In General: The Vietnam war is a war in Vietnam from 1946 to 1975
concerning the independence, the unity and the military supremacy
in the country. The war took place in several periods: the first one,
the French period (1946-1954), is also called Indochina war.
The war began as a fight of Vietnam versus the French colonial rule,
in the second period it took over to Laos and Cambodia and developed
to one of the most important wars of the east-west conflict with
international participation. It was discussed sharply and controversially
and caused international anti-imperialist protests.
First Period/ Indo-China war
1940 to 1954: After WW II Vietnam was part of the Japanese Empire.
After the withdrawal of the Japanese troops following thing happened:
First of all, Ho Chi Minh founded the “Democratic Republic of Vietnam”
in the North. His goal: Sovereignty of whole Vietnam
Meanwhile, France wanted to reconstruct its colonial rule in the South,
they were supported by the Americans who feared another communist country,
so they constructed another government in South Vietnam
This lead to war, which is finally won by the North Vietnamese
Indochina conference in Geneva announces: split of the country on the
17th parallel; first free elections
USA was afraid of the domino effect
results: → North: Communist country under Ho Chi Minh ->South: supported by the USA and Great Britain
Elections for the unity of the country never take place because the USA is afraid that the communists would win
Second period: American Period
Kennedy / Johnson
From 1957: in south Vietnam, the Vietcong fight the regime of president Diem (supported by the North)
Vietcong: guerrilla organisation in South Vietnam. Goal -> Liberation of South Vietnam
From 1961: the USA under Kennedy sign a treaty concerning the American-South Vietnamese
friendship and their economy → USA starts sending troops to Vietnam
August 1964: Tonking incident. Vietnamese submarines attacked US-warship which had carried out secret operations, but whether this incident has ever taken place has never become clear.
President Johnson receives the permission for war against North Vietnam by the American Congress
1965: USA start systematic bombardments to North Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Path (path from North Vietnam through Cambodia and Laos to South Vietnam) ; operation called “Rolling Thunder”
great number of airplanes, special bombs: Napalms which destroyed a large area & Agent Orange which made the leaves of the trees fall down so the US soldiers would detect more Vietcong guerrilla fighters
67: 543.000 US soldiers fight in South Vietnam against the Vietcong and North Vietnam
North Vietnam receives military and economical help from the UdSSR and China
USA spend 25 billion dollar every year on the Vietnam war
January 1968: Tet Offensive. (Tet = Vietnamese month of January) North Vietnam and the Vietcong attack Hue and Saigon successfully but fail in the end: Show the North Vietnamese power. The USA realizes that the Vietnam war cannot be won by their troops anymore
Peace movements in America start: Tet Offensive, warfare with use of Napalms and Agent Orange
first peace negotiations start
’68: elections in the USA: President Johnson does not candidate again, because of the negative reactions to the Vietnam war in the population, republic Richard Nixon was elected president
Nixon
1969: President Nixon supplies South Vietnam with more arms, he wants to put the warfare in south Vietnamese hands and withdraw the US-troops =”Vietnamisation”
The peace negotiations slow down because North Vietnam insists on the complete withdrawal of the US-troops
Cambodia and Laos are attacked by the US-troops
USA: Peace movements grow stronger and stronger (mainly because of atrocies by US-Soldiers : massacre of My Lai)
1971/72: When the North Vietnamese entered South Vietnamese territory, the USA reacted with
devastating attacks from the air → the war goes on
1973: Ceasefire agreement between USA and North Vietnam signed in Paris (Kissinger: minister of foreign affairs) -> main results: US-soldiers will be withdrawn, general elections do NOT take place
Civil war (1973 to 1975)
Fights in Vietnam go on (without American participation)
30th April 1975: North Vietnamese troops conquer Saigon
1976: Socialist Republic of Vietnam is founded, Saigon is renamed in Ho Chi Minh City
Effects of the Vietnam War
57.000 dead US-soldiers and 153.000 wounded US-soldiers
2 million dead Vietnamese
3 million wounded Vietnamese
1.2 million refugees (boat people)
destroyed infrastructure and economy
ecological harms of the Napalms and Agent orange Arms
trauma to the US population
Reactions in the population:
The newspaper and television were allowed to show every attack and detail of the war, so the population could see all cruelties which took place in Vietnam
Students started protesting in US universities
simultaneously, the Civil Rights Movement took place in the US → Lots of demonstrations which
thousands of people → Martin Luther King’s march to Washington DC against racism and war with
participation of 100.000 people
About 50.000 Conscientious objectors who didn’t want to be sent to Vietnam escaped to Canada
Protests also took place in Europe: The German “Antiparlamentarische Opposition” was founded
Documents and distinctions concerning Vietnam were burnt publicly
Today: The Vietnam war is still a trauma for America and the American population.
The Vietnam Veterans are still treated a special way.
Music and movies about Vietnam war:
Most famous movie is probably “Apocalypse now“
YouTube Link
a movie you might all now that deals with the Vietnam war is „Forrest Gump“
The musical „Hair“
Bob Dylan: „Masters of war“
John Lennon: „Give peace a chance“, „Imagine“
songs by Bob Dylan, Bob Seeger, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, Jimmi Hendrix, Joan Baez, Jefferson Airplane etc
Country Joe McDonald - "Feel Like I'm Fixing To Die" This is the most famous song about the Vietnam war. This video was recorded during the festival of Woodstock. Other Artists like Jimi Hendrix made fun of the US government, even the national anthem, which is a enormous no-go.
