The Vietnam War was a war between the communist regime and the Vietcong in North Vietnam, against South Vietnam and their ally, America that took place in 1954. During World War ll, Japan invaded Vietnam and occupied their territory that had been under the French's power. Ho Chi Minh formed the Viet Minh, also known as the League for the Independence of Vietnam, so they could fight both Japan and the French administration. When Japan withdrew its forces in 1945, Emperor Bao Dai took power over Vietnam which was now independent. The Viet Minh forces rose up very quickly after that, taking over the northern city of Hanoi. They declared it the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV), and Ho was president. France wanted to have control again so they united forces with Bao and made South Vietnam in the state of Vietnam, in July of 1949. Soon Vietnam was split into North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel, Ho was controlled the North and Bao controlled the South. In 1955, Ngo Dinh Diem knocked Bao down from power and became president of the Government of the Republic of Vietnam.
A group of Ngo Dinh Diem's own men killed both Diem and his brother, in November of 1963, three weeks prior to the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. By March of 1965, Lyndon B. Johnson decided to send U.S. forces to Vietnam. In June, there was approximately 82,000 troops that were stationed in Vietnam, General William Westmoreland wanted 175,000 more men by the end of 1965, to strengthen the army in South Vietnam. Johnson authorized a dispatch of 100,000 men by the end of July, and 100,000 more in 1966. President Nixon wanted to calm down the anti-war movement by trying to appeal to a 'silent majority' of the Americans who supported the war in Vietnam. He wanted to limit the amount of American casualties, he started a program to take out troops, that way they could attack using air crafts and aerial bombing. Along with this policy he came up with 'Vietnamization'. Nixon had continued to spread peace talks in Paris, along with higher- level secret talks that were done by Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in early spring of 1968. North Vietnam continued to comply with the withdraw of the troops as a condition of peace.
The War Concludes
When the first of the U.S. troops with withdrawn there were also troops that were still out there that became angry. Thousands of soldiers were given dishonorable discharges for desertion. About 500,000 men between 1965- 1973 became what are known as 'draft dodgers'. They would escape to Canada to avoid being drafted. Nixon ended all draft calls in 1972. In 1970, U.S. and South Vietnamese forces invaded Cambodia in hopes of eliminating DRV bases there. The South Vietnamese soon after started their own invasion of Laos, whom was pushed back by North Vietnam. There became more and more anti- war protests in America as this went on. Kissinger and North Vietnam proposed a peace agreement in the early fall of 1972, but the leaders in Saigon denied it. In December, Nixon authorized bombings on targets in Hanoi and Haiphong, these were known as the Christmas Bombings, people all around the world condemned Nixon for this act. At the end of the Vietnam War there was a total of 2 million men who gave their lives, 58,000 of which were American.
When the first of the U.S. troops with withdrawn there were also troops that were still out there that became angry. Thousands of soldiers were given dishonorable discharges for desertion. About 500,000 men between 1965- 1973 became what are known as 'draft dodgers'. They would escape to Canada to avoid being drafted. Nixon ended all draft calls in 1972. In 1970, U.S. and South Vietnamese forces invaded Cambodia in hopes of eliminating DRV bases there. The South Vietnamese soon after started their own invasion of Laos, whom was pushed back by North Vietnam. There became more and more anti- war protests in America as this went on. Kissinger and North Vietnam proposed a peace agreement in the early fall of 1972, but the leaders in Saigon denied it. In December, Nixon authorized bombings on targets in Hanoi and Haiphong, these were known as the Christmas Bombings, people all around the world condemned Nixon for this act. At the end of the Vietnam War there was a total of 2 million men who gave their lives, 58,000 of which were American.
By Kayla