have been involved in. North Vietnam was battling for ownership of South Vietnam, so that they would be a unified communist nation. To prevent the domino effect and the further spread of communism, the U.S. held on to the Truman Doctrine and stood behind the South Vietnamese leader, Diem.
Willbanks, James H. "The Real History of the Vietnam War." ARMCHAIR GENERAL Nov. 2007: 54-67. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 3 Apr. 2014.